Offaly's James Mahon will miss the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B final next week after losing his appeal against a red card sustained against Waterford.
The corner-back was sent off by referee Johnny Murphy 23 minutes into last Saturday's 0-22 to 1-11 defeat for the Faithful - which confirmed a rematch between the two counties on Sunday week - for a shoulder charge on Conor Sheahan.
Reviewing the incident on Allianz League Sunday, former Kilkenny defender Jackie Tyrrell highlighted several challenges in the game he felt had been worse but said that Mahon's was "For me, just not a red card... A shoulder into the chest. Nowhere near the head, a yellow card."
However, the GAA's Central Hearings Committee found the dismissal justified under rule 7.2 (b) "Behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent" and Mahon will be suspended for one game, unless he takes the case to the Central Appeals Committee, which would only consider the misapplication of rule or if the right to a fair hearing has been compromised.
'I think we're now at a juncture where referees need more help. Video assistance has to be spoken about and looked at'
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 24, 2025
The panel argue the case for video referees after another pivotal red card was handed out in the Waterford-Offaly 1B clash in Walsh Park pic.twitter.com/qfKQAg2Nng
Tyrrell suggested that if referees have been asked to show zero tolerance for challenges to the head, then it was time to introduce video help for what can be difficult, marginal calls.
"I think we're now at a juncture where if we're looking at these head-high tackles, referees need more help. Video assistance has to be spoken about.
"I know it will slow down the game but I would rather be here going 'They got those two or three decisions right'. We looked at that [red-card decision] numerous times before we finally landed on a decision on it...
"It's hard in real time to make those calls. Guys are so powerful, when they take a hit the head jolts back. You don't know if it's to the body [or the head]."
