Michael Verney was on Monday’s OTB AM and rubbished the notion that the black card should be introduced to hurling.
“Slaughtneil were beaten by Na Piarsaigh in an All Ireland Club semi-final in Parnell Park in February 2018 and there was a couple of pull backs when lads were going through on goal.
“[Slaughtneil’s] Karl McKaigue said after that a black card should be brought in and there’s literally been no talk of it since,” Verney commented.
Talk of introducing the black card re-emerged on Sunday after the Kilkenny-Galway match in which there were a few cynical fouls. However, Verney believes that it is an overreaction to consider a black card in hurling after so few incidents.
“Then we’re basing it all on one game, I think it's bizarre kind of talk. I do think yellow cards are dished out far too easily in hurling though,” Verney said.
Verney was referring to Kilkenny’s Ger Aylward in particular, who was sent off for two yellow cards against Galway, the second one for reacting to being tripped.
“If he had been tripped and hadn’t gone back at his man, he’d been almost deemed cowardly.”
“It drives me bananas because if a corner forward hits me I’m going to hit him a shoulder or whatever,” Verney explained.
“Clare are in big, big trouble”
Verney also had strong words for Clare after their poor performance against Limerick, believing that coaching problems are at the heart of their issues.
“There’s no creativity to anything that they’re doing. Everything is so regimented. I wouldn’t say it's so simplistic as everything has happened within a year. Galway kind of turned off against them twice last year.
“That’s the way I would look at it. They played the sweeper against Galway at stages last year and I was just surprised to see it again from the start. It's a good tactic if you implement it if you’re in a bit of trouble, but they’ve been doing it from the start in games,” Verney said.
Verney suggested that there may be a new man in the Clare hot seat next season if they lose to Cork, as there are few positives they can take from a poor season.
“They were annihilated by Waterford in the League quarter-final, annihilated by Limerick, annihilated by Tipp. If Cork beat them as well I wouldn’t say there’s anywhere for them to go management-wise,” Verney said.
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