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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Vincent Whelan

Dublin legend Paul Flynn claims Sean O'Shea got away with a red card on Evan Comerford

Sunday's battle between Kerry and Dublin saw The Kingdom prevail by the slimmest of margins after Sean O'Shea booted over a free from 55 metres with practically the last kick of the game.

But while the Kenmare man has been receiving adulation for that remarkably composed kick, some commentators feel he should've been off the pitch for a far more rash one in the first half.

That's the view of Paul Flynn who explained why he felt O'Shea was lucky not to be sent off for his full-blooded effort at scoring a rebound after he'd had his penalty saved by Evan Comerford.

READ MORE: Kerry v Dublin player ratings as Kingdom advance to All-Ireland final

Appearing on Second Captains, he said: "Initially watching the penalty (at the game) I didn't have any idea why there was such a kerfuffle afterwards probably because I had my head in my hands!

"But then I watched it back last night. To be quite honest with you - I'm obviously biased and people will think that - but to me, that's a red card.

"And I'll take a pause there for a second because it is. And we can talk about it all we want.

"It was accidental but he's in the goalkeeper's six-yard box...he pulls on the right boot. If he tried to poke it in that's fair game but it's the follow-through that kicks the goalkeeper in the head.

"Last year with John Small's incident on Eoghan McLaughlin, which was an entirely different incident and I'm not trying to compare the two, but the words used by everyone were 'duty of care to the player.'

"I think in this instance you can really hurt someone if you kick them in the head. And I wouldn't even have wanted it to be honest with you as it could have ruined the game."

This view was then put to Oisín McConville who also featured on the episode. But the Armagh native maintained it was never a red card since the ball had spilled out from Comerford's body and the facial contact was entirely accidental.

However, Flynn responded: "Accidental or not, he still kicked him in the head Oisín."

Lastly he added: "And if not anyway, if it's a yellow card for dangerous play, he did get booked later on so (he would've been sent off then)."

Now while most fans and pundits appear to be on McConville's side on this, Flynn isn't alone in feeling that O'Shea was overly reckless in going in so hard and thereby losing control of his body while Comerford was in a vulnerable position.

Kevin McStay on co-commentary for RTE also stated in the moment that he felt it warranted a red.

In any case, luckily for O'Shea neither his meek penalty nor his follow-up will be the abiding memory from an instant classic of a match as he provided the game's crowning moment after years of Kerry coming up short in the Championship against their oldest rivals.

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