Shefflin to ponder Galway future after Dublin defeat

FOLLOWING Galway’s six-point defeat to Dublin at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, manager Henry Shefflin had regrets about a contest which drifted away from the Tribesmen after a very promising opening.

Galway led by 0-9 to 1-2 in the 16 minute when midfielder David Burke received a red card from referee Colm Lyons for a late challenge on Dublin’s Fergal Whitley.

Shefflin was adamant that the Galway midfielder’s challenge merited a yellow card, rather than a red. He also expressed his annoyance with the behaviour of the Dublin management in the aftermath of the incident.

‘‘I didn’t see it [the incident] full on, but I obviously saw the clip afterwards, and for me, it’s a yellow card’’ he said. ‘‘When you have the opposing manager getting in the linesman’s ear as well and telling him that it should be a red card, look, I think the linesman and the officials need to support each other.’’

‘‘I don’t know if the ref saw something straight away that he made a decision on, but it seemed to me that the linesman definitely had an influence. Maybe there was head contact, but when you have a player jumping into another player, and if he has his two feet off the ground and is moving with his head, it’s very hard to avoid it.’’

‘‘So, look, I’m sure there will be debate around that. But for me, did he deserve a red card? No, he didn’t. It was a yellow card, and it obviously had a big bearing on the game.’’

Shefflin admitted that David Burke was distraught after the sending off, and that he could understand the level of frustration which led to a half time altercation between the St. Thomas’ player and Dublin manager Micheál Donoghue.

‘‘David has probably hurled for Galway for 16 or 18 years. He’s given everything, and this is his life, hurling for St. Thomas’ and for Galway. And then he feels he makes a split second decision in a game, and did it warrant a definite red card? Did he go out to hurt someone? Absolutely not.’’

Pictured: Galway manager Henry Shefflin tries to point the way forward for his team against Dublin in Sunday's Leinster Senior Hurling Championship clash at Pearse Stadium. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.