WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE – RESTART PLAY

MY former team-mate Tadhg Kennelly offered a very simple but sensible solution to the nonsense we witnessed in the Athletic Grounds last weekend.

In the AFL, following these pushing festivals, officials restart play straight away, ensuring players return their focus immediately to the action.

That could be used to some effect in the GAA, rather than what you saw last weekend. You just know if that melee had occurred in the 3rd minute rather than the 73rd minute, five red cards would not have been issued by referee David Gough (left). And the beauty about restarting play immediately is that you can do that at any stage of a game without fear or favour.