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Referee Maurice Deegan shows red cards to John Small and Michael Murphy. Bryan Keane/INPHO

'I was a forward trying to get up the field to attack and I get a yellow card' - Murphy

Michael Murphy was controversially sent-off after a late clash with John Small last weekend.

DONEGAL CAPTAIN MICHAEL Murphy has voiced his frustration at the red card he received against Dublin last Saturday night as his side were chasing a late equaliser.

Murphy became embroiled in an off-the-ball wrestling match with his marker John Small deep into injury-time in their 1-15 to 1-14 defeat at Croke Park.

Replays suggested it was Small who initiated the tussle before Brian Howard got involved and helped bring the three-time All-Star to the ground.

Both Small and Murphy were shown second yellow cards in an incident which has been compared to David Clifford’s dismissal against Tyrone two weeks earlier. 

“What are you going to say about it, I was a forward trying to get up the field to attack and I get a yellow card so that’s the way,” said Murphy.

On the comparisons with Clifford’s sending off, he remarked: “I suppose part of it felt like that anyway.

“I was trying to get up the field and the two of us went down then and all of a sudden, probably because of the length of time we were in the shemozzle, there was always going to be two yellow cards then but it is what it is.

“You’re going to get that in football, two teams going at it, two players going at it. It was frustrating and disappointing but we need to learn from it and move on.”

tensions-run-high-with-players-on-both-dublin-and-donegal Tensions run high with players on both Dublin and Donegal. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

Murphy did appear fortunate not to receive a red card in the opening half after his raised elbow connected with Davy Byrne’s face.

Donegal boss Declan Bonner questioned the lack of injury-time played at the end of the second-half given the Murphy-Small incident led to a lengthy stoppage in play.

“That incident in the middle of the field was held up for at least two or three minutes, maybe I’m wrong, but he blew up,” Bonner stated after the game.

Murphy added: “Honestly I don’t know. I really don’t know, at that stage I was coming off the field and I wasn’t really looking.

“We had that attack towards the end I remember it kind of just petered out towards that end but in terms of the time, I really don’t know.”

Donegal have now failed to beat Dublin in eight attempts since their shock All-Ireland semi-final victory in 2014. And they’ve struggled to close out winning positions so far in the league, falling to a late draw against Mayo and defeat to Galway in recent weeks.

“You need to get over the line, getting over that line is the big part. It’s your extra 20% or 30% to try and do that and we’ve got to believe. I still believe we’re on the right track.

“I still believe we’re on the right journey, the team is maturing and we just need to keep pushing at it.

“I keep going back to it, keep developing the squad that we have there and keep getting bodies playing because I do feel that the game at the moment, it’s a 20 or 25-man game and we need to keep developing a squad that’s strong enough for that and we just keep trying to improve.

michael-murphy-wins-a-high-ball-against-john-small Donegal's Michael Murphy claims a high ball. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

“Listen, you learn in every game. Funny, the league is brilliant like, you’ve ups and downs, one week you take learnings and that’s the way we’ve applied ourselves in the last two weeks after the Galway game.

“That was strong and powerful and intense, we took the learnings, we took some harsh learnings from that game, it wasn’t nice, and I thought we applied what we tried to do to that first 20 minutes of the game.

“We just weren’t able to sustain that and that’s what it’s going to take to compete at this level against the big sides against you, your Dublins, your Kerrys, your Tyrones and the teams that are going to be up there, the Galways and Mayos and that’s what we need to try and do as a group and as a squad.”

They’re hovering just above the relegation zone in Division 1 with Monaghan, Tyrone and Kerry still to play.

“We need to get points on the board obviously but I keep saying, points on the board is definitely something we look towards but the big aim is to really be competitive and really try and build that squad.

“A couple of players that we’re still trying to get back and we’ve introduced a number of new players. It was great to get Paddy (McBrearty) back.

“Legs are a crucial part of what we’re trying to do and, again, that’s what the league is for us and it’s just good to get this quality of games every single day because that’s where you learn what you have.”

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 8:47 AM

    Really going to miss Isa, always gave 110% and was such a lovely guy, going to be big shoes to fill.

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    May 14th 2018, 10:47 AM

    @Sam Harms: Always enjoyed watching him during those Magners League/Pro 12 games during the international break. Nacewa would regularly find himseld at 15 with 2 young wingers either side of him. He’d guide them though the game, defensively. Where to stand, how far from the centre, when to push in, when to push up etc That’s why I was really hoping he’d stay around and do some coaching. He looks like a coach already.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 8:57 AM

    Leo didn’t exactly give a vote of confidence to Carbery on Saturday, Sexton was goosed, couldn’t kick and could barely run, Nacewa had taken over kicking duties and yet he still kept him on the bench. A move away is badly needed for him. I wouldn’t expect Sexton to be fit for this weekend so it’ll be telling to see who Cullen goes for.
    On another note I really enjoyed the game on Saturday. Real tough game and Leinster ground out the result. I was delighted for them.

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 8:59 AM

    @Jim Demps: there was no way anyone was coming on to replace Sexton, unless he literally couldnt walk, when it was that close

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    Mute Fred McHugh
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    May 14th 2018, 9:23 AM

    @Sam Harms: yeh good point Sam,I’m sure he kept him on for a potential drop goal! he was limping and still made the one against France.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 9:44 AM

    @Sam Harms: yeah you’re prob right but he should have come off. He was obviously struggling. It worked out though thankfully.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 10:09 AM

    @Sam Harms: without getting too tribal and with my Irish hat on, Carbery can’t afford to have another season like he has just had if he has any aspirations on playing in the ten jersey for Ireland. I take your point on learning from Sexton but he also needs game time at club level, be it with Ulster or munster.

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 10:14 AM

    @Jim Demps: look at it this way, would Munster take Murray off in that situation unless they 100% had to?

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 10:25 AM

    @Jim Demps: Or Leinster.

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    May 14th 2018, 10:43 AM

    @Sam Harms: Ireland wouldn’t take off Murray either. He’s absolutely vital, like Sexton.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 11:03 AM

    @Sam Harms: I’m not criticizing the decision. I’m saying that Carbery needs to get game time in meaningful games, at ten , before the World Cup.

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 12:14 PM

    @Jim Demps: which he can, at Leinster. Munster have 3 flyhalfs already so if he does have to go anywhere it should be Ulster.

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    Mute baw baw
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    May 14th 2018, 12:30 PM

    @Sam Harms: I get your point of view but neither Duncan Williams or James hart aren’t the back up 9 in the Irish squad so it’s not like for like –
    If carbery is back up ten for his country he needs minutes or to be trusted as deputy for the club when the first choice is struggling , although I take no part in the debate as it’s a tricky situation , the Murrays value to Munster comparison just doesnt work

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 12:56 PM

    @Sam Harms: I think it’s all been decided anyway Sam. Once the season is over we will find out what the story with Carbery is. If I had to bet I’d say a season long loan to Ulster. If I had to decide myself I’d say a permanent switch to munster with Keatley going to Ulster.

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    EK
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    Mute EK
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    May 14th 2018, 11:09 AM

    While the game wasn’t the prettiest, it was an important win for Leinster in the grand scheme of things.

    Something that popped into my head after the game was the 2011 World Cup final that New Zealand won 8-7 against France. New Zealand were obviously a quality team but hadn’t won in so long, much like Leinster. Much like Leinster, there was an argument for the French team outperforming their counterparts despite the odds.

    For sure, this game was not a classic for the purists but in the grand scheme of things with an eye to future finals, I think Leinster will be happy to get the pressure of winning it again off their backs and play better as a result in the future.

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    Mute Conor Paddington
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    May 14th 2018, 12:17 PM

    @EK: totally agree. It should also be boted that while the highlights reel of their campaign won’t feature much more from Saturday’s match than the relief of a missed drop goal, it will still be a pretty glorious highlights reel featuring great attacking play against exclusively top class teams. The final itself was ground out, but it was raining and there were two teams with incredible defensive systems and a pernickety ref. We don’t have to worry about the quality of rugby Leinster are able to play.

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    May 14th 2018, 2:24 PM

    @Conor Paddington: that’s very true Conor the official highlights vid is a joke , just the place kicks , not even how they happened . Nothing about possible yellows etc . I was at the game and Barnes was very frustrating , slow at blowing the whistle , lenient for card situations .. but he at least didn’t have any game changing errors . I’ll have to watch the game in full a couple of times on YouTube now . Overall Leinster looked quite comfortable and I was always confident they’d get the chances near the end . Let not forget Tales was dropping for a draw, I think Leinster would have had too much for Racing if it had gone into extra time

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