The 2021 All Ireland Senior Football Championship

If you're looking at it from a purely legal point of view then, given my fairly limited knowledge of the area, it is very very unlikely that Smalls would be held liable for the resulting injury. Each player assumes risk upon entering a contest. Provided that an action causing an injury is fairly typical of the manner in which the game is played then it is unlikely that a perpetrator would be held liable. It is usually only where an action deviates significantly from what is normally expected that civil liability could attach to any individual concerned. Proving criminal liability is even more onerous and the courts will take into account a variety of factors when making such a determination, including the sport, its rules, the nature of the attack and the defendant's state of mind. As Smalls' shoulder, ill timed and poorly executed though it was, is part and parcel of the game it is highly unlikely that he would be held liable. A punch or attack on the other hand would be a different matter altogether as illustrated by the McCartan case linked by the poster above.

As for the officials, it would have to be proven that they have a duty of care towards the players on the field and that through their inaction (i.e. negligence) that duty was breached which resulted in loss or damages to the injured party.

All in all it is very unlikely that any civil liability would accrue upon Smalls or the officials in question (imho) . That's not to say that the tackle wasn't filthy and hopefully Smalls is on the receiving end of a lengthy ban.

TBH Dublin have got away with some questionable decisions over the years. Referees seem to be reluctant to make calls for that other teams would generally not get away with. There is a higher percentage of these dangerous tackles that Dublin get away with.

You can add the tackle on Declan O Sullivan that left him concussed in 2011 final that no free was given for. There was two incidents with Peter Crowley in the two different games the most obvious one in the 2018 semifinal late in the game when it was still in the melting pot.

Dublin have directly benefited from scores directly due to these incidents and nearly did yesterday as well.

Hell we have even had a referee overturn a wide ball incorrectly in a game.

Refs get nothing but abuse at all levels of GAA and have very little protection or backup. On a field as big as that with as many players, rules and the speed of play it's an extremely difficult gig. It's difficult to recruit refs at all levels. Age is not the issue.

Compare it to a sport like basketball when it comes to reffing and you'll see where the issues lie.

Good call there Cas.

You put the finger on a lot of truth there.Dublin teams in the past have baggage in that area.

Dont forget O’Sullivan of Kerry getting the same treatment in the past from a Dublin player.

GAA need to move closer to the Rugby system of citing and contact with the head.

Deliberate or not, contact with the head usually is a red.

It's the calls that go Dublin's way, as you said O'Sullivan in 2011.got concussed and less was know about concussion in 2011 than now. Declan went on to make a tackle conceeding a free. So instead of Kerry getting a free , I think Dublin scored from the continuation of the game and got a free again after that to win a game by one point.

In 2015 final and 2016 semifinal Dublin put similar tackles on Peter Crowley which he ended up concussed in 2016, there was also the 45 where Gough over to ruled his umpires because of pleadings from a Dublin player he knew.

But last Saturday was a complete disgrace. In normal time at least 2 red cards and 2 black cards overlooked. If Dublin had won that game in normal time there would have been absolutely no sanctions and they would have access to a full panel for the final

In 2016 semifinal I think it was Kevin McManamon who made the tackle, no red card and he took part in the final against Mayo.

Isn't that part of the problem - the merry go round of red cards and appeals, decisions overturned. The GAA are entirely the authors of their own misfortune in these cases, there should be strict implementation of match bans with appeals only judged successful on very limited grounds with the refs decision on the day carrying 95% weighting.

Ditto for this match delay business to suit Tyrone and the coffers. The GAA have made a rod for their own backs going forward. You publish a match schedule and you stick to it barring war or extreme weather events. Clear potential impact on both Kerry & Mayo even without any covid disruption in their camps. But what happens if there are cases in Kerry or Mayo squads whilst they are awaiting Tyrone to put out a team or awaiting the final? They will have serious grounds for complaint if that situation develops and it's not unlikely. Tyrone should have been obliged to put up a team to play Kerry yesterday or simply forfeit the match.

As bad as the John Small hit was, and a definite red card, you could understand the referee not catching it at full speed.

The yellow cards he gave out instead of black cards for off the ball tackles can't really be excused. He saw them, called the fouls, and then funked the punishments.

I had a very good view of the incident and in real time my initial thought was that is was a fair shoulder, an ex Mayo player beside me agreed though some others thought it was reckless. I wouldnt blame the ref for getting that wrong g but he should have stopped play immediately

The excuse is that he is human, with eyes and not TV cameras. Unlike the pundits he cannot go for the "I'd like to see that again" option.

Most shoulders/contact that are poorly executed are where one player is completely static and not expecting the challenge. Earlier this year Tadgh Morley was red carded for a challenge on a player and TBF he was trying to pull out of the challenge.

For the number of officials in a match in GAA I cannot understand why so many mistakes are made. You have two sideline officials who at senior level are referees. You have four umpires who at this stage should be club referees and you have the last sideline official who is a referee as well. There seem to be s fear to give these officials powers. For instance yesterday the sideline official was agreeing with James Horan that the shoulder was a bad tackle...but he could not officially bring that information to the referee.

But on top of all that you have officials that are afraid they will make an incorrect call against Dublin.

Take the James McCarthy incident at the end of normal time. it's amazing that either umpire had not seen it. If they had the referee should have gone to the Dublin dressing room and notified them that JMC would be given a red card before the game restarted and they need to decide on there 15 man team for extra time without him.

Its hard to know. Then you might get a player feigning injury when shouldered although feigning injury isn't a big problem in the GAA thankfully.

Personally think a very quick check by a video ref should be done. Its in almost all other sports now and if done right there is no reason why play can't continue while its checked.

There is a huge duty of care for players carrying out shoulders like that, the same with the one on Keegan last year which was also a stonewall free. No surprise Dublin players were responsible both times.

Has John Small apologized or gone to see McLaughlin in hospital? Bad form if he hasn't.

I've no problem two players side by side competing for the ball and giving a shoulder, or a player coming in from a few yards.

But when a player runs 10-20 yards and lines up a static player in a vulnerable position, those kinds of shoulders need to be banned as the player in possession is in no position to defend himself from a shoulder.

Horrendous tackle from Small and I hope he receives a long suspension as a lesson to others that thuggery like that isn't welcome in the game.

Ah yeah thats right - thats what it all kicked off over in the end.

What should he be suspended for. Technically the first game was over when he came onto the field. I did not see him strike or hit a Dublin players. He was dragging Mayo players from flashpoints and separating them from Dublin players. I never saw him strike anyone. But AFAIK there in nothing in the rule book preventing him entering the field after the whistle blows

Last year, it was seen as genius that Philly McMahon scampered into the tunnel at HT like Scrappy Do to start a row with Aido. Rattled them we were told. I'd say that was on O'Shea's and Horan's mind when he got involved at the end. Shoe was on the other foot.

Actually, I am reminded of another historical incident where Dublin got off scot-free- Mickey Ned O'Sulivan. Team captain in 1975 and woke up in hospital after a "manly hit" by a Dublin player that he seemingly still brags about today.