Kilkenny's Richie Hogan has denied that he should have been sent off in Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final. Speaking on 'Off the Ball' he gave his version of the 33rd-minute incident in which he catches Tipperary's Cathal Barrett with a high challenge and is shown a red card by referee James Owens.
“In my opinion, there was absolutely no way it was a sending off,” he said.
“I suppose that’s the way these things go. Sometimes these decisions go for you and sometimes they go against.
“It was clear as day to anyone at the match, what I was trying to do. The first thing I thought was to turn around and get back and get after the ball, but when I saw him on the ground I thought ‘All right, it’s a free’.
“I was complaining about getting a yellow card, because it was one of those clearly accidental, honest challenges in my opinion. I just assumed that he had taken the wrong card, to be honest with you.
“It’s disappointing. But hurling is an incredibly difficult game to referee. I wouldn’t be pointing any blame at James Owens, Cathal Barrett or anyone really. It’s just a difficult situation.”
He also took issue with the view that he had led with his elbow.
“Somebody said to me yesterday that they were talking about an elbow. Any talk about an elbow there is absolutely crazy, my elbow does not connect with him at all – my shoulder absolutely does.
“They spoke about your arm not being down by your side. This is not Irish dancing. We have hurleys in our hands – how do we hold a 36-inch long hurley if your arm is not bent? My technique in shouldering was absolutely right – I just didn’t hit his shoulder.”
He was also asked about his plans for 2020 and said that he hopes to be able to play again next year.
“I’ll sit down and I’ll think about it. Look, for me if we’d won on Sunday, it would’ve been a nice way to maybe sign off. I’ll do whatever I can to play maybe another year and see how it goes from there.”
Hogan’s season had been affected by recurrent injury problems and he detailed the physical toll taken on him.
“I started my warm-up two hours and 15 minutes before the match started. And that’s just to be able to actually get on the pitch. Between getting work done on my back and on my knee, and other injuries I’m carrying, it’s not easy. I haven’t been able to train as much as I would have liked.”
