Rian O'Neill was a victim of referees "not protecting the better players" last weekend before he was sent off, claims GAA pundit and former Armagh star Oisin McConville.
The Crossmaglen man was red carded in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC defeat to Tyrone after a first half incident that was highlighted by the umpires on the day.
O'Neill's knee appeared to make contact with the head of Tyrone's Cormac Quinn. Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney said after the game that O'Neill felt he had been "pulled down" by his jersey.
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"I didn't think there was a big pile in it to be honest, " McConville told the BBC GAA Social podcast. McConville is a former Armagh All-Ireland winner, current Wicklow football manager and also an uncle and clubmate of O'Neill.
"I'm not making excuses for Rian. One of the things I was told at the start of the year by the referees' committee was that they were going to protect the better players and they are just not doing that.
"He gets no protection whatsoever. People say because he's bigger than everyone else and stronger that he should be able to take it and all that…..pure nonsense. You either protect the player or you don't."
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