Donegal have remained tight-lipped about the ugly scenes in Austin Stack Park, Tralee on Sunday afternoon, preferring instead to concentrate on next weekend’s clash with Roscommon.
Neil McGee had been due to attend a press event to promote Sunday's match against Roscommon in Donegal town this afternoon. But the full back, who suffered a nose injury in an incident that saw Alan Fitzgerald redcarded for striking, was conspicuous by his absence with Patrick McBrearty fulfilling the press duties instead.
Donegal manager, Rory Gallagher declined to speak about the Kerry game, which saw Donegal lose their first macth of the campaign. But Gallagher and the Kerry management will be hoping that no further action is taken after Sunday's game which could lead to further suspensions.
On Sunday next they meet Roscommon, who leapfrogged them in the table into second place after their third win on the bounce against Down.
McBrearty, for his part, claimed that he didn’t see many of the incidents and that it was difficult to know what is going on when you are in the thick of things. However, he hoped that Donegal would learn from the experience, especially in the area of discipline.
"Discipline would be a big part of it", he admitted. "And we can't be giving frees to players of the calibre of Brian Sheehan as he will punish you.
Asked about the physical nature of the encounter he added: “Yeah, there is probably a bit of rivalry built up between us going right back to the All-Ireland final of 2014. They really needed to win as their backs were against the wall.”
Asked to comment on the view that Sunday was a dark day for football, the Kilcar star explained: “I did not see much of what happened when you are playing you just concentrate on your own game.
“It probably was one of the most high profile games and yes there was quite a bit of physicality too it as two good teams that really went at it.”
But he did not agree that Sunday was a sudden jolt to Donegal, in more ways than one. “No, not really because if you had given us six points in our first three games before the League started we would have taken it gladly. And if we can get over Roscommon this weekend then we would be on eight points and maybe looking towards a NFL semi-final.
“Roscommon are flying and I know the Smiths and Murtaghs from Sigerson football and they are really going well. They have got a few good results, have a new management and are looking to really improve”.
*The Donegal-Roscommon game this Sunday has been confirmed for O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny, which has a capacity of 8,200. It will be an all-ticket game.
