Head high tackles

[Throw ball]

I was at the Armagh v Laois game today were a Laois player got 2 yellows for 2 'Clothesline ' tackles. For a while now I have been of the opinion that these should be automatic red card offences even if accidental. Tackles around the head are dangerous and players owe a duty of care to other players. Rugby has changed it rules were such tackles are probably red cards. Is it time for Gaa to follow suit?

[Feckitt]

Totally agree,  at a school's match on Saturday a lad got yellow for a tackle around the neck.  It occurred to me that if the same tackle happened in the Ireland v Italy six nations game it would be a straight red.  I'm not saying the kid was malicious or trying to hurt his opponent,  but yes we do have a duty of care to protect our players

[Jinxy]

Totally agree,  at a school's match on Saturday a lad got yellow for a tackle around the neck.  It occurred to me that if the same tackle happened in the Ireland v Italy six nations game it would be a straight red.  I'm not saying the kid was malicious or trying to hurt his opponent,  but yes we do have a duty of care to protect our players

No it wouldn't.
It'd be a yellow card as well.

[BennyCake]

I remember Nicholas Murphy getting a red card for tackling Seamus Scanlon around the head. But Scanlon put the head down to about waist level. That wasn't a red in my opinion.

Same as soccer. A man can raise the boot above a mans head for an overhead kick, scores and is called a genius. Yet he raises a boot to waist level and an opponent happens to have his head there too, and he's sent off!

[Il Bomber Destro]

I was at the Armagh v Laois game today were a Laois player got 2 yellows for 2 'Clothesline ' tackles. For a while now I have been of the opinion that these should be automatic red card offences even if accidental. Tackles around the head are dangerous and players owe a duty of care to other players. Rugby has changed it rules were such tackles are probably red cards. Is it time for Gaa to follow suit?

I think it should be up to the discretion of the referee if there was a malicious or reckless nature in these challenges.

Tackles like this can be so easy to mistime. Sean Cavanagh made a genuine attempt to tackle the ball last year only for his hand to involuntarily bounce off the ball and catch O'Shea high, should that be a red card? A free yes but I think even a yellow is harsh in that circumstance. Then you have guys who take fellas out with these high tackles that are certainly dangerous and should definitely be reds.

It should be left to the referee's discretion but the problem there lies with the fact most referees are completely inept and incompetent.

[Tony Baloney]

Totally agree,  at a school's match on Saturday a lad got yellow for a tackle around the neck.  It occurred to me that if the same tackle happened in the Ireland v Italy six nations game it would be a straight red.  I'm not saying the kid was malicious or trying to hurt his opponent,  but yes we do have a duty of care to protect our players

No it wouldn't.
It'd be a yellow card as well.

Or a red.

[Throw ball]

I specifically said a clothesline tackle as I wanted to make it clear that the arm was on the horizontal so that someone ducking into a tackle would not cause a red.
I do not personally feel the referee should have discretion. For me it is too important. And it shouldn't matter if the tackler is Sean Cavanagh or Jamie Clarke or Dean Rock or Joe Bloggs the punishment should  be the same.