Kilcoo manager Karl Lacey has spoken out after his side's victory over Clonduff in the Down Senior Football Championship semi-final, which was marred by four red cards and an injury-time brawl that seemed to spill into the stands.
The spirited semi-final turned ugly in the closing quarter in what was a comfortable 11 point victory for the reigning Co. Down champions. Clonduff finished with 12 men as Ross Carr, Eamon Brown and skipper Darren O’Hagan received red cards while Niall Branagan was sent off for Kilcoo.
In his post-match comments - captured in Belfast Live by Paddy Tierney - Donegal GAA legend Lacey praised the restraint shown by his players.
That’s back to our discipline and our control. We want to match the physicality of other teams, but we also want to be controlled in that and I think the boys have done that really well.
Kilcoo Vs Clonduff Marred By Unsavoury Brawl In Down GAA SFC Semi-Final
Kilcoo and Clonduff ☠️ pic.twitter.com/dC6H33AaRX
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In last month's Down quarter-final, Carryduff also had three red cards issued against them when playing Kilcoo - a pattern that Lacey has put down to teams 'targeting' his side, given their stature as a club. He told reporters that club are 'targeting' his players
“I’m really happy with the discipline of the boys. They are targeted. They’ve been county champions for how long? They’ve All-Ireland medals, they’ve Ulster medals and teams are targeting them.
“What happened against Carryduff two weeks ago and what happened there in the last 10 minutes . . . I felt Niall’s wasn’t a strike, it was just a bad tackle which happens every day you go out and play."
In their 12th successive county final, Kilcoo will face Burren on 15 October.
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