Brian Lohan Says He Feels 'Ignored' By Croke Park After Clare Win

Brian Lohan says he feels his concerns are being ignored after once again raising issues around refereeing and player welfare following Clare's All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Dublin.

The Banner booked their place in the last four with a convincing 0-29 to 0-16 win at Semple Stadium, but the result was overshadowed by a worrying injury to David Reidy late in the game.

With Clare leading by ten points in the 67th minute, Reidy was involved in a heavy collision while emerging from a ruck. Dublin's Brendan Kenny was shown a straight red card by referee James Owens, while the Éire Óg Ennis forward required lengthy treatment before being stretchered from the field and taken to hospital.

The incident sparked fresh debate around player safety and high tackles, something Lohan believes has not been addressed strongly enough this season.

Speaking afterwards, the Clare manager pointed to the number of head injuries his side have suffered in recent years.

It's an area that I think the GAA has to look at.

Over the last couple of years, it was accepted that anything around the head was a straight red, but that seems to have slipped this year.

David Reidy was not the only Clare player to require medical attention after the game.

Defender Conor Cleary was taken to hospital with an upper limb injury, while David McInerney suffered a leg injury during the victory.

The Clare boss then broadened his criticism to the wider issue of refereeing standards, revealing he has repeatedly contacted GAA headquarters with concerns.

A recent survey on hurling playing rules, developed by the Hurling Advisory Committee chaired by former Cork manager John Meyler, has encouraged stakeholders to provide feedback on potential changes to the game.

However, Brian Lohan suggested he has little confidence his views will make much difference.

I've written to Croke Park on numerous occasions in relation to refereeing, in relation to incidents in games, and I'm ignored.

So I don't know, the survey might be fine.

Well I don't know if I'm ignored, but certainly I'm not getting any kind of satisfaction.

While Lohan's comments were focused on broader concerns rather than any one individual incident, the events involving Reidy inevitably brought those issues into sharp focus once again.

One positive note amid the concern came from former Clare manager Anthony Daly on RTÉ's coverage, who praised Dublin forward John Hetherton for his immediate reaction following the collision. Hetherton was among the first players to show concern for Reidy as medical staff rushed onto the field.

The Clare forward eventually left the pitch to a standing ovation from supporters of both counties, a moment that underlined the respect in which he is held throughout the game.

While Clare can now look forward to an All-Ireland semi-final, the immediate concern remains Reidy's recovery and wellbeing.