Darren Hughes says he was "in a state of shock" when Marty Duffy sent him off for ruffling Tiernan McCann's hair.
The Monaghan stalwart received his marching orders in the latter stages of Saturday's feisty All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park when he tousled McCann's hair, prompting the half forward to go to ground theatrically:
"I was just in a state of shock when it happened," the Scotstown clubman admits in The Irish Examiner. "I genuinely couldn't believe it. I knew straight away there was no point arguing with Marty Duffy, he wasn't going to change his decision. I think he has a lot to ... look, he was looking straight at it.
"All three parties are probably accountable for what happened, myself, McCann and the referee. But it was a far cry from a sending-off. No way.
"It was a bit of verbals, nothing serious. I went over and tapped him on the head. Everyone could see there was no malice in it. It's just one of those things and as I say, I don't think any of the three people involved did themselves any favours.
"He went down and that was that, that was his reaction, he probably feels it paid off as I got the line. It's disappointing and I obviously didn't feel it was a red card."
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