Eugene McGee and Jim McGuinness have become embroiled in a war of words as the debate over the controversial 'black card' rule rages on.

Mayo pair Lee Keegan and Rob Hennelly and Dublin's Jonny Cooper had their involvement in last Saturday's All-Ireland SFC final replay cut short by referee Maurice Deegan and his black card.

2012 All-Ireland winning Donegal manager Jim McGuinness name checked McGee when articulating his opposition to the rule in his weekly Irish Times column: "The black card dominated the All-Ireland football final. Eugene McGee, one of its architects, has said that it has cleaned up the game. In my opinion, the black card is ruining the game."

1982 Sam Maguire winning Offaly boss McGee responded in an interview on Highland Radio: "One and a half per cent of footballers have had black cards this year.

"Jim McGuinness, because he happened to win one All-Ireland, [no] more than myself, thinks he's the high priest of Gaelic football and the Irish Times gives him a place to expound on his theories.

"If he was that good why didn't he win a second All-Ireland or a third All-Ireland?

"The vast majority of people I know are quite happy with the black card.

"It's a strange new rule and it took a time to get used to it, but only a tiny, tiny minority of players are issued with black cards."

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