Kevin McStay took issue with the number of frees awarded to David Clifford after Mayo’s Allianz Football League Division 1 final loss to Kerry.

The Mayo manager questioned the level of protection afforded to the Kerry dangerman by David Coldrick and his match officials after three of his eight points came from frees was personally fouled for. Clifford was mostly marked by Donnacha McHugh, while Jack Coyne and Enda Hession were also switched onto him at different stages.

 “He’s a fabulous player, we’ll all agree on that. But if you see the camera angles, I’ll be looking at now Monday and Tuesday from behind (the goals), he is so clever at making sure the picture that the referee sees is an excellent picture for him (Clifford),” McStay told the media in Croke Park.

“He can’t always be out in front, nature doesn’t allow that, he can’t be out in front for every ball. I’d feel Donnacha was excellent, I’d give him a really good shot. I want to be careful because I really like him (Clifford) as a player, I think he’s a fabulous player in the game, but I thought today he got well looked after.

“I have to say, I love him as a player and all that, but Donnacha’s jersey must be resistant to pulling all together, I don’t know.”

He added: “I think David Coldrick is obviously a fabulous referee too, but the tackle (free) count, I think it was 13-1 at one stage. I thought we could tackle, that was the last time I checked, we’re a good tackling team. So that’s something, maybe we’ll have to work on that too and tidy it up, maybe we’re not presenting good pictures to the refs of our tackle."

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