Eoin Cadogan: Galway captain Seán Kelly was 'sacrificial lamb' for Armagh brawl

Eoin Cadogan expects Seán Kelly to be cleared to play in Galway's All-Ireland semi-final against Derry next month and said the Tribesmen captain was a "sacrificial lamb" against Armagh.

Kelly and Armagh co-captain Aiden Nugent were both sent off following the mass brawl at the end of normal time in Sunday’s quarter-final at Croke Park.

The GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee will meet on Tuesday evening to establish if further disciplinary action should be taken after an eventful encounter that included several off-the-ball incidents, with Damien Comer eye-gouged by a member of Armagh’s extended panel during the melee.

Cadogan described the eye-gouging incident as "despicable" but felt both Kelly and Nugent were innocent of any wrongdoing.

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"Unless I’m on another planet I would imagine Seán Kelly will get off," the 2010 All-Ireland winner told RTÉ Sport. "It was highlighted as clear as day.

"I reckon they sacrificed both captains because there were so many involved. It was impossible to pinpoint. You could have had ten gone.

"I know David Gough sent off four Tyrone lads earlier in the year. If that was the case you could have had ten or 12 gone and might not have been able to finish the game.

"I felt like both captains were sacrificial lambs, which was unfortunate."

Cadogan believes Galway would be successful should they decide to appeal Kelly's red card.

"For me, he tried to negate it, as did Aidan Nugent," he said. "To be fair to both captains, I thought they were the peacemakers