Monaghan star Darren Hughes backs Sean Cavanagh"s "rugby tackle"

Darren Hughes

has admitted he would have committed the same rugby tackle as Sean Cavanagh if it meant Monaghan reaching an All-Ireland semi-final.

However Hughes was hugely critical of referee Cormac Reilly for his own yellow card which he says affected his

performance during Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

The Meath official incorrectly booked Hughes in the 17th minute after he cleanly dispossessed Cavanagh.

“I

told him (Reilly) to wait ten seconds and look at the screen but he didn’t, maybe they are not allowed to, but I knew I’d got the ball,” said Hughes.

“It shouldn’t have affected me but Cavanagh got three points off me after it and I am disappointed about that.

“It did frustrate me and I did have a bit of a vendetta towards the referee after that.”

Reilly

applied the rules correctly in issuing a yellow card to Cavanagh after his rugby-style tackle denied Conor McManus a goal-scoring opportunity in the 49th minute.

Hughes refused to blame Cavanagh for taking down his team-mate.

“It was a blatant goal opportunity and next year that is a man (sent) off but there is no point whinging about it.

“If I was in Sean Cavanagh’s position I’d have done the exact same thing myself. It is nothing against him.

“It’s

just disappointing for us we didn’t get the goal but sure, who is to say we’d have won it anyway even if we’d got the goal.”

Hughes

felt there were worse incidents taking place on the field than the Cavanagh tackle which provoked a sensational outburst from RTE pundit Joe Brolly.

“I don’t know what happened with about 15 minutes to go but me and Drew Wylie went on a

couple of one-twos and I got cleaned out of it.

“I am still hazy about it. Next thing I looked up and our doctor is on beside me and Tyrone are away up the field.

“I don’t know what happened but I knew by the crowd’s reaction it wasn’t the right decision.

“We were in a great position but decisions went against us at crucial times.

“If

you had told us in January we’d have played in three finals, won promotion and won an Ulster title I’d have bit your hand off, but that is a sickening defeat.”

Monaghan star Darren Hughes backs Sean Cavanagh"s "rugby tackle"