Joe Brolly and Des Cahill became embroiled in a heated row today following a brawl between Armagh and Donegal which saw the Donegal doctor pushed to the ground.

The players got to grips with each other after nine minutes in today's All-Ireland quarter-final with a the row lasting nearly two minutes. Armagh's Aaron Findon was the sole recipient of a yellow card after he pushed over Donegal team doctor, Kevin Moran.

The Brolly and Cahill row occurred on popular RTE Radio One programme ‘Saturday Sport’, which was hosted by Cahill and Joanne Cantwell.

Former Mayo GAA player Kevin McStay was also in the studio.

While talking about the incident, Brolly told Cahill he believed he was “overblowing” the whole thing.

“Doctors do not get thrown to the ground,” Cahill told Brolly.

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In reply, Brolly made reference to a recent boxing match RTE had covered – although he didn’t specify which match it was.

Cahill said it had nothing to do with boxing and asked Brolly if he was “saying that it’s okay for a doctor to get thrown onto the ground”.

“I remember one of the most brutal boxing fights I had ever seen in my life and you guys were lionising it and saying it was magnificent… that it was an example of tremendous courage.

“Both boxers knocked each other out,” Brolly said.

Des interjected saying it had nothing to do with the incident during the match.

“That was boxing. That was boxing. This is a team sport when a doctor came on…”

Brolly then replied: “I just think you are making too much of it Des… You know this is not… this is not a kiddie story.

“I’m not allowing you trivialising it… that’s all I’m saying,” Cahill said.

At this stage, McStay rowed in and said he didn’t agree with Brolly’s viewpoint.

“You have to a travel to a lot of other sports to see the medical staff being thrown to the floor,” McStay, who is a columnist with the Herald, said.

“We’re an amateur sport. I can’t agree with you Joe.”

Brolly then said: “If you put your head in the lion’s mouth, you shouldn’t sort of waggle it about you know.

“I think you’re just overblowing the whole thing … it’s not the end of the world,” Brolly concluded.

“I’d say in 30 years and more, in playing it and watching it, I’ve never seen a doctor tending another player, club or county level, being pulled out and pushed to the floor,” McStay added.

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