John Small, one of Dublin's most decorated players, has taken a swipe at Armagh GAA legend Oisin McConville in an interview just days after hanging up his boots from county football. The conversation took place on the Smaller Fish GAA Podcast with Colm Parkinson, where a contentious incident from the 2021 All-Ireland final was brought up.
Mayo put an end to Dublin's six-year undefeated streak in the Championship at Croke Park, but Mayo defender Eoghan McLaughlin suffered a broken jaw following a robust challenge from Small during the second half at Croke Park.
The Westport lad later underwent surgery to mend the damage and the tackle ignited debate at the time, as Small escaped punishment.
Armagh All-Ireland champion McConville, who has been a prominent pundit since hanging up his own boots, told the Irish Examiner at the time: "Dublin got away with possibly three incidents that were black cards and John Small should've seen the line. Quite frankly, his tackle was horrendous.
"If you commit to a challenge like he did on Eoghan McLaughlin, you need to get the shoulder, or get the ball, and Small did neither. There's a duty of care here. Sometimes you hear about these things in a club game where a referee might be on his own and may have missed it. But for it to go the way it did was hugely disappointing. Maurice Deegan was also looking on from 15 yards away and it leaves a bitter taste for Mayo."
McConville later discussed the controversial hit on the Second Captain's Podcast with another of Dublin's golden generation, Paul Flynn, who accused critics of harbouring 'anti-Dublin bias'.
"That was a hospital pass. It was a blindside hit and John was obviously 100% within his right to go for the shoulder-to-shoulder," four-time All-Star Flynn stated. "He mistimed it absolutely, red card. But the way he's been abused online, in my eyes, has been appalling. Some of the pundits, Oisin included on The Sunday Game, haven't really helped the situation."
The Armagh man took umbrage with Flynn's analysis, retorting: "What did I say on The Sunday Game that was bad? I said it was a mistimed challenge, but it's a sending off.' Anti-Dublin bias"?
Anti-Dublin bias is the biggest load of b****cks, that is pure, total, and utter dung, that's what that is. "".
Ballymun Kickham's man Small kept his peace at the time but, upon retirement, admits he was stung by the criticism he received at the time.
"I messaged Eoghan McLaughlin after just to make sure he was alright and obviously said that it was just slightly mis-timed. He text me back straight away and was like, 'absolutely no issues, I would have done the same if it was roles reversed'," Small revealed on the Smaller Fish GAA Podcast.
"There are some people in my black book that would have went after me online. Like, GAA people, to be honest, really annoyed me. Someone like Oisin McConville, he really went after me and I remember that.
"I remember himself and Paul Flynn were debating it on the Second Captain's Podcast, someone sent it to me. It was just really, it was like he wanted me to be public enemy. I just don't think, for a guy that's played, to do that.. I just think that's not what I would do anyway."