It would be tough to speculate what went into the careless/reckless decision without watching the whole game. How much time was left in the match when this happened?
No; but I wasn't looking to be happy. I was looking to see if there was something I didn't understand. FWIW, this (2 minutes later, same two players) seemed to me to be retaliation and also deserving of a card, but didn't get one. Don't understand this one either. If memory serves, this was in the middle of the first half. How would that factor in?
If a tackle like this occurs very late in a match and the referee didn't think the caution was necessary to keep things under control, I could see keeping the cards in the pocket. Given it was the 1st half though I tend to agree with akindc.
I feel like no matter when a tackle like that happens, it still deserves a caution. What we don't punish, we encourage. I don't know about you, but I don't want to encourage tackles like that in my game.
Yes, that was indeed in the middle of the first half. Many many calls (or missing calls) by Kelly confounded me.