FOLLOWING THE RULING at Saturday’s Special Congress, which made it compulsory for kick-outs in Gaelic football to pass the 20-metre line, it’s been suggested that a move to force the ball cross the 45-metre line is imminent.
Motion 21, which also obliges that kick-outs must travel 13 metres, breezed through Congress with 82% of the 142 votes.
Some pundits believe the ruling should extend the restriction to the 45-metre line to cut out short-kickouts entirely, as is currently the case in International Rules.
But Jarlath Burns, chairman of the GAA’s Standing Playing Rules committee that recommended motion 21, foresees no further change to the rule.
“If you think about it, there would be no incentive then for the forward facing the goal to stay in his position,” Burns said.
“You have to be very careful that you don’t turn the game into something that is contrived or you don’t end up with unintended consequences.
“It would change the shape of the game and that’s something that we did look at. It maybe something that could be trialled at a later stage but it’s not something that we have planned. We just thought it was a bridge too far.
“If a forward is facing the goal and he knows that the ball has to cross the 45, there’s no incentive for him to be in that area so what they would do is maybe four out of the six would hang around the middle of the field and it would make it even more congested.”
Dublin delegate Mick Seavers was vocal in his opposition to the motion at Special Congress, suggesting it will “punish those who want to play ball” and those who have been innovative.
Burns said: “I understand what Michael Seavers was saying, that you are limiting the space that a goalkeeper has to kick the ball out but, again, what we have found is, if you are reasonable as opposed to radical you will get things through Congress.”
The former Armagh midfielder also said the committee have no plans to adjust the black card rule in the wake of the All-Ireland football final where several high-profile cases of cynicism took place.
“People have come up to us and you can’t really knee-jerk on the basis of cynicism in the last five or 10 minutes of the All-Ireland final. I don’t think that’s something that our committee is going to change, perhaps the next one but I definitely think that there has been a fair change in the game and the attitude towards the game.
“People lambaste the black card and I think the black card, while it’s not nice when somebody gets a black card and you don’t want to see anybody going off on a black card, particularly in the later stages of the championship, is a temperament sanction and it deals with the actual player himself having to prepare his temperament to make sure he doesn’t carry out any of the infractions that we see.
“I remember reading a book featuring (former GAA president) Joe McDonagh speaking in it. It was 1997 that the book came out. I took a photo of his comment and he said there was too much pulling and dragging in the game, too many stoppages and we needed to deal with it.
“I think that, by and large, we are dealing with it. It is going to be hard to eradicate in a game where aggression is such a part of it. It’s going to be very, very hard to eradicate it fully but I think the game is better as a result of changes that have been brought in.”
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Some serious young talent coming through at Munster, first time you can say that in about 20 years.
@Hud Hastings: Hoping to see Gleeson get a start soon. 6’4 and 116kg at just 19 is scary. Huge potential for the young lad. Can see Coombes moving to 6 in a season or two
@Frank Grimes: hour big is Quinn? You’d imagine he’d be the other starter with those two in a few years, with Hodnet, Kendelan in the mix too. Crazy exciting again
@Ciaran Kennedy: both Hodnett and Kendellan are smart operators but I just feel they’re too small for top level.
Tony butler also an underage hurler for Clare. Won a Harty with St.flannans at wing back in 2020
@Dec: he’s a savage loss to Clare hurling. Ditto O’Connor for Cork.
Munster getting a look at their second row future when one or both of their WC winners go at the end of the season. Both will be in demand at the end of their contracts. Can’t see the IRFU letting the two stay especially when talents like ahern and Edogbo are coming through. Will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
@Kevin: don’t see why not. Most sides play 3 secondrows every game so the 2 youngsters will get plenty of game time and learn from one of the best. As a leinster fan I hope both are allowed to stay.
@chris mcdonnell: no problem with them staying either. It’s an attritional position so the two Irish lads will see plenty of time. Just wonder will nucifora/humphries see it the same way. On a human level Kleyn has put down real roots marrying a Galway girl. It would be hugely unfair to not renew his deal.
@Kevin: There’s also Beirne of course. I imagine Kleyn will stay, but the last season for RG. (Well, unless there’s some combination of big money coming in to keep RG and one of the young lads being loaned out to get playing experience elsewhere)
@Kevin: well said regarding Kleyn. I think he has more than earned that from the IRFU from his commitment to rugby in Ireland. He has given his best years here.
@Kevin: hasn’t he a brother that’s a back?
Like this team, hope they can deliver. Great to finally see Quinn come through again, v lively player with huge potential. For all the talk of Frische he’s not even in match day squad. Really hope he’s not injured or some such. Coughlan has been decent but really interested to see Casey and Patterson battle it out this season.
Really exciting bench. Archer aside, those players are could be the future of munster rugby for years to come. Coupled with some youth in the starting line up and all of a sudden the pipeline looks in pretty good health.
As a leinster fan I am getting a bit worried about the backrow talent coming through at Munster. If you throw in Ahern and Crowley, they have an exciting looking team which can only be good for Ireland going forward
Jeez.. Every time Carberry gets in a good groove he breaks again. Aaaagh
Looks like Coombes will become a second row when Gleeson gets the 8 spot. I believe he could flourish there.
@Tom Reilly: are a 6 they have like 8 second row’s
@Sèan: 6 could be a good option when POM retires.
@Tom Reilly: Gonna be a big year for Coombs. Doris didn’t light up the wc like I had thought he would so the door may still be open for him, but he needs to find the form that saw him the top try scorer a few seasons back. Haven’t even considered Okoke who’s been invisible since his one decent showing last season too.
@Tom Reilly: the SA number 8 is 38 i think lets give pete 4 more years
@Thesaltyurchin: I think he got injured but may now have missed his window opportunity with the likes of Gleeson & Quinn coming through.
@Thesaltyurchin: invisible as in injured for most of last season?
@Pierce O’Hehir: Whatever you like really.