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Delegates at Congress yesterday. ©INPHO/Presseye/Lorcan Doherty

GAA Congress votes in Hawk-Eye trial, black card and anti-racist stance

The assembly in Derry have also passed motions to install an advantage rule, but the mark has been rejected again.

Updated 16.20

AFTER PASSING A motion to open GAA venues to a potential Rugby World Cup bid, GAA Congress has continued in Derry today.

Some major rule-changes put to a vote by the gathering of delegates in the walled city.

Here are some of the highlights from the decisions taken before lunch.

Passed

Motion 4: The Black Card.

The introduction of a new black card to deal with five specific cynical fouls required a two-thirds majority and was passed with 71% of the vote.

A player shown the black card will be sent from the field of play, to be replaced by a substitute. The rule will come into force on January 1 2014. The five player actions covered by the black card are:

  1. Aggressively remonstrating with an official.
  2. Pulling down an opponent.
  3. Deliberately tripping an opponent.
  4. Body-checking after the ball is played.
  5. Using threatening, abusive or provocative language to an opponent.

Motion 19: Advantage.

This motion was passed and allows a referee wait five seconds after an offence to see whether a team can obtain an advantage by playing on.

Motion 22: Open-handed point.

A large majority of delegates passed the motion which now allows a point to be scored with an open-palm as opposed to the fist.

Motion 24: Public clock.

For the second time, congress has vowed to implement a public clock at senior championship fixtures to allow the attending crowd clearly see how much time has been played.

Motion 27: Jersey branding.

90% of delegates approved the motion to allow more than one sponsor appear on jerseys.

Motion 52: Hawk-Eye.

Technology will be used on a trial basis in Croke Park after congress voted overwhelmingly in favour of it.

The trial will take place over a period yet to be confirmed by central council. In that period Hawk-Eye will be available to a referee or umpire to help clarify whether a point has been scored, or if the result should be a wide or 45/65.

Motion 54: ‘Enshrining’ Anti-Sectarian / Anti-Racist stance into official guide.

90% of delegates voted in favour of the motion which provides for a 96-week suspension for:

“Any conduct by deed, word or gesture of sectarian or racist nature or which is contrary to the principles of inclusion and diversity against a player, official, spectator or anyone else, in the course of activities organised by the Association, shall be deemed to have discredited the Association.”

©INPHO/Presseye/Lorcan Doherty

Rejected

Motion 16: 30-metre advantage.

The proposed change allowed for the ball to be moved forward 30 metres if a player delayed a quick free being taken. The motion was the first to be defeated on day two of congress.

Motion 20: The Mark.

The motion to allow a player who has cleanly caught a kick-out past the 45 metre line take an unchallenged kick or play on with the ball in hand needed a two-thirds majority. The motion narrowly failed.

Motion 21: The Clean Pick-up.

A rule which would have allowed players (under certain conditions) to use their hands to pick the ball off the ground received only 46% of support.

Motion 25: 70 minute duration for all adult games.

A massive 83% of delegates voted against the motion. Adult games at club level will remain at 60 minutes.

Motion 49: Release of teams to the media.

The motion proposed demanded that senior championship teams would be announced four days before a game. The motion failed to reach a two-thirds majority.

Motion 71: To play All-Ireland finals one week earlier.

Cork clubs Nemo Rangers and St Nicholas’ proposal to play the All-Ireland senior finals one week earlier to give club games more space in the calendar was opposed by 74% of delegates.

Motion carried: GAA Congress approves use of grounds for Rugby World Cup bid

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54 Comments
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    Mute John Doyle
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    Feb 12th 2016, 5:47 PM

    Well done. Great Cause

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    Mute Charlie Fogarty
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    Feb 12th 2016, 6:50 PM

    Could have come first if he didn’t stop to take the bloody selfie….Great man. Great cause. Lovely story.

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    Mute nimchimpsky
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    Feb 12th 2016, 7:25 PM

    Selfie mehole. Soon as the picture was taken, he hopped on a sleigh with 12 huskies pulling him along, and cracked open a bottle of powers

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    Mute nimchimpsky
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    Feb 12th 2016, 8:31 PM

    The only reason he didn’t win was because he spent the first 3 days going in the wrong direction.

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Feb 12th 2016, 8:35 PM

    Wow! There really are some fantastic human beings around! And he is one!!

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    Mute nimchimpsky
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    Feb 12th 2016, 5:47 PM

    What a lazy fecker.

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    Mute Bill P. Danger
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    Feb 12th 2016, 5:44 PM

    SECOND?

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    Mute D H
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    Feb 12th 2016, 5:45 PM

    Fair play to him, great cause and a great performance to match

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    Mute Sean McCarthy
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    Feb 12th 2016, 5:48 PM

    I know, whats with the article he didn’t even win like?

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    Mute TonyD2469
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    Feb 12th 2016, 7:33 PM

    Hadn’t have slept those 6 hours he might have won lazy fecker. Congratulations though that’s some achievement.

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    Mute Sideshow Brendan
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    Feb 12th 2016, 7:49 PM

    And the race is from where to where?

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    Mute Joey jabadoo
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    Feb 12th 2016, 8:06 PM

    Exactly! Any chance of including what’s actually involved in the race?

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    Mute ChocSaltyBallz
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    Feb 13th 2016, 12:08 AM

    As his medal says “finisher” coz most people can’t finish the toughest course in the world (probably) And that little boy will smile ear to ear after he recovers Fair fox ta ya man fair fox ta ya.

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    Mute Damian O' Farrell
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    Feb 12th 2016, 9:31 PM

    Respect …. Wow ….. Well done

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    Mute Paul Dwyer
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    Feb 12th 2016, 9:23 PM

    Cmon the tribesmen

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    Mute Patrick J O'CONNOR
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    Feb 12th 2016, 7:08 PM

    North to Alaska/Johhny Horton
    Sam crossed the majestic mountains (mush)
    To the valleys far below (mush)
    He talked to his team of huskies (mush)
    As he mushed on through the snow (mush)
    With the northern lights a-runnin’ wild (mush)
    In the land of the midnight sun (mush)
    Yes, Sam McCord was a mighty man (mush)
    In the year of nineteen-one (mush)
    ………And so is Gavan Hannigan a Mighty Man too.Well done Gavan!

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    Mute Pat Gorman
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    Feb 13th 2016, 5:54 AM

    There are strange things done in the midnight sun
    By the men who moil for gold;
    The Arctic trails have their secret tales
    That would make your blood run cold;
    The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
    But the queerest they ever did see
    Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
    I cremated Sam McGee.
    (Robert Service poem).

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    Mute Patrick J O'CONNOR
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    Feb 13th 2016, 8:34 AM

    @Pat Gorman…….
    The Spell of the Yukon
    I wanted the gold, and I sought it, I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
    Was it famine or scurvy — I fought it; I hurled my youth into a grave.
    I wanted the gold, and I got it — Came out with a fortune last fall, —
    Yet somehow life’s not what I thought it, And somehow the gold isn’t all.

    No! There’s the land. (Have you seen it?) It’s the cussedest land that I know,
    From the big, dizzy mountains that screen it To the deep, deathlike valleys below.
    Some say God was tired when He made it; Some say it’s a fine land to shun;
    Maybe; but there’s some as would trade it For no land on earth — and I’m one.
    -
    -A Great Week-end to You Pat Gorman.

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    Mute patrick boland
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    Feb 12th 2016, 6:59 PM

    Who came third?

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    Mute David Clarke
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    Feb 12th 2016, 6:31 PM

    Great cause but to come second should be ashamed of himself

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    Mute Micheal Knight
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    Feb 12th 2016, 11:47 PM

    Phenomenal performance!! Tough race to finish let alone finish 2nd, well done

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    Mute Enda Elvery
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    Feb 12th 2016, 11:33 PM

    Superb Gavin , I suppose they’ll expect you to win the all Ireland for Galway now.

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    Mute Catherine O'Connor
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    Feb 12th 2016, 11:44 PM

    Fair dues man :)

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    Mute Terry Cunningham
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    Feb 12th 2016, 8:17 PM

    If your not first your last!! Great achievement.while fitness is important its the will and desire to keep going that is most impressive,well done.

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    Mute Mick O' Connor
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    Feb 12th 2016, 10:19 PM

    Well done. Inspirational.

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    Mute Noel Holland
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    Feb 12th 2016, 10:56 PM

    Amazing stuff.. but yes we need more info please !

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    Mute Kinsaleable
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    Feb 13th 2016, 10:26 AM

    Some achievement. . Well done. .

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    Mute James Brown
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    Feb 12th 2016, 10:36 PM

    Where in galway is he from?

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    Mute F J D
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    Feb 12th 2016, 8:14 PM

    He came second out of 2

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    Mute Brianán Mc Bride
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    Feb 12th 2016, 8:30 PM

    people were still finishing 3 days after he finished!, more detail about this gruelling event is needed in the article.

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    Mute Pat Gorman
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    Feb 13th 2016, 5:08 AM

    The Yukon!
    The land of the Sourdough.
    One of the toughest places on earth.
    Recommended Good Read:
    Micí Mac Gabhann’s “Rotha Mór an tSaoil”.

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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Feb 13th 2016, 1:54 PM

    That procedure not available here in Nirvana, no?

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