COMMENT: Time to let the rules settle and get on with the game

Just like the rain keeps falling and falling, the so called new rules in Gaelic football continue to gain headlines two weeks into the new season.

There are times one forgets exactly what Jim Gavin and his committee have achieved in such a short space of time.

Football is no longer the poor relation of the GAA. And while hurling does, and will continue, to bring tremendous excitement there is little doubt that football can now be looked upon as exciting a field game as you could hope for.

Big scores, tremendous long distance point-scoring throwing up game after game that may look all but done and dusted only to be turned on its head by a clatter of orange flags that not only cuts into big leads but seems to have the knock-on effect of giving a side confidence and belief that a game is not over until we hear that infamous hooter.

Great to see the LGFA playing to their own new rules, on a trial basis, and after two rounds of the Lidl National League, there seems to be over-all very positive reaction from the most important people, the players.

The Ladies, as we saw in the Kildare v Armagh game last Sunday, are finding one rule somewhat troublesome, and that is the 3x3 rule.

On something like six occasions that rule was broken last weekend, but unlike the men, when the girls break it, it is not because they are failing to keep three players in their own half; in fact it is the very opposite, it is because they are not keeping the requisite number (three) players up the other end of the field, in other words not keeping three players forward.
Strange or what.

One aspect that the Ladies manager, Pat Sullivan, pointed out is that the pace these new rules bring into their game, is certainly testing out his players as he felt by the 45 minute or so, a lot of them are all but out on their feet. It will be interesting to see will the LGFA bring in all, or make some adjustments, to their rules once their trial period is concluded.

Meanwhile it seems somewhat amazing how the hooter still has the capacity to cause controversy in the men's game, even after it was tweaked somewhat prior to the start of this season.
The reason for the change?

Some folk, it seems, did not like what they saw in last season's All-Ireland final between Kerry and Donegal.
I had a bird's eye view of one particular incident that day. Sitting in the Hogan Stand, in our around the 20m line, as Kerry held possession after the infamous hooter had sounded.

David Clifford continued to roam on the 20m line from the middle right over in front of where I was seated, coming close to the sideline.

His marker was with him, the Donegal man had just one job to do that day and that was to stick as close to the maestro as he possibly could.
And in fairness, he probably did as good a marking job as any marker could have done.
But once Clifford gained possession, twisted, turned, jinked left, right, before making room to fire over a brilliant score as the half-time finally arrived. Great to look at.

Still those who must be obeyed, who ever they are, were not happy campers.

Scribes, some, went into overdrive; pundits, some, were not happy, not good enough, this holding onto possession until an opportunity was created.

Had they a point?
Possibly, but anyways a new proposal soon emerged from Jim's Lads which now sees a game instantly coming to an end once the hooter sounds.

The exception(s) being that if a free, a 45 or a lineball had been awarded before the hooter sounded, then a player would be allowed to take the kick and any resultant score be allowed — provided the ball went between the sticks without anyone getting a hand to it. Simple. Well not really, in some folk's views anyway.

Take the recent Division 1 game between Kerry and Roscommon, the clock was ticking down, seconds remaining, a long ball in was fielded by a Kerry player who turned and punched over as the hooter sounded.

Some confusion, not sure why, arose as after he had punched the ball the hooter sounded, the score was rightly awarded by Kildare referee, Brendan Cawley.

Yet still we are told it caused controversy.

Why?
It was tough on The Rossies but it was very clear that it was a legitimate score and referee Cawley, one of the best in the business, did not hesitate in awarding it.

The controversy may have come more from commentators, the press and some pundits but really and truely that was absolutely no doubt as it its legitimacy.

One other rule that is still causing problems, it seems, is the rule when the leather is not handed over, or released, which sees the ball being forward to the 20m line.

Harsh?
Absolutely.

However that rule, which initially was passed by in excess of 80 per cent of delegates, actually gained 90+ acceptance at congress prior to the start of this season.

No doubt it is a harsh call, a very harsh call, but it is in the rule book now and will remain there for the remainder of the 2026 season, at least, whether it is changed or altered after that, we'll just have to wait and see.

It is part of today's game now and managers and players should really get on with it, stop the whinging, the crying and play to the rules regardless of what they think of some of them!

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