By Ronan Scott
GAA coaches from county Down have assessed the recent rule trials that were presented at Croke Park during the Interprovincial competition, and the conclusion has been mixed.
At the interprovincial semi-finals and finals, players played with seven new rules. The experiment was an attempt to change the game of Gaelic football to make it more exciting, speed it up, and also to address issues of discipline in the game.
The seven rules are as follows,
Changes to scoring rules that has four points for a goal, two points for a point scored outside of a 40-metre scoring arc.
A 1v1 throw-in.
Kick-outs would be taken from the 20-metre line and must go beyond the 40-metre arc.
The solo and go means a free can be taken quickly and the player can kick it to themselves, and not be tackled in four steps.
An offensive mark can be called if the player fields the ball inside the 20-metre line from a kick outside the 45-metre line, but a player can choose to play the advantage.
A limit on passing to the goalkeeper which means players can only pass to the keeper if they are both in the large rectangle. A goalkeeper can still travel out the field and challenge for the ball, and can carry the ball up the field.
Three players must be inside the opponent’s 65 at all times. This means teams can only defend with a maximum of 11 players.
The Mourne Observer contacted some Down coaches who watched the Interprovincial matches, which were won by Ulster in an exciting, high scoring, closely fought final.
Steven Poacher is a well-known coach throughout Ireland, having assisted Turlough O’Brien at Carlow and Roscommon.
He watched the interprovincial matches and picked up a few things.
“The leaving the three players up the field is something I don’t mind. It is a decent rule in theory.
“The one thing that I would say is that we are one of the only field sports in the world that doesn’t restrict movement. But this rule would restrict movement.”
Meanwhile, Down GAA Coaching Officer Karl Oakes had a similar take on the rules, in that he could see merit in some of the rules, but for the most part the changes were unnecessary.
He said, “I think it was difficult to assess the rules from those few games.
“The three up rule, what I took from it would be difficult to officiate particularly at club level, but I think it has merit.
“It is the one rule that has legs going forward.
“I am not sure about the scoring rules. I was not a fan of the four points for a goal change. That could run up big scores, in a game that is one sided.”
Barney McAleenan comes from the older generation of Gaelic football. He grew up with the game played in the traditional catch and kick style.
He has been dismayed by how the game has changed, but is excited by the new rules.
“In general, the game has become unwatchable in the last few years.
“The All-Ireland final was terrible.
“There was a game in Antrim were there was no score for 25 minutes. Teams are playing with fear.”
But after studying the proposed rules and then watching the inter-provincial clashes, Barney is filled with excitement about the potential within the rules.
“The enhancements have not produced as big a change as people might have thought.
“They have made the game faster.”
In the full article read why Steven said that the new rules perhaps could be an anti Ulster move, Karl expands on the real problem with GAA, and Barney says that he is excited about the rules.