It’s a time of change as regards the playing rules of Gaelic football. Following on from the experimental rules that were road-tested in last year’s National League, the Special Congress held in October approved the introduction of some new rules on a permanent basis.
These rules come into effect for matches played this year and so we should get a taste of them at Sunday’s FBD semi-final against Galway. Details on the new playing rules that are now in effect are here.
On a different issue its disappointing that Peadar O’Malley, the young Westport keeper has declared for Roscommon (under the parentage rule) – not what we need considering Clarke is in the autumn of his career and the ongoing doubts over Hennelly.
Thanks for update on new rules WJ. Are these
new rules applicable at all grades and for championship this year as well do you or does anyone else know?
I can see the GAA getting rid of the advanced mark before the championship. It’s a nightmare for refs and already 2 high profile refs, gough and Lane have expressed doubts about it. Why it was brought in is a mystery, it will only slow down play and result in less goals. Last year was probably one of the best years for football. Absolute madness rule.
I wouldn’t be a fan of the advanced mark either but I think it could suit the likes of Cillian and Darren Coen if we use it right.
Puckout, not a fan of the advanced mark rule either but I fairly sure after having been voted through at congress, it cant be revisited for 3 years so stuck with it. I am happy the sin bin has been introduced, this will have a very positive effect on the game (if implemented properly)
True Mayomad but it can be removed earlier by a Special Congress and this rule is so bad they might have to.
It’s crazy that delegates voted in the advanced mark; it completely changes the dynamic of forward play now and makes it quite like Aussie Rules in my opinion. There’s a skill to being able to hold off a man, take down a ball, swivel and knock over a point or goal: that’s all lost with this rule.
With the Sin Bin coming in discipline is more important than ever. Worth noting given that it’s something that has cost us big time in recent years.
As an aside, is there any other game that changes its rules as often as gaelic games? It’s very strange IMO that we introduce such sweeping changes on a regular basis.
It seems that, from reading the rules as outlined above, a defender can also claim a mark from a clean catch inside his own defensive zone which seems a bit daft to me if it was intended to favour the forward. That seemed to be the position last Saturday with the U20’s in Castlerea where I cannot recall any Mayo forward claiming a mark but Rossie defenders did so a number of times. It may favour some forwards but overall slow the game down.
@It Means Nothing to Me… Delagetes from every other County except Mayo may have voted for or against the advanced mark rule… The Mayo County Board are hardly in a position to complain about it because they didn’t attend the Special Congress!… Now that’s what I call Crazy!
with The Bear in the Square , Irwin and Boylan in the panel , this might just suit Mayo and see lots of more scores taken from play .
It Means Nothing to Me – have to agree – there are always rule changes and what’s worse, each president of the GAA feels he has to leave some sort of “legacy” – with the last fella it was the Super 8’s, a terrible notion altogether. With the current Fella it’s the second tier championship.
There can’t be any other sport that has so much tinkering around with rules and formats of championships.
Are the rules applied to championship??
If so …On the new rule…advanced mark, all the more reason to deploy AOS at 14. But to do it properly. I’m certain if he was given a series of games in there with structured passes going in that he would cause havoc in the heart of an opposition defence.
On the O’Malley switch to ros. One would imagine he doesn’t believe an opportunity exists any time soon within the Mayo senior panel. Bit of a head scratcher. Many of us have parents from other counties but have little or no interest in declaring for them. Saw him closely throughout the u20 campaign last year. He was ok but didn’t standout as a future star. Keepers often mature or reach prime at 30+ so it’s a long way off.
Strong Galway team posted via Ah Ref Galway with clear intent to take advantage of the advanced mark rule.
wouldn’t read much into what teams are named by both teams. Will always be changes. Think Galways hands were tied with the team they had to name, plenty playing sigerson and then you have Corofin and Oughterard still in club champo.
Mayo will be in the same boat. Ruane, Eoin O Donoghue, Tommy Conroy(NUIG), James Carr, Fionn McDonagh, Ryan O Donoghue (UL), Stephen Coen (UCD), Oisin McLaughlin(Trinity) and Ben Doyle(Maynooth) all playing this weekend. Oisin Mullins playing for Kilmaine.
Have to agree with the debate about all the rule changes. Not sure why they keep changing.
This forward mark sounds like a death knell for some of the smaller forwards. If the bigger lads call the mark and are allowed to kick for a score after every clean field we could see forward lines stacked with giants.
I saw that Galway team on Galway Bay FM. It also reported that Galway will be without Cooke and Duggan for 2020. Cooke is going overseas and would be a big loss. He stood out against us I thought last year in Limerick.
I wouldn’t be playing Aidan O’Shea at full forward. That’s been tried on multiple occasions and he rarely plays well there. Also, Aidan has to take the free kick whenever he wins a mark which isn’t a strong point of his. From looking at the league last year, Conor McManus was the one who exploited the mark rule best as he can score frees anywhere inside the 45. We would be best served having Aidan play the ball into our most accurate forwards to take the mark i.e. Cillian, Coen, Carr. The mark rule might also favour the likes of Conor Loftus and Fergal Boland who are 2 of our better kick passers.
The new mark rule is disruptive enough that a team could come from the pack and win an All Ireland if they coach really well the attacking side.
Study of how quarterbacks find receivers in NFL would now be worthwhile.
It will be got rid of in time. It will take 2-3 years but it will get coached to a level where we are watching Gaelic football NFL. Players putting the ball back out over the 45 to get it played in to a 6’6″ 16 stone full forward. Marks the ball taps it over from 20 yards.
Big full forwards don’t tend to win the ball clean.
Smaller fast forwards who get a bit of space are more likely to gain a mark imo.
On sin bin – I agree with it in principle, but believe it will only work if they bring in the clock as per the ladies game. If you’re down to 14 players now, killing the game for that period makes sense.
Agree with JP. Dublin didn’t bother with mark in league as Gavin knew it wouldn’t last til Championship, probably different this year. Coaches will work on it identifying kickers and receivers. Also agree with paulp that it’s not always giants that will be receivers eg Andy wins ball into his chest – shame hes retired I could see him benefitting greatly from it.