GAELIC football’s new rules or ‘enhancements’ were always going to provide endless debate – as well as no shortage of comedic fodder.
And so it’s proved in Conor Moore’s latest sketch parodying the suddenly very different sport that fans, referees, players and even coaches are having to get used to.
Moore inhabited an increasingly exasperated Jim Gavin trying to explain them despite repeated interruptions from Ger Loughnane[/caption]
While Gavin was a new addition to his collection of muses, hurling snob Ger has long feature in Moore’s skits[/caption]
Joe Brolly was actually serving as the peacemaker for once[/caption]
The real Joe Brolly wrote in his Sunday Independent column last week that he’d texted Gavin a congratulatory message upon seeing them in effect over the opening round of the NFL.
So it’s no surprise in this case that he’s utilised as a calming voice trying to quell Ger Loughnane’s constant interruptions.
That’s also the source behind Moore’s Easter egg at the end when he desperately implores the former Dublin boss to ‘text me’ once again.
Aside from the freakishly accurate capturing of all four men’s mannerisms, other highlights include Loughnane’s simpler solution to football’s ills simply being to transform into hurling.
On a more serious note, referees do seem to have been dealt the worst hand so far.
David Gough told Off the Ball earlier this week that they have still not received a finalised rule book with which to work off.
And another top whistler in David Coldrick pointed out the 3 v 3 rule will prove extremely difficult to police at club level.
It stipulates that each team must have three outfield players in the opposition half at all times.
There were a few instances of sides being in breach of the rule over the weekend, with the consequence being a 20m free.
While the inter-county game sees plenty of sideline officials and umpires to assist referees in enforcing the rules, Coldrick fears for those at club level.
He told RTE: “I think the 3 v 3 is the big one.
“From a refereeing perspective, you can’t really police it yourself so you are depending on your linesmen and so on greater teamwork.
“At intercounty, that’s fine, we do have a full team. The 3 v 3 at club level is going to be very difficult.”
Another change that came into effect and drew criticism was the new rule concerning dissent.
https://twitter.com/ConorSketches/status/1885297871982837823
Under the new guidelines, the player who has committed the foul must hand the ball to an opponent in a “prompt and respectful manner”.
Referees will be able to award a 50m free in the event of a tactical foul that delays or interferes with a free or sideline kick, or dissent over a referee’s decision.
New Derry manager Paddy Tally labelled the rule as “draconian” but Coldrick said it will help to “change the culture” at club level.
He added: “I do think the 50 metres for delaying and for dissent is really, really important, probably more so for underage referees at club level because we’re trying to change a culture there.
“So I’d say just stick with it and as we saw, the rules can bring a lot more excitement to Gaelic Football.
“I think it was a great game of football (Roscommon vs Down), a very open game which is obviously helped by the 3 v 3.
“From an official’s perspective you’ve seen everything here today, all of the various FRC enhancements in practice.
“And for a referee that’s a lot to take in and think about, just being clear as to what the penalties are for various offences because they’re not all the same.
“To be fair to the national panel of referees we have done a lot of homework, a lot of retraining of the rules.
“Even up to last Friday night, we did a session ourselves, the full panel, for an hour and a half, just talking through various scenarios and trying to make sure we were consistent in our interpretation of some of the rules that maybe aren’t fully, fully clear.
“So we were well ready for it but there’s still a long way to go.”
