TOMÁS Ó’Sé has questioned the GAA’s Football Review Committee tweaking a rule ‘four or five weeks out from the All-Ireland final’.
Last week the rule around when a 50-metre penalty would be implemented was instituted.
He noted a lot of teams were moving frees beyond the arc so that they became two-pointers[/caption]
Derry legend Chrissy McKaigue felt a change had to be made[/caption]
Specifically, it centred on when marks are claimed from kick-outs as up until this weekend, a 50-metre punishment was to be applied whenever the mark was adjudged to have been prevented from quickly being taken.
This led to instances where an opposition player would make an honest effort to catch the ball but would wind up technically in the way of the claimer from immediately being able to send a kick pass up the field.
Speaking on The Sunday Game, the Kerry great outlined how he felt this was a case of the right action being taken at the wrong time.
He said: “I’d agree with it but I just don’t agree with it being changed mid-season.
“We’re about four or five weeks out from the All-Ireland final. We’ve gone through all of the provincials and groups stages – and the next thing you bring this change in.
“Now players and management have to change around the way that they’re changing as well.
“So yeah I think it’s the right thing to do but managers gave out so much throughout the League about all of the chopping and changing of rules.
“Now halfway through it (there’s more change). I just find it strange to be honest.”
Interestingly, Chrissy McKaigue defended the rapid change brought about by Jim Gavin and the rest of the FRC.
He countered: “I’d echo the sentiments of Tómás but like the Cork-Kerry game a few weeks ago and it was pandemonium.
“It was actually bad-looking for the game because no one could really get their heads around some of the infringements called.
“There was a considerable breeze so every 50-metre penalty was a two-point score.
“So for me it’s the right decision (to change it now). I understand it’s not ideal changing it within the season.
“But I think the FRC probably realised it was going to come to a stage where it was going to decide a really big game.
“And I suppose they didn’t want all of their work to be, for that to end up as the defining factor of it.
“So I’m glad it’s gone and I think it makes the job that bit easier for the officials and we do need to be mindful that at the minute there’s for the refs to contend with.”
The original version of the rule had copped significant flak from high-profile figures over the course of the League and Championship to this point.
O’CONNOR CRITICISM
Kerry boss Jack O’Connor branded it “ridiculous” after that Munster semi-final triumph over Cork that McKaigue referenced.
After the May 31 clash he fumed: “That’s going to have to be tidied up.
“I felt all along that was going to cause problems and it is. You can’t just disappear. Jesus Christ, like, you’re battling for a ball. It isn’t as if you’re cool, calm and collected.
“You’re battling in the middle of a gang of men for the ball and then you’re supposed to have a clear head to realise which way the free is going and disappear out of the way.”
From now on instead of a 50-metre advancement if a player is impeded within four metres of claiming a kick-out mark, a free will be awarded from where the challenge has occurred.
The amendment was voted in by 38 of 39 Central Council delegates.
