Mike Finnerty
EVERY footballer and hurler in Mayo will be studying the rulebook this week (especially goalkeepers and penalty-takers) as the playing rules motions passed at the recent GAA Congress come into effect next weekend (on or after Saturday, May 15).
The rule changes relate to underage and adult grades, and cover everything from kick-outs to the definition of the bounce to penalties. And plenty in between.
However, it is the new rule regarding the football handpass (which now requires a ‘definite underhand striking action’) which is set to cause most confusion when the Mayo GAA senior leagues swing back into action next Sunday.
“There’s no doubt that the handpass rule that has been passed may lead to confusion,” Connacht GAA Council referees co-ordinator, Seán Mac Éil told The Mayo News. “My advice to players? Have a definite underhand striking action. The flickpass is a goner. But it’s going to take some time for players to adjust, there’s no doubt about that.”
“An awful lot of it is going to be down to interpretation by referees,” said Charlestown manager Ciaran McBrien. “But we’re going to have to stress the handpass rule to our lads this week at training because it’s a very, very big part of our game.”
“I think if the motion for the fisted handpass, which was trialled during the National League, had passed it would have been great,” added Mac Éil. “It would have cut out illegal handpassing altogether.
“In my experience, nine out of ten handpasses at underage are illegal. At adult level, a lot of teams do a ‘handpassing drill’ before games where the ball is just flicked from one player to another and then, when the game starts, they end up replicating that.”
“With penalties being taken from 11m now, we’d be hoping that ‘Deigo’ [Kevin Deignan] would score,” remarked Ciaran McBrien. “And the kick-outs from the 13m line will suit a lot of goalkeepers. Most of the other rule changes seem to be fairly ok.”
Summary of Playing Rule Changes 2010
The GAA Congress 2010 passed a number of playing rule changes relevant to football and hurling which will come into effect in all games played on or after May 15th 2010. In total there are six changes specific to football only and three specific to hurling, while a further six changes affect both codes, A summary of the changes is as follows:
Football Only:
1.Handpass – If a player handpasses the ball using the open hand, there must be a definite underhand striking action.
2.Penalty Kicks – All penalty kicks will now be taken from 11 metres out
3.Kick Outs – All kick outs will now be from the 13 metre line
4.Sideline kicks – Line balls must be kicked from outside the boundary line
5.Illegal Charge - It is illegal for a charge to be made on a player kicking the ball.
6.Definition of bounce - The redefinition of the bounce has the effect that the “Basketball Type”, bounce, per se, is not a foul.
Hurling only:
1.Puck Outs - The penalty for taking a puck-out from outside the small rectangle is changed from the award of a 65m free to the opposition to a throw in the ball on the defenders’ 20m line.
2.Handpass - The ball must be released and struck with a definite striking action of the hand
3.Penalties - Both attackers and defenders must remain outside the 20m line and the arc until the ball is struck from a penalty and the three defenders on the line must not move off the line until the ball is struck.
Both Hurling and Football:
1.Restarting Play – If play is stopped by the referee to enable a seriously injured player to be treated, play will now resume with a free to the team that had possession. However it will not be permitted to score from such a free (if neither team is “in possession”, play shall re-start with a throw in)
2.Throw ins – when the play is being restarted by a throw-in, this must take place a minimum of 13 metres from the sideline
3.Advantage – A referee will now signal that advantage is being played by raising his arm
4.Extra Time – Extra time consists of 10 minutes per half only. The provision for two additional periods of 5 minutes per half has been removed
5.Boundary Lines – The penalty for a player deliberately going outside the boundary lines of the pitch to gain an advantage has changed from a caution to a free.
6.Charge – A charge is now defined as “shoulder to shoulder” rather than “side to side”
