GAA reissues mark rule infographic after blunder

The GAA has been forced to alter an infographic explaining their new offensive mark rule after it was proven to be inaccurate.

Sent to counties and clubs earlier this week, the original image depicted a player inside the opponents’ 45-metre line kicking the ball over 20 metres to a team-mate.

However, the understanding of the rule has always been that the mark can only be claimed when the ball has been kicked at least 20m from outside the defending team’s 45m line to a player inside that demarcation.

The confusion appeared to centre around the word “beyond” in the rule:

“To extend the application of the Mark to clean catching of the ball from a kick in play (ie not from set-play) delivered by the kicker on or beyond the opposing team’s 45-metre line, that travels a minimum of 20 metres and without it touching the ground.”

The Irish Examiner yesterday contacted the GAA Standing Committee on the Playing Rules and an inter-county referee, who both confirmed that the original graphic was not their understanding of the new rules.

A new graphic, featuring a player kicking the ball 20 metres from outside the opponents’ 45m line to a team-mate inside it was later released as a correction by Croke Park.

Attached was the following note: “A chairde, in response to queries received in relation to the experimental rules infographic sent yesterday (Tuesday), please see the attached (graphic). In particular, the imagery involving the advanced mark experimental rule has been amended to more accurately depict the distances required for a valid advanced mark to be made.”

The clarification is another hiccup for the experimental rules around which there remains consternation.

Speaking at a press briefing last month, Playing Rules Committee chair David Hassan explained that the chain of hand-passes will only be deemed broken by the referees “when an opposition player plays the ball”, although there has been varying claims about whether a fisted point after a third consecutive hand-pass will be deemed a foul.