Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Bin cynical foul rule - and take the meddling mark with it
Roscommon's Fergal Lennon is issued with a black card by referee Derek O'Mahoney during their Allianz Football League Division 1 South Round 1 opener against Dublin at Dr Hyde Park. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Having waited so long for the return of Gaelic football action, it is a shame that there has been so much commentary around the rules this week.
Sometimes, this agenda can be self-serving, but this week the people that agree with the changes that have taken place are fairly thin on the ground.
The black card, with all its imperfections, had served a purpose since introduced in 2014. It had reduced, if not eliminated, cynical play.
Last year, the adjustment with the introduction of the sin bin had further closed the loophole where players were willing to take one for the team in the knowledge that they would be replaced by a fresh colleague.
Now both the player and the team were being penalised for cynical play.
Yet the GAA in its wisdom decided to introduce the new cynical foul rule which primarily seems to have come from an appetite to solve hurling problems. Hurling people didn’t want the black card, yet football got a new rule. Mad stuff.
It is a talking point already and when it costs teams big down the line it will cause chaos. It is increasing the referees' decision-making load to unmanageable levels and the most significant decisions will be made as the ref tires in the closing stages of matches.
Bin it and go back to last year's rule.
While I’m venting about rules the offensive mark is also a complete failure and needs to be promptly removed. It is slowing the game down and is removing much of the cut and thrust in exciting attacking positions.
Those one-on-one duels that get supporters out of their seats are being excised from the game. Now that backs have also cottoned on to using the mark it is slowing things down even more.
I find our relationship with other sports and their rules puzzling. We are reluctant to use something brilliant like the advantage rule in rugby that works so well yet we are willing to ape Australian Rules - a much inferior game to football - repeatedly.
The annual rule meddling is unhelpful particularly during a global pandemic and the constant chopping and changing is helping no one, including the referees. Rant over.
