No quick fix for football’s woes

This time last year, the champions of the black card were out in force. With good reason, too. Goals and points were being scored at a rate of knots. It was hailed as the answer to Gaelic football’s ills when in truth it was only a plaster.

Now that teams have acquainted themselves with the new measure, defences aren’t so nervy. Players are still being automatically substituted but numbers are down because teams are defending in numbers more than ever. Only isolated players pick up black cards.

According to GAA statistician Rob Carroll, scoring has dropped from an average of 32.8 points per game in last year’s league to 28.8 now.