Time taken for free kicks highlights need for hooter in GAA
In that inimitably languid fashion of his, time was no object. They would be dispatched on his terms, nobody else’s.
For all the harping about the light years it takes Stephen Cluxton to saunter up and take a kick, Sheehan is something of a slouch himself.
From the point Kerry were awarded that quintet of frees to the moment Sheehan put boot to ball, it took him all of four minutes and four seconds to take them, an average of nearly 49 seconds per shot.
In fairness to Sheehan, it was James O’Donoghue’s penalty that saw the biggest hold-up — 96 seconds from the time Mark Collins was penalised to O’Donoghue putting the ball past Ken O’Halloran.
Cork took 86 and 81 seconds respectively in the second half to take frees after they had been given.
A total of 15 minutes and one second were wasted in the gaps between 12 score attempt frees, the three 45s and penalty being awarded and taken:
Advantage given to Cork for Peter Crowley foul on Donncha O’Connor. O’Neill points resultant 45.
Michael Shields double hop. Sheehan falls short with long free.
Johnny Buckley held by Fintan Goold. Sheehan points free.
Brian Hurley held by Steven O’Brien. O’Connor converts free.
Sheehan fouls O’Connor. O’Neill converts free.
Paul Kerrigan upends O’Brien. Black card delay. Sheehan points free.
Stephen Cronin fouls Barry John Keane. Sheehan curls over free.
Buckley fouled by Brian O’Driscoll. Sheehan kicks 52 metre free wide.
O’Donoghue held back by James Loughrey off the ball. Keane knocks over free.
Hurley pushed by Shane Enright. O’Neill shoots the free.
David Moran punished for third man tackle. Black card delay. O’Neill registers point from free.
. Mark Collins adjudged to have fouled O’Donoghue. Penalty. Play held up by referee consulting umpires and Cork remonstrations. O’Donoghue goals from the spot.
Killian Young brings down Paddy Kelly. O’Connor points free brought forward.
Paul Geaney’s shot is deflected out for a 45 by a Ken O’Halloran save. O’Donoghue hits 45 wide.
Jack Sherwood fouls Kelly. O’Neill’s long free is deemed to have been touched out for a 45 by Donaghy.
O’Neill’s 45 goes short.
Just over 15 minutes spoilt — 20% of the total game-time — and only an additional four minutes and 41 seconds was played by referee Pádraig Hughes. Of course, it is not within his control to stop his watch between whistling for a free and blowing it to be taken. But it is most certainly an oversight which, on top of substitutes not being considered stoppages, strikes firmly at the GAA’s determination to kill the clock/hooter.
The reasons behind that decision in Congress last year such as “negative possession” and “over-analysis” look more and more unconvincing when the lack of transparency and true responsibility around the issue of time-keeping have been such bones of contention this summer.
The Ulster Council’s excellent statistical breakdown of each of their championship games this summer illustrates just how little the ball is in play. In last year’s Donegal-Derry Ulster quarter-final, it was alive for just 44% of the total time — 33 minutes and 33 seconds. That same percentage was also recorded in the 2013 final between Donegal and Monaghan as well as the 2014 drawn Tyrone-Down preliminary round game.
Such a pitiful number is not surprising in the light of the GAA’s approach to time-keeping where not only there is such ample opportunity to run down the clock but so many minutes and seconds are lost to players readying themselves to taking deadball kicks, remonstrating against decisions or referees themselves deliberating with assistants or speaking to players.
The public clock mightn’t have been perfect but it is a considerably better alternative to what is in operation at present where the amount of time added on really depends on the vagaries of the referee who already has enough on his plate. Had it been in operation in Killarney on Sunday and the referee was empowered to stop it for substitutes and the gaps between frees awarded and taken, we would have had much more of a thrilling spectacle. Would that have been such a bad thing? We might even had avoided a replay although that wouldn’t have been as palatable to the Munster Council and the hostelries of Killarney. Fionn Fitzgerald might be their hero but Sheehan played his part too.
And back behind closed doors Kilkenny go, but not without some club activity first. It won’t be until August 9 that we next see them — a full five weeks away — but don’t be thinking that all they’ll be doing is waiting.
Where Munster champions have struggled to bridge the gap between province and All-Ireland semi-final, Kilkenny have mastered it simply by occupying their time with games, be they around the county or in Nowlan Park.
Starting this evening and continuing through until next week, county players will be lining out for the clubs in the senior league, which in September morphs into the championship.
Download the Kilkenny fixtures booklet for this year available from the county’s official website and you will discover that their dates are unashamedly pencilled in on the premise that Brian Cody’s side not only reaches the Leinster final but win it and the All-Ireland semi-final. Fixtures are scheduled for the weekend following their August 9 last four game.
Cody is admired for the respect he shows clubs but in truth he has long recognised that it suits his players to keep things ticking over. As was the case after they drew with Galway in 2012, Cody freed up his men to line out for their clubs the weekend after last year’s drawn All-Ireland final against Tipperary who themselves later rued remaining on ice between the matches. Games, games and more games - the secret to Kilkenny’s success in this supposedly fallow period.
The future of the Northern Ireland Assembly may be threatened by budgetary issues, but the fixing of two All-Ireland football qualifier games for Enniskillen and Armagh on Sunday, July 12, indicate just how far things have come in the North.
The idea of Fermanagh and Roscommon meeting in Brewster Park or Armagh and Galway facing in the Athletic Grounds on the afternoon of “The Twelfth” would have been fanciful not so long ago.
Likewise, there wouldn’t have been much consideration given to Derry-Wexford in Owenbeg or Tyrone-Meath in Healy Park on July 11 when the bonfires are lit.
The details of three of the aforementioned fixtures, while drawn last week, weren’t confirmed until yesterday lunch-time. Clearly, a lot of planning has gone into the scheduling to ensure spectators can come and go from the venues with safety and comfort.
