Kelly dismisses sin-bin rush to judgment

Colm O’Connor and Liam Horan

He said yesterday that there was no cause for alarm, despite a flurry of yellow cards in secondary competitions. Mr Kelly insisted that the threat of a sin-binning was forcing serial offenders to adapt their styles on the field of play.

A member of the GAA's National Referees Committee backed the president, insisting the new rules in football can be a success and will improve the game.

Tom Fitzpatrick, who also works as a referee tutor, insisted yesterday that the new regulations will "penalise teams who do not play by the rules."

He understands the concern of some with the changes, specifically the sin bin but stresses that the new system is for the good of the game.

"People are concerned, it seems to have landed very suddenly on managers, players, coaches and they are surprised at the impact. The ultimate aim is that it is going to penalise teams who do not play by the rules."

Mr Kelly said there would be a review of the rules at the end of the month, preceding the first round of the National League. He stressed there was no possibility that the experimentation would be ditched in advance of the League.

"People are jumping to conclusions too soon," he said last night. "There will always be teething problems, but I am convinced that the new rules are forcing players who got used to fouling to adapt their style of play."

Clareman Fitzpatrick was at Sunday's O'Byrne Cup meeting of Meath and Kildare where seven players were sin-binned and the Royal County were reduced to 12 players at one point in the second half.

"Kildare did look like they were going to come second until two Meath players were sin-binned. One was for a second offence and then the linesman called the referee's attention to an off the ball offence. If it is off the ball, it is a sin-bin. It wasn't the rules that were at fault the players who transgressed the rules were at fault."

He said that competing teams need to concentrate on one simple fact focus on the ball not the man. "From my observations the focus has to be on the ball. And that approach would be a good thing for the skill of the game." Fitzpatrick also advocates a change of mind-set among players. "Under the rules, once a player commits a notable offence (which the referee notes) the next such offence results in a yellow card and a sin binning. In the old system, it was gradual and once a player received a yellow card, they had a chance to reflect and realise that a similar foul would result in a dismissal." Despite the negative publicity from players, coaches and commentators alike, Fitzpatrick remains confident that the experimental rules will be adopted by congress. "I think that a very honest and serious consideration of the whole area of tackling and personal fouls was addressed by the GAA. Great footballers and coaches proposed these changes. I think that the core part of the game is the proper tackling, and proper approach to tackling.

"These changes will come easily to those who tackle the ball properly and with a side to side shoulder with a foot on the ground. Pulling, dragging and the like has no place in football."

He again stressed that this is "a serious and concerted attempt to develop a better game. The Football Task Force is as keen to get this right as the players, managers and coaches. If a meeting were to clarify what is unclear at this time then so be it. They are all key partners in achieving this aim."

Sources close to the football Rules Revision Committee say they will press ahead with their plans to see the experimental rules tried out in the National League. There have been claims that the committee will be forced to row back on some of their controversial proposals, particularly putting players into a 10-minute sin-bin for receiving yellow cards.

However, sources say the committee are happy that the experimental rules are beginning to bed down: "The committee want to see how these experiments go in the League, which will be the real test. You have to see the experiments in truly competitive conditions, and the league is the nearest we have to championship," said the source.

It has also emerged that many counties, including Kildare, Meath's opponents on Sunday, have been briefed fully by inter-county referees on the new rules.

Leitrim and Westmeath have also brought in top referees to explain what is outlawed for the secondary competitions and the National League.

"We are not trying to take the physical contact out of Gaelic football. We are trying to take the fouling out of Gaelic football, to reduce the number of frees from 60 and 70 per match to a more acceptable level.

"The onus is on managers and players to avoid fouling. Tackling the ball is the key to all of this, and I think this will become more and more apparent as the experiment goes on."

The members of the committee are referee Pat McEnaney; players Kieran McGeeney, Dessie Farrell, Brian Dooher and Paul Durcan; Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer and Connacht administrator Tommy Moran, who chaired the committee.

The committee will meet next Monday night, while the Leinster referees hold a training session tonight in Newbridge after which a discussion on the experimental rules is expected to take place.