Murphy: Square ball rule must be revisited
Meath substitute Graham Geraghty had his goal disallowed against Kildare after referee Syl Doyle adjudged he had been in the rectangle when the ball entered it from Joe Sheridan’s attempted shot.
Murphy was one of the vocal advocates of an amendment to the experimental rule at last year’s Congress in Co Down, which called for the square ball to be abolished except from set-plays (frees, sidelines, 45s and 65s).
The motion was defeated heavily but Murphy feels the Geraghty incident is a further example of how it is causing more harm than good to the game.
In his personal opinion, the new committee, which was endorsed by Congress in April, would improve the game immeasurably by doing away with the rule as it now stands.
“It’s an issue that has to be looked at because it’s the one issue that creates controversy every year when goals are ruled out when they were legal or vice versa,” said Murphy.
“Speaking as a Down man, a lot of controversy was generated about the (Benny Coulter) goal that was scored against Kildare and whether it should have been allowed.
“That’s just one example I’m citing of an issue that comes up year on year. As long as the player is legally playing the ball, the small rectangle serves no purpose other than creating another level of adjudication for the referee on top of all the other levels.”
Murphy argues what is asked of referees and umpires in determining what is and isn’t a square ball is as unfair as it is on players like Geraghty, who have played by the rules.
“I believe it’s getting more and more difficult to determine what is a square ball and what it’s adding to the game.
“If a player plays the ball correctly in every other facet only to be whistled for a rule that is so difficult to implement that it is almost impossible, it is unfair.
“It would be a good thing if the new playing rules committee examined the rule. We should be making referees’ jobs easier.
“The small rectangle should be retained in the dimensions of the field but to demarcate where he should be protected.”
The new committee, whose creation was backed by 80% ofdelegates at Congress, are permitted to propose playing rule motions every year.
Previously, Central Council and counties had been restricted to putting forward changes every five years.
Speaking at Congress in Westmeath, GAA trustee Con Hogan explained the committee would operate under a “tightly controlled system” and there wouldn’t be a rash of motions in front of delegates every year.
Murphy had backed the amendment following the experimental rule which came into force for the 2010 Allianz Leagues. The rule caused considerable consternation as players were allowed in the rectangle before the ball arrived providing they weren’t there when it was played into the area.
As Murphy explained: “There was an experimental period during the Allianz League last year and in that there was a determination that if you were outside the small rectangle when the ball was played, you were legal.
“But the problem there was that the referee had to look at two different places at the same time. He had to actually know where the player was at the time the ball was being played so it was practically impossible.
“So what was put forward was a suggestion that square ball would come into play from set-plays because it was more feasible.
“The referee then knew where the ball was coming from so then he only had to concentrate on whether the player was outside the square as the ball was played.”
Although the square ball rule was established to protect goalkeepers, Murphy is adamant referees have a better chance of ensuring they detect fouls committed on the netminders without the rule. “It’s a very simple decision for referees to know whether goalkeepers have or have not been interfered with. It is much handier to do that then to try and make an impossible judgment about whether somebody is or isn’t in the rectangle.”
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