O’Neill: No better time to stage Rules series

GAA president Liam O’Neill is adamant there is no better time to stage the International Rules series and said its future will be reviewed in the coming weeks.

Captain Michael Murphy and vice-skipper Aidan Walsh are just two of several players in the Ireland camp who faces fixture clashes with their clubs over the next 10 days. O’Neill said consideration could be given to a change in the scheduling of the competition but acknowledged it’s a difficult fit in the GAA calendar.

“We need to say what we want from it. If we are just going from series to series, and we are not talking... we need to decide what we want from it and actually achieve that,” O’Neill told Australian media.

“There is actually no right time for it (to be staged). The series would benefit from another look at that. If not, we just have to continue from where we are.”

Despite concerns aired by director general Páraic Duffy and Ireland manager Paul Earley about the best team not being sent by the AFL, O’Neill said the GAA have no issue with it.

“We have no opinion on that. Whatever team comes from a professional body that will give us a game, we will welcome the team. It makes no difference.”

O’Neill is delighted the violence seen in the 2005 and ‘06 series has become a thing of the past.

“Over-physicality or dangerous play was never meant to be part of this and there is no need for it. People showcase their skills. There is enough physicality in the game without having to be over-physical.”

O’Neill acknowledged Gaelic football has benefited skills-wise from International Rules. “The AFL game has already had an impact on Gaelic football. Some of the movements, some of the passing, what you call handballing, we call hand-passing, the skills have improved dramatically as a result of being involved in this series.”