Skehan says reworked rule has created dangerous loophole

Hurling’s most decorated goalkeeper has called on GAA chiefs to rectify the glaring rule anomaly which will continue to allow the striking of frees from inside the 20m line.

The reworked rule, passed into law yesterday by Central Council, legislates specifically for penalties and 20m frees. The anomaly allows players taking frees from outside the 20m line to throw the ball forward before making connection. And since the likes of Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash and Kilkenny’s TJ Reid are hugely proficient in gaining up to seven metres between lifting and striking, frees awarded just outside the 20m line will be struck as close as 14m to goal.

Kilkenny’s nine-time All-Ireland winner (three as a sub) Noel Skehan pleaded with Croke Park to correct the loophole, adding that safety concerns must again override the rule book. GAA officials were yesterday remaining tightlipped on the issue.

“This will have to be looked at,” said Skehan. “The safety element has to be taken into account. The rule change is not totally satisfactory. They have gone some of the way in rectifying this, but it appears there is a way to go yet.

“Can the goalkeeper move off his line if the free-taker is coming inside the 20m line with a free awarded 23m from goal? If so, then we will have the same thing we had last week. You will have goalkeepers again coming off their line and you will have free-takers throwing the ball several metres in front of them, pure crazy stuff.

“These players are experts in gaining seven or eight metres when tossing the ball forward. If they get a free just outside the 20m line they are going to be hitting it from as close as the 13m line. That is something Croke Park will have to look at. I would recommend that any free close to the 20m line must be struck on or before the 20m line.”

Skehan said young hurlers across the country have become obsessed with attempting to emulate the mastery of Nash and Reid. He criticised GAA top brass for their hesitancy in ending the “crazy” free-taking technique, claiming they were hugely fortunate no hurler was seriously injured.

“I have been harking on about this for a number of years. We were only a while away from a very bad injury occurring. Waiting until next year would have been pure madness. The GAA are only leaving themselves open for a lot of criticism.

“They were almost waiting for something to happen.

“It should have been changed at Congress. It is all very easy to talk when nothing has happened, but if something had happened all these people defending this technique would have gone to ground. It is all very well these lads going to Congress and making statements, but if it was their own son and the ball hit him in the neck from 13m they wouldn’t like it. They definitely did take their time in moving on this.

“My contention is this has always been a safety issue. I have seen at development squads and underage camps all the young hurlers are trying this technique. The GAA were lucky to get away for so long without someone getting injured and all hell breaking loose.”

He added: “It must also be set out as to what exactly the punishment is for someone who hits a free inside the 20m line. If a goalkeeper is penalised for breaking the small square when pucking the ball out then the same should apply for a free-taker encroaching beyond the 20m line.”