O’Neill: 20-metre ruling won’t change outcome

GAA president Liam O’Neill insists the chances of powerful hurling freetakers scoring a goal from a placed ball outside the 20-metre line are as good as converting one within it.

O’Neill expressed relief on the grounds of safety that all penalties and 20m frees must be struck prior to the 20m line.

Indeed, within the 20m line is officially an exclusion zone for frees at all levels in hurling as a meeting of inter-county referees on Tuesday night learned. The directive they’ve been given from Central Council is that no freetaker is permitted to lift the ball from any free past the 20m line.