Henry Shefflin: Advantage rule will prove worthwhile

As Henry Shefflin prepares for his The Sunday Game Live debut in Thurles this Sunday, he admits hurling’s new advantage rule has been “a little confusing” but is supportive of it.

After Dublin’s Division 1 semi-final defeat to Cork, Ger Cunningham claimed some of his players weren’t aware when they were had been given advantage. “Unless you stop now or just drop the ball down and get the advantage, but you don’t know that you have the free,” said Cunningham.

Ten-time All-Ireland winner Shefflin recognises there are teething problems but advocates the team of the fouled player being five seconds’ grace before the ball is called back for a free.

“It can be a little bit confusing because it’s so new to ourselves in that sense. Overall, it’s always a rule that I would’ve liked to see so I think, once referees get used to it.

“Obviously, there’s going to be the odd case where it’s not going to work out but that’s like a free we didn’t win that we should have won. I think it’s a very good rule, especially for the forwards. We want the opportunity, if you’re through and there’s an opportunity on goal, let it go.”

The Clare-Limerick clash will mark only the second time Shefflin has ever attended a Munster SHC game, his first coming in 2010. He revealed he won’t be analysing any Kilkenny games at least for the first few months.

Asked if ever envious of not playing in Munster, he said: “When I went to college (in Waterford IT) I was with lads from Tipp and Limerick and they would have given me awful slagging. That was just the way it was at that stage. I think we would always have had the bit between our teeth to prove that right later on in the year and there were a lot of years that transpired like that as well.”