GAA: Committee considering 'tap and go' free

A number of proposals aimed at speeding up Gaelic football and hurling are being considered by the GAA's Playing Rules Committee.

One of them is the introduction of the 'tap and go' style free which is now common in other sports like rugby, hockey and Australian Rules.

It would see a player, after they were fouled, having the option of taking a solo or 'tap and go' himself within a five-metre exclusion zone.

If the opposition do not retreat the required distance, it is proposed that the referee could award a 45-metre free in front of the opposing goal.

The proposal, which is being championed by GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell, is designed to put a stop to the cynical ploy of teams preventing a quickly-taken free while they allow their defenders to track back and get into their marking positions.

It is hoped that the penalty of giving away a central 45-metre free would deter sides from slowing down the taking of frees, with the current punishment only seeing referees move the free 10 metres forward.

The committee met for just the third time last week. There are a number of high profile representatives on the committee - GAA President Christy Cooney heads the list of high ranking Association delegates involved, Farrell and GPA Chairman Donal Og Cusack represent the players and Brian Cody and Kieran McGeeney put forward the team managers' view.

Other proposals which are thought to be up for discussion are an advantage rule, interchange substitutes (like those used in International Rules) and a requirement for the ball to go out of play before a match can conclude.

Any of the proposals that are backed by the committee will go before Central Council. If they get approval at that level, they will go forward as motions to GAA Congress.