GAA clubs seeking playing rules changes must act with haste

COUNTY-LEVEL BACKING REQUIRED: Clubs must have first received the support of their counties this year before they can be considered for Annual Congress. Pictured is Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, left, and Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA Tom Ryan during day one of the GAA Annual Congress 2023 at Croke Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

GAA clubs must have playing rule motions passed at their forthcoming county conventions if they stand a chance of coming into effect in 2025.

Clubs are only permitted to table changes to the playing rules every five years, the next being in February 2025. 

However, they must have first received the support of their counties this year before they can be considered for Annual Congress. 

An obscure rule in the GAA’s Official Guide, Rule 3.38 (d), states: “Motions to revise Playing Rules may be tabled only in years divisible by five. Any such motion shall be submitted by the date required for submission of motions for the previous year’s Congress and shall be referred to the Standing Committee on the Playing Rules for evaluation.” 

It means any club seeking to introduce a new playing rule or amend or disband an existing one have to get their proposal backed at an annual convention before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the standing playing rules committee are to shortly sign off on their finalised proposed motions for Central Council on Saturday week. If endorsed by Central Council, they will be on the Clár for Congress at the end of February.

Central Council have requested the body to revisit their recommendation about black card not carrying over into extra-time. Ard Chomhairle are of the mind that extra-time should not be considered a new game and therefore all cards earned in regulation time must carry on into the additional periods.

Leading football referee David Gough had criticised the playing rules’ initial proposal. 

On the X social platform, he posted: “It just never stops....endless unnecessary tinkering with the rules. Elite referees, unsurprisingly, only given 24 hours to view & respond to this one, which I severely oppose. Playing Rules committee want to stop black cards carrying over into extra-time.” 

The playing rules committee are also proposing a hurler who takes his helmet off must leave the pitch for treatment and the game carry on. 

It remains to be seen if they can be temporarily substituted for a head injury assessment by a medic.

They are also to report back on the experimental rules that have been trialled in this year’s freshers competitions. In football, all kick-outs have had to cross the 45-metre line while kicks between the 20m lines from frees, marks and sidelines must go forward. 

In hurling, the same 45m line trial applies for puck-outs while the hand-pass can only be completed with a strike from the non-holding hand, original holding hand after first bouncing the ball or with the non-holding hand after bouncing the ball off the hurley.