20-second limit for goal kicks extends to free kicks

LATE NEWS: A communique issued by the national referees committee and the Football Review Committee on Thursday confirmed a delay of over 20 seconds from when a free is awarded until the ball is kicked will be considered time-wasting. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

The guideline of a 20-second limit to take a goal-kick has been extended to free kicks.

A communique issued by the national referees committee and the Football Review Committee on Thursday confirmed a delay of over 20 seconds from when a free is awarded until the ball is kicked will be considered time-wasting. Under the previous rules, the free is cancelled and a throw-in awarded.

Earlier this month, a 20-second time limit was placed on kick-outs with the punishment being a 13-metre free. Dublin’s Evan Comerford and Galway’s Connor Gleeson fell foul of the change.

It was also confirmed that a player who takes possession of the ball after a foul by his team can pass the ball to a team-mate closer to a member of the opposing team or where the infringement occurred.

Queries from players other than the captain to referees about infringements by the other team and the queries such as the amount of time remaining will not be considered as dissent. As part of the new rules, only the captain can query a decision by the match official.

Meanwhile, Rian O’Neill is understood to have returned to Armagh training on Tuesday. The All-Star is not expected to be part of the panel to face Dublin on Saturday but could be in the reckoning for one of the All-Ireland champions’ last two rounds next month.

Elsewhere, Leinster GAA have dropped all adult stand ticket prices for the opening round of its senior football championship from €25 to €15.

Admission for the three games – Wexford v Laois in Chadwicks Wexford Park on April 5 and Meath v Carlow in Páirc Tailteann and Longford v Wicklow in Glennon Brothers Park on April 6 – have been reduced.

Tickets for the quarter-finals involving Dublin, Kildare, Louth and Offaly the following weekend could also be cut as the province look at making the competition more attractive to supporters.

The move bucks the trend of recent championship ticket increases in the likes of the All-Ireland quarter-final, semi-finals and finals, Allianz Leagues and Munster senior hurling championship.

A decision on whether to move the Leinster SFC semi-finals outside of Croke Park could be made next month. The venue for the last four matches scheduled for April 26 has yet to be confirmed but if they are moved away from GAA HQ they will more than likely be played at different grounds.

Last year’s semi-final double-header attracted just 21,957 to Croke Park, the lowest attendance since 2010 when they were fixed on the same bill, as Dublin eventually saw off Louth before going on to win the Delaney Cup for the 14th consecutive year.

The last time both Leinster SFC semi-finals took place away from the Drumcondra venue was 1995 when Meath beat Wicklow in Portlaoise’s O’Moore Park while Dublin overcame Laois in Páirc Tailteann in Navan.

ROSCOMMON (AFL v Cork): C. Carroll; P. Frost, J. McManus, N. Higgins; S. Cunnane, D. Murray, R. Dolan; E. Smith, K. Doyle; C. Murtagh, U. Harney, C. Hand; D. Murtagh (c), C. McKeon, C. Lennon. Subs: A. Brady, D. Ruane, R. Fallon, S. Killoran, E. Nolan, T. Lambe, B. O’Carroll, C. Heneghan, C. Cox, R. Daly, D. Kenny.

TIPPERARY (AFL v Limerick): S. Ryan; M. McFadden, J. Feehan, E. Moloney; T. Condon, L. Boland, M. Stokes; C. Deeley, M. Russell; C. Fahey, M. O’Shea, M. Freaney; C. Smith, S. O’Brien, S. O’Connor. Subs: R. McGrath, M. Barlow, D. Brennan, B. Comerford, K. Costello, L. Fahey, P. Feehan, M. Lyons, B. O’Connor, J. Madigan, J. Nevin.

WATERFORD (AFC v Wexford): A Beresford; C Foley, D O’Cathasaigh, L Fennell; D Fitzgerald, C Walsh, D Ryan; T Guiry, J Booth; C Murray (c), J Curry, C O’Currín; J Power, J Walsh, A Dunwoody. Subs: P Hunt, J Power, A Crawford, B Hynes, D Guiry, J Groves, M O’Brien, B O’Keefe, L Walsh, W Beresford.