Football rule changes opened league's integrity to scrutiny — and maybe objection

The FRC have preached about boards and managers needing to look at the bigger picture but try telling that to them if they are facing relegation on the back of two sets of rules.

SOUR TASTE: GAA Football Review Committee chairperson Jim Gavin, second from left, with, from left, Chairman of Offaly GAA Tom Parlon, Offaly County board Pat Teehan and former Offaly players Michael Duignan and Matt Connor during half time at the Allianz Football League Division 3 match between Offaly and Sligo at Glenisk O'Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Pic: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

At Jim Gavin’s briefing to the Irish Sports Law Bar Association in January before the start of the Allianz Football League, solicitor Conor Sally had a query about the 12 v 11 overload.

Tyrone man Sally’s point was that teams would use the numerical advantage as much to retain possession as to attack, which ran against what Gavin’s Football Review Committee (FRC) were trying to achieve.