Niall Morgan: 'It's a bit of a compliment because it feels like you're still evolving'

Despite rules tweaks, the game's most successful roving goalkeepers, Morgan and Monaghan's Rory Beggan, have still chosen to burst forward though the majority of other counties tethered their 'keepers to the goal line

RULE CHANGES: Tyrone footballer Niall Morgan at the launch of John West Féile 2025, marking 10 years of sponsorship by the company of the competition at Croke Park, Dublin. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Tyrone's Niall Morgan says he takes it as a 'compliment' that most conversations about goalkeeping these days seem to include some reference to him.

The reigning All-Star 'keeper made headlines again at the weekend with a thrilling display in the league win over Donegal, even scoring a point from play.

That was despite last week's rules tweak preventing goalkeepers from going forward to create 12-v-11 mismatches in the opposition's half.

In the end, the game's most successful roving goalkeepers, Morgan and Monaghan's Rory Beggan, still chose to burst forward though the majority of other counties tethered their 'keepers to the goal line.

Morgan said that as long as people keep mentioning him in conversations around the evolution of the game, it is a positive thing though he revealed his frustration about those who claimed he was being selfish.

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A number of pundits made that claim last month following comments by Morgan that restricting goalkeepers from joining in their team's attacks would strip 'any enjoyment out of playing' for him and could result in retirements.

"That's the frustrating thing, it wasn't the case," said Morgan, referencing claims that he was being selfish. "What I had said was completely taken out of context. That, I suppose, was the disappointing thing because you don't want to be targeted as an individual. That's not what you're here for.

"You're here for the betterment of the game and you're hoping that that's what you're doing and you want to be a role model for younger people to also want to be a goalkeeper, not just play outfield. It just seems to be at the minute that it's all about...like, it is about trying to make the game more entertaining and it's not entertaining if you tell certain people that they can't do certain things on the pitch."

Morgan, Beggan and Armagh's Ethan Rafferty are typically namechecked as high profile sweeper 'keepers in the ongoing debate about how the game should be played.

"It's a bit of a compliment because it feels like you're still evolving (the position)," said Morgan. "When I was starting out, everything was about how Cluxton had evolved the game and changed the game and now it seems to be me, Rory and Ethan that are being brought up in this conversation all the time. I see it as a bit of a compliment.

"Now it's not ideal at the same time because you're the one who is always being asked about rules and then you're put in all the papers and on all the outlets. 

The majority of journalists will take you at face value and what you've actually said. Then there's other people that want to gain clicks out of it and want to exploit what you've said and change what you've said and make it work for them, which can be frustrating.

Morgan said his hope is that the latest suite of rules enhancements are the last ones this year.

Meanwhile, in his position as co-chair of the Gaelic Players Association, Morgan expressed solidarity with the Antrim footballers in their quest to play their Ulster SFC tie against Armagh at Corrigan Park and called for a speedy resolution.

The Ulster Council has pencilled in the tie for Newry, due to capacity concerns.

"It's probably running out of time, what is it, three weeks to the game, four weeks maybe?" said Morgan. "The players are now sitting thinking, if Antrim play this weekend in the league, is that their season over because they are not allowed to play in the Tailteann Cup if they don't fulfil their fixture in Ulster? 

"I just think it's totally unfair what's happened and I'm full of admiration for Antrim that they're sticking their heels in and not budging on it."

** Niall Morgan was speaking at the launch of John West Feile 2025.