Reduced kick-out penalty to be voted on in coming days

Renewal of International Rules this year now looks unlikely.

The GAA have confirmed that the Central Council is set to consider a proposed adjustment from the Football Review Committee regarding the 50 metre advanced free. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane.

Central Council will vote to abandon the 50-metre penalty for infringing on a kick-out mark with a mind to it being introduced for the All-Ireland senior preliminary quarter-finals and Tailteann Cup semi-finals.

Delegates at the meeting in Croke Park were briefed on the proposal from the Football Review Committee, which they are to vote on via email in the coming days.

Instead of a 50m penalty for a foul on a player who catches a mark, the free will be taken from where the infringement occurs.

The tabled amendment follows criticism of the severity of the experimental rule in recent weeks. Cork’s John Cleary and Kerry manager Jack O’Connor were among those who called for change following their recent All-Ireland SFC Group 2 game.

Central Council were also informed the International Rules are also unlikely to take place this year. There had been discussions that the hybrid series would be renewed for SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Croke Park this October.

Earlier this week, GAA president Jarlath Burns suggested the timing of the games in October would cause a problem on a player welfare level. “We have to be mindful of lots of things because that's coming in the middle of a closed season, which we are very protective about and that's why we did away with the pre-season competitions last year because we wanted our county players to have a genuine closed season.

“If we are going to start now with International Rules at that time, we know that would compromise that principle that we have brought in, giving our players that rest period.” Meanwhile, it was reported to Central Council that there was a 24% increase in Allianz League gate receipts, up over €1.5million to in excess of €8m. That follows a 7% drop last year prior to the new football rules and a reshaped hurling competition.

Eligibility for the All-Ireland junior football championship, relating specifically to London and New York, is to remain unchanged for next year’s staging. Rory Conway and Niall Gallagher (both Legal Panel) and Liam McCabe (Cavan) and Joe Edwards (Antrim) (GAA Panel) were added to the Disputes Resolution Authority.

A proposal from the Higher Education Commitee to rename the cup awarded to the winners of the junior hurling championship as the ‘Corn Darragh Mhic Cárthaigh, in memory of MTU Cork student Darragh McCarthy was passed. Midleton teenager McCarthy died in March following an accidental fall in Cork city.

County boards will now supply smart sliotars for semi-finals and finals in all county junior, intermediate and senior championships.