LAST UPDATE | 7 Mar

THE GAA CENTRAL Council meeting to vote on the FRC (Football Review Committee) amendments to their experimental rules has been moved forward to this Monday 10 March.

It was originally scheduled for Thursday 13 March, but is now being done earlier to give teams more time to adjust to the new amendments before the round of inter-county football league games that are scheduled for 15-16 March.

The GAA’s Management Committee were briefed on these amendments, proposed by the FRC, last night.

The FRC recommends after this to avoid any further rule amendments this season, and instead focus on monitoring the rest of the inter-county and club season, to ‘gather futher insights’ before making their final recommendations to Special Congress later this year.

The amendments in the spotlight on Monday night are:

Play on immediately – Kick-Out Mark

A player who claims a kick-out mark can play on immediately and not be challenged for four metres, similar to the solo and go ruled. If he is illegally challenged, the play is brought up 50m for a free, where a player can bring it back outside the 40m arc for a two-point attempt.

Play on immediately – Advanced Mark

An advantage is gained for an advanced mark if the player plays on immediately and scores a goal or a point. The current rule sees the referee having to determine if  there has been an advantage accrued.

FRC chairperson Jim Gavin. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

3 v 3 Structure

A team must always have at least four playesr (which could include the goalkeeper) in their own half and at least three outfield  players in the opposition half.

This impacts a scenario whereby if a goalkeeper enters the opposition half, four of his team-mates must remain in their own half, unlike the current scenario where only three have to remain there.

In addition teams who have been reduced in numbers due to black/red card, must still keep three players in opposition half of the field.

Unintentional breaches of the ‘four back, three up’ rule will be factored in. Players who move up to four metres across the halfway line will not be punished, if they have done so unintentionally, are not interfering with play or an opponent, and have not gained an advantage.

Two-Point Score – delete word ‘directly’

The word ‘directly’ has been removed from the rule related to two-point scores as this was an issue for some refeees. For example, if the ball hit the post but still went over the bar, it will be classed as a two-point score, despite not travellling directly over.

Dissent – Team Officials

This rule was to be focused on dissent by team officials. The associated penalty will not be a free kick  awarded on the offending team’s 20m line (and not the 13m line), to align it with similar punishments.

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Galway’s Daniel O'Flaherty and Peter Harte of Tyrone in action last weekend. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

The FRC have also outlined their committment to ensuring the successful implementation of the clock-hooter system.

They have recommended that Central Council adopt the recent proposall from the GAA’s CCCC to end the game as follows:

• After the hooter sounds, the end of the first half or full time is signalled by the referee on the next occasion that the ball goes out of play for a score, for a wide or for a sideline kick. If a 45 has been awarded but not taken, before the hooter sounds, the free kick can be taken and, if it results in a score, without any other player touching the ball, that score shall be awarded.

• If a penalty has been awarded but not taken, before the hooter sounds, the penalty can be taken, and if it results in a score, that score shall be awarded, provided no one apart from the goalkeeper has touched the ball after the penalty kick has been taken.

• If the ball is already out of play following a score, a wide or for a sideline kick when the hooter sounds, the Referee shall signal the end of playing time on the sounding of the hooter.

Written by Fintan O’Toole and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.