New Powers For Refs?
Talking Balls Comments
Under the new proposals, players that receive a yellow card will be replaced by a substitute for the remainder of the game. Yellow card offences that qualify include “to pull down an opponent, to trip an opponent with hand(s), foot or hurley”.
Specific offences will also include “to deliberately body collide with an opponent after he has played the ball away or for the purpose of taking him out of a movement of play, to bring an arm (or hurley) around the neck of an opponent, to wrestle with an opponent, on the ground, and away from the play to remonstrate in an aggressive manner with a Match Official”.
Plans to address burnout by replacing the U21 championships with U20 competitions will also be discussed, as will the seemingly very popular plan to admit Antrim and Galway into the Leinster Hurling Championship. An American Jewish Pork butcher at the Al Qaeda AGM would be more welcome wethinks.
Speaking of referees, high profile whistler Paddy Russell is bringing out his autobiography. Surely to be a bestseller, Paddy’s book Final Whistle is launched by GAA President Nickey Brennan at the Golden Thatch, Emly, County Tipperary on 1 October. Our press notice says that GAA supporters everywhere are invited to attend on the night – dunno if they really mean that but there you have it.
In case you’ve forgotton Paddy’s campaign medals include the 1995 All Ireland Final when Charlie Redmond failed to leave the field; the same day he controversially disallowed Peter Canavan’s equalising point; the Battle of Omagh in 2006; the Meath – Dublin row in 2008 and, most famously, the Paul Galvin handbag slap this summer. If you didn’t know better you’d think controversy follows Paddy like an oul lost dog. Whatever. Get the book and read all about it.
