Cynical play motions face changes after county chiefs raise concerns

MOTIONS bound for Congress to increase the deterrent on cynicism in hurling and football are to be modified after concerns were raised around the wording of the proposed text.

County chairs convened online last week to discuss Congress motions and the focus on the proposals to award a penalty where a clear goal- scoring opportunity had been denied and send the aggressor off for 10 minutes (yellow card/sin-bin) drew some concern over the scope of such a rule.

Central Council delegates had previously cleared it to be debated at a virtual Congress at the end of the month.

The proposed motion has been subsequently sent back to the Standing Committee on Playing Rules which devised it in the first place to see if more objectivity rather than subjectivity around the ‘clear goal-scoring opportunity’ could be established.

The outcome looks set to define an area for referees in which to make that judgement, inside the 20-metre line and the semi-circle arc.

A new definition potentially provides parameters for referees to make decisions on whether a ‘clear goal-scoring opportunity’ has been prevented and will be welcomed, the head of the national referees’ committee Willie Barrett has suggested.

“The new wording should make it easier for the referee. There is a big change there, a player could be 30 metres out now and it will still be a regular free,” he said.

“So you have to be inside the arc or the 20-metre line for the referee to make a call (on a cynical foul that involves a pull-down, trip or careless use of the hurl.

Barrett says referees will still use their judgement as to whether it can be classed as a ‘clear goalscoring opportunity,’ even if the foul is committed inside the arc or 20-metre line.

“You could have a foul committed at the corner flag. Is that a clear goal-scoring opportunity? In hurling, there would be a better chance at an angle but it’s not realistic, he’s not bearing down on goal, he’s not running in.

“The problem a referee had was, if the player was 30 metres out after a quick break from defence and he was pulled to the ground, the question is if he would have the speed necessary to get in and get that goal. Now he is 20 metres out so I think referees will welcome the certainty of where it can be applied.”

Barrett had been a strong advocate for dealing with cynical play especially as it has “developed more and more in the last two to three years.”

“You have seen it in knockout stages of the championship and it’s important to address it now rather than put it back another year, you need to address issues like that early. Now is an ideal time and I would hope delegates would see it like that.”

Barrett’s advocacy of the new rule and potential modifications are supported by four-time All-Ireland hurling final referee Barry Kelly, who says the principle of protecting skilful players is paramount.

“When Pat Doherty was referees’ manager, his mantra at every meeting was ‘protect the skilful player.’ He told us that was one of our main jobs,” said Kelly.

“You can’t have players blackguarded left, right and centre like days of old when a corner-forward was being dogged and you go down and book the two lads. That shouldn’t happen. Umpires have been more pro-active. And this is a follow on from that.

“There is no skill involved in dragging an opponent down. In any walk of life, there has to be a deterrent to make people think,” he said.

“If you get caught drink driving now, there is no sympathy for you, because you know the rules. There should be no sympathy now for a defender who pulls an opponent down and I think that if a player fouls cynically anywhere on the pitch, I would actually sanction the penalty.”

Kelly admits that judging a ‘clear goal-scoring opportunity’ is not an “exact science”.

“You see it in the Premier League, there is always an argument about it, whether the defender was the last man or could someone have come across to cut him off”