FORGET MORE NEW RULES: CONNOLLY

DUBLIN star Diarmuid Connolly has hit out at ongoing rule changes in the GAA and the influence of television pundits on the game.

The four-time All-ireland winner has described the mark, which will be introduced for clean catches from kickouts from January 1, as a “dead duck” and feels that the black card is unnecessary.

He made a thinly-veiled reference to RTE’S Joe Brolly’s infamous TV outburst following Sean Cavanagh’s tackle on Conor Mcmanus in 2013, though it had already been decided at GAA Congress earlier that year that the black card would be introduced come 2014 anyway.

Connolly said: “I think it’s silly bringing in these rules. There is nearly one every two years, a different change or something going on.

“I don’t think it’s benefiting the game. It’s putting bad publicity on the game.

“Like, the black card has been over-publicised so much. Referees are coming under scrutiny for it. Players are coming under scrutiny for it.

“There was no need for it,

IT ALL TURNS UGLY Guardiola (left) has to cope without Aguero and Fernandinho after the red-card bust-up against Chelsea