Proposed changes would sort square ball

AFTER BEING mysteriously rejected two years ago it appears a change is now imminent regarding the infamous “square ball” rule.It’s one of the few rule changes up for debate at this weekend’s Congress in Laois thanks to the GAA’s new Standing Rules Committee – set up in the aftermath of last year’s Congress, and which allows certain rule changes to be brought to Congress for consideration every year.

Up to now, any alterations to playing rules could only be made every five years, but the Standing Rules Committee has been given the power to submit rule changes every year, once cleared by Management Committee: thus motion 31, addressing the square-ball rule, is up for debate, submitted to Congress by Central Council on behalf of the Standing Rules Committee.

The change is largely in line with the league experiment of 2010, which allows players to enter the small rectangle before the ball, although not before the ball is played in (including when the ball is delivered from frees and sideline kicks). This change, however, was surprisingly defeated at that year’s Congress in Down.

Under the existing rule, 4.9, it is still illegal for an attacking player to enter an opponents’ small rectangle before the ball enters it during play.

The exact wording of Motion 31 is: Amend Rule 4.9, Technical Fouls, Playing Rules of Football, Official Guide Part 2 as follows: “For an attacking player to enter opponents’ small rectangle; (a) During Play (excluding Set Play), before the final play of the ball into the small rectangle (b) In Set Play, before the ball enters the small rectangle.” Retain Exception (i). In the fifth line of Exception (ii) insert the words “otherwise illegally” between the words “been” and “within”.”

It is also expected if passed, the rule change would come into effect for this summer’s championship; the Cork County Board have already given the nod to the rule change, carrying the motion by 72 votes to 57 at their county board meeting earlier this week.

The “square ball” rule has proved controversial, almost without fail, with Meath’s Graham Geraghty evidently falling foul of it in last year’s Leinster championship clash with Kildare, and likewise Kildare’s Tomás O’Connor during their All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Donegal.

With that in mind the change now appears inevitable – and included on the Standing Rules Committee were managers Brian Cody of Kilkenny and Kieran McGeeney of Kildare, plus GPA representative Dessie Farrell and Donal Óg Cusack, Mick Curley, chairman of the National Referees Association, plus Croke Park’s Pat Daly – along with outgoing and incoming GAA presidents Christy Cooney and Liam O’Neill, Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) chairman Séamus Woods, Cork secretary Frank Murphy and GAA director general Páraic Duffy.

It is anticipated the Standing Rules Committee will present more radical rule changes for 2013, including a possible “tap and go” rule, whereby if a free-kick is awarded, a player can opt to play on without being tackled for five metres.

Currently, a 13-metre penalty is applied to a team who prevent a quick-free from being taken, although this is often preferred by the opposing team, to allow them adopt a more defensive stance.