AS the Christmas period and the end of 2024 looms large into view, the final embers of a Cork football season slowly burn out.
A local junior relegation playoff and the U21A county final took place last weekend as Kilmeen retained their status in Carbery junior A while Beara were defeated by Bishopstown in the U21 final. I have defended the new season structure to the hilt numerous times, yet of course I would like to see these games played earlier. Relegation games, in particular, are an unpleasant experience at any time, let alone leaving it quite as late as the middle of December.
Ultimately, the volume of competitions in the GAA and the unpredictability of our weather means virtually the entire calendar year is needed. Underage finals have long been pushed into this time of year, to the point where we played a premier minor final in January many moons ago. Ideally, late December/early January would be a time for all players to have their feet up, but nobody has come up with a solution for this issue just yet. Better minds than mine have tried and failed, but we must continue to strive for improvements to the strides made in recent years.
For many of us whose seasons ended weeks and months ago, thoughts have turned to preparing for the 2025 season. First up on my agenda for 2025 is the Carbery U21A football championship in February, for which Carbery Rangers started our preparations last weekend. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the indefatigable Denis McSweeney, our players got their first glimpse of what the new pitch layout looked like, while local referee and my old team-mate Niall Hayes outlined the new rules/enhancements designed by the FRC and approved by Congress. Gaelic Football 2.0 I called it in these pages recently, and while I wouldn’t say it’s a whole new ball game, there are certainly some big adaptations ahead for all of us.
Our first impressions were mostly positive, and the players seemed to enjoy the new experience. The requirement to keep three, at least, in your opponent’s half does exactly what it was designed to do in providing more space for attacking your opponent’s goal. It also means out-and-out forwards will be back en vogue as the team’s danger-men will no longer be sucked back into defending in their own half. Counter-attacks after a turnover will now see the long kick to an inside forward be used in addition to just the running counter-attacks we have become used to seeing. Again, it is a very early first impression based solely on a training session, but man-on-man football may very well be back in earnest also.
It is, of course, impossible for a referee to see everything behind them, but the penalty for not keeping three up is so severe that when team-mates were minded to drift past the halfway line, their team-mates were quick to remind them to get back over the half-way line. The rule could largely prove to be self-policing, and in reality, it will mostly be eagle-eyed linesmen who will pick up on any indiscretions for this rule change.
With one or two late drop-outs, I was forced to leave the sideline and take up station between the posts and it was certainly an illuminating experience. The requirement to travel beyond the 40-metre arc will challenge goalkeepers particularly if there is a strong wind, so we can expect to see strong kick-out presses in underage games especially. The long kick-out will be back in fashion at least to begin with, and there is hay to be made if you can go long and beat an 11-man press. Also, it will largely be only elite teams and goalkeepers who will regularly venture into opposition territory to make 12 v 11, as take it from me, it is a long way back if you’re not super-fit anymore!
The new attacking mark and solo and go will take some time for the players to adapt their habits to, but will encourage more direct football and an increased tempo respectively. There is a big advantage to claiming a mark inside now, as knowing that you can back for a handy kick at goal enables you to go for goal almost with impunity. Hopefully we will see more goals from this method and perhaps even the big man in the square will make a return.
Moving the ball forward 50 metres for disciplinary indiscretions will take some getting used to for all of us – some of us more so than others – and while I think it will be overly harsh on occasions, it will certainly reduce the mouthing at referees which many of us have been guilty of from time to time. I don’t like the idea of being forced to hand a ball directly to an opponent ‘in a respectful manner’ (whatever that means?) and I think having to place the ball on the floor and retreat would be preferrable. I’m not sure either about the necessity for the one-v-one throw-ins, and there is a clear advantage for the player who is facing his team-mate on the sideline in this one.
Nonetheless, it was an interesting and enjoyable morning’s football and we learned a great deal from it. Having so many changes come in at once is going to challenge all of those involved in the game, yet there is no doubt that change was badly wanted by most involved in Gaelic football at any level. The positives should far outweigh the negatives and I’m hopeful for a brighter new future for our ancient game. As with all things in life, standing still is akin to going backwards and our game was long overdue some adjustments. Bring on the new era of Gaelic football.
