McGeeney stirs up tackle debate

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:Kieran McGeeney is at a loss over referees' interpretation of the tackle, writes IAN O'RIORDAN

WHETHER HE meant it or not, Kieran McGeeney has stirred up some debate about the application of rules in the Allianz Football League – even before a ball is thrown in. His assertion that the proper interpretation of the tackle rule “is beyond me now” doesn’t exactly auger well for the coming weeks, and the Kildare manager is probably not alone.

McGeeney raised his concerns this week at the annual pre-season meeting between managers and referee representatives, but as things stand, the GAA’s hands are effectively tied in terms of introducing any new rules to address the issue, as under the five-year directive on the changing of playing rules, no such adjustments are allowed until 2015.

However, that may change again at GAA Congress in April, if, as expected, a motion is presented to remove such a directive.

In the meantime McGeeney’s concerns have some merit. Responding to Kildare’s high free count in Sunday’s O’Byrne Cup victory over Louth, following a pattern his team had developed throughout the competition, he claimed, “we work hard on it, that’s all I can say,” – having seen Kildare concede 18 frees in the first half alone.

“We work very, very hard on it. I’ve made a point this year already that I wasn’t going to comment on referees, because everyone says I’m too hard on them. But the tackle is something we can’t work any harder on. We bring referees in to tell what we are doing at training is correct. Then we do it in games and it’s not correct. It’s beyond me now. You hit a brick wall a lot of times and that’s one area. But I’ve a thick head and I’ll keep running into them.”

GAA president Christy Cooney responded by saying that “the tackle has probably been an issue” but believes there isn’t any great appetite now to remove the five-year directive on the changing of playing rules: “In fairness to him (McGeeney), he would have a view on the Australian Rules tackle, and what is the interpretation of that,” said Cooney.

“It is something that we will look at over time. We just had a broad-ranging discussion this week on various aspects of our games but we didn’t have any really serious debate around the tackle, though I know Kieran has a view on it.”

Central Council indicated in November that they were likely to draft a motion to remove that five-year directive, which has come in for some criticism, particularly after congress last year, where the majority of experimental playing rules narrowly failed to gain sufficient support, and under rule couldn’t be revisited again in any form until 2015.

It was originally planned that the GAA would use the upcoming leagues to experiment with the countdown clock and hooter system of match timing, similar to that used in the women’s football championship. It was to be implemented on an experimental basis during the national football and hurling leagues and, if deemed favourable at this year’s congress, used for all intercounty championship games in both codes in 2012.

Then in September it was announced Central Council had deferred the experiment on the grounds of “cost (€250,000) and practical difficulties”.

McGeeney has other concerns this week as he prepares for Sunday’s Division Two opener against Antrim, in Casement Park. Kildare needed a replay to get past Antrim in the qualifiers last year, eventually progressing 1-15 to 0-9.

“Sure we got some good performances out of the O’Byrne Cup,” said McGeeney. “People might argue that we didn’t have our strongest team out. But to me, if you’re starting then you’re strong enough. Ollie Lyons was going well there until he hurt himself. Ciarán Fitzpatrick has been very good to us in the O’Byrne Cup too (but will now miss several weeks with a hand injury). Hughie Lynch has showed as well that he’s a force for us at midfield, as is Pádraig O’Neill. He really seems to have relished the playmaking role in the middle. Karl Ennis is very attack-minded, and we can be happy with Tommy Moolick and Fionn Dowling as well. That’s what you want, competition for places.

“But if you don’t win a few league games, people forget about the O’Byrne Cup very, very quickly. It can be significant if you push on. But we’re going to Casement Park next weekend, knowing Antrim will be looking for revenge for last summer.”

It could be several more weeks before Kildare are back to full strength. Johnny Doyle, who will continue as captain for 2011, is only recently back playing. Mikey Conway is slowing returning too after nearly two years out with a knee cruciate injury. But Kildare look certain to be without Dermot Earley for the league.

“Dermot won’t be running until March or April. It’s not just the cruciate part of it. He had micro-fracture surgery too, and that makes it difficult to do anything weight-bearing on it. He is doing some cycling and a lot of gym work, but he has to be very careful. There’s a lot of pain associated with that surgery as well, and if he comes back too early that could cause major problems,” added McGeeney.