Take Five

Reaction to GAA's new disciplinary rules

Pierce Freaney

(GAA's national co-ordinator for referees)

"I was down in Newbridge and I thought David (Coldrick) refereed the game very well and I thought the players adapted brilliantly. It was a brutal game though.

"The only difference was players' reluctance to pull a player down when beaten. There was a general level of compliance, and remember the referees are also learning, but we won't really know how the rules are working until we see a full blooded game.

"General feedback has been good. One referee was a little over eager, calling everything a personal foul but there is certainly more protection for the skilful player and we shall see plenty more scores. That's what everyone wants."

John O'Mahony

(Mayo manager)

"I do reserve some concerns. How the player who pulls down an opponent and gets a yellow card will manifest itself in the National League. Or, if it is passed at congress, how these rules will impact on, say, the last 10 minutes of an All-Ireland final when an important player is caught on a technicality.

"Another danger is a player can get another sent off with cynical play. If a player is touched by his marker and he goes down what happens then? My major concern is the pendulum will swing in the complete opposite direction but in fairness to the GAA they have stated they are willing to tweak the changes.

"We'll have a better viewpoint after the managers' meeting in mid-January."

Jason Ryan

(Wexford manager)

"I was apprehensive going into the game, especially for players in positions like corner back who are under a huge amount of pressure.

"It just requires more discipline. Even if the new rules don't come in for the championship there is a positive in that the players will have the experience of playing with greater emphasis on their discipline entering the summer."

Pat Daly

(GAA Head of Games)

"It was pretty much as I anticipated it. There was more playing time, more scores and less frees. I witnessed five wonderful blocks in the Queen's against Cavan game; you could go through a season without seeing that many. Players are returning to more traditional skills. Skills that we thought had all but disappeared from the game.

"The only ambiguous fouls are body collisions and the arm around the opponent's neck. That is up to the referee to interpret as he sees fit but these fouls were conspicuous by their absence."

Liam O'Neill

(Disciplinary taskforce chairman)

"We will continue to work with referees on a week by week basis. Remember, they are coming off a two-month lay-off as well.

"There is a meeting this week with Pierce Freaney and the referees and we have undertaken a huge educational campaign by getting a DVD out to the intercounty and college teams to make sure everyone was okay with the new sanctions. There will be no change to this. It's down to how it works on the field now.

"After the weekend I am a much more relieved man that I was over the Christmas. You could see a greater fluency in the games. Players know they can solo the ball and that they won't be fouled."