Sin bin needs looking at again

Reaction to the experimental rules: Change is always hard to swallow. So it doesn't come as a great surprise when there was plenty of grumbling about the introduction of the sin bin to Gaelic football at the weekend. Just wait until it is also applied to hurling in the coming weeks.

Sunday's McKenna Cup matches passed without any major incident as the Ulster Council opted not to introduce the experimental changes on the grounds that the college teams taking part would be hindered come the Sigerson Cup.

The Leinster Council did go with the new rules put forward by a football task force, despite also having universities involved.

In the straw poll conducted by The Irish Times, managers and players were highly critical of the sin bin. Even Mick O'Dwyer, who is on the task force, said it needed tinkering with.

To a man, the pick-up was applauded as an aid to the game's continuity, and the kicking tee was generally well received.

The chairman of the task force is Connacht Council president Tommy Moran and he is joined by managers Brian McEniff and O'Dwyer, players Paul Durkan (Sligo) and Brian Dooher (Tyrone) and Gaelic Players Association president Dessie Farrell. Monaghan's Pat McEnaney represents the referees. Some members feel they will have to meet again before the National League begins next month.

It is far from clear whether the sin bin, as it stands, will be in operation by then. New Offaly manager Kevin Kilmurray is particularly against it in the present format.

"I didn't want to say anything just after the heat of battle as tensions were running high but having slept on it I feel the same way today. The sin bin is a total farce and is never going to work," said Kilmurray.

"We should forget about the sin bin. Intelligent people in the GAA are responsible for this and they are going to have to admit they got it wrong. It's unfair to the players as they are the ones who are suffering."

Such was the strictness of the referees in the O'Byrne Cup matches last Sunday, fears are rampant that when the serious competition begins a ridiculous scenario will develop. The Laois and Offaly encounter in Portlaoise saw eight yellow cards brandished, while in Aughrim, where Dublin under-21s defeated Wicklow, six players were binned. Four players received double bookings and were sent off. Neither game was considered overly physical.

"What will happen on the 6th of February in Tullamore when we play Westmeath in the start of the league?" Kilmurray asked. "This will be a heated game and teams will be fitter. We could end up with a ridiculous situation of 15 against 12. Forget about this thing - I don't know how to tell my players not to go in hard. It is a different ball game than I used to play."

The sin bin works in rugby because a referee punishes cynical play or persistent infringements. In a heated contest a good rugby referee will always be heard warning a team (via a ref link - another excellent tool allowing the public and media keep abreast of the action) that the next time an incident occurs someone will be sent to the bin. It doesn't eradicate foul play but it markedly reduces it.

"The referee did exceptionally well as he could have given even more yellow cards but Shane Farrell showed plenty of common sense," Kilmurray continued. "People can say it was the refs' first game as well and they'll get used to it but they won't. They will just put more players off."

Pádraig Clancy was the first man to be sent to the bin in the Portlaoise game after he led with the foot in the tackle, having already been ticked for an earlier late shoulder. Neither offence was malicious but Laois still had to make do without one of the best midfielders in the country for 10 minutes. Does the crime equal the punishment?

"I'm not against the sin bin for appropriate fouls but not for what we saw on Sunday. Maybe a third tick would merit a yellow. Gaelic football is a physical game. If someone intentionally takes a player out they should get one tick. Three ticks and 10 minutes," added Kilmurray.