Dylan Geaney kicks a score for Kerry against Mayo in the Allianz Football League. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
The Football Review Committee is recommending some adjustments to the core enhancements brought in for 2025.
In an interim report published on Friday March 7, the FRC outlines some of the proposals that will be voted on by Ard Chomhairle on Monday evening.
Play on immediately - Kick Out Mark
(a) A player who makes a Kick Out Mark may play on immediately and, in this circumstance, the player may not be challenged within four metres of the position from where the Kick Out Mark is made (Current rule: the player may not be challenged for the ball until the player carries the ball up to a maximum of four consecutive steps or holds the ball for no longer than the time needed to take four steps and/or makes one act of kicking, hand passing, bouncing or toe-tapping the ball)
(b) If the player who makes a Kick Out Mark is illegally challenged, within four metres of the position from where the Kick Out Mark is made, a free kick shall be awarded 50m more advantageous than the place of the original mark – up to opponents’ 13m line (Current rule: if the Player is illegally challenged, a free kick is awarded to the player’s team from the point at which the challenge is made).
Play on immediately - Advanced Mark
An advantage has accrued for an Advanced Mark if the player plays on immediately and scores a goal or a point (Current new rule: for the ‘Play on immediately - Advanced Mark’ the referee must determine if an advantage has accrued).
3/3 Structure
The FRC has reviewed the situation and proposes the following amendments to address the issues raised:
i. During play, a team must have at least four players (which may include the goalkeeper) in their half of the field and at least three outfield players in the opposition half of the field.
ii. A breach of this Rule does not occur where the player(s) who would otherwise cause the breach:
(a) have done so unintentionally,
(b) are within 4m of the half way line,
(c) are not interfering with play,
(d) are not interfering with an opponent, and
(e) are not gaining an advantage
Two Point Score - delete word 'directly'
Currently the Rule states that two points are scored when the ball is played directly over the crossbar between the posts (whether from a free kick, Solo and Go, or from general play), having been kicked by a player who has at least one foot on or outside the 40m arc and without the ball having been touched by any other player.
The recommendation is to delete the word ‘directly’, as in some case the ball may not go over directly and only one point will be awarded.
For example, if the ball hit the post, but still went over the bar and between the posts -the intent is that this will receive two points
Dissent - Team Officials
The intent of the new rule was to be focused on dissent by Team Officials. The proposed amendment to the associated penalty is that the free kick will be awarded on the offending team’s 20m line (and not the 13m line), to align it with similar penalties
Hooter System
The FRC remains committed to ensuring the successful implementation of the Clock/Hooter system, as adopted by Comhdháil Speisialta, and will continue to monitor its impact to refine and improve its application. In this regard, the FRC recommends that Central Council adopt the recent proposal from the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) to end the game as follows:
• After the hooter sounds, the end of the first half or full time is signalled by the referee on the next occasion that the ball goes out of play for a score, for a wide or for a sideline kick. If a 45 has been awarded but not taken, before the hooter sounds, the free kick can be taken and, if it results in a score, without any other player touching the ball, that score shall be awarded.
• If a penalty has been awarded but not taken, before the hooter sounds, the penalty can be taken, and if it results in a score, that score shall be awarded, provided no one apart from the goalkeeper has touched the ball after the penalty kick has been taken.
• If the ball is already out of play following a score, a wide or for a sideline kick when the hooter sounds, the Referee shall signal the end of playing time on the sounding of the hooter.
