Westmeath supports FRC proposals for Special Congress

There was some discussion on the change to the two-point rule for this weekend's GAA Special Congress, when the matter came before club delegates at a County Committee meeting on Wednesday in the Mullingar Park Hotel.

Westmeath eventually decided that they would firmly support the change - that is, if an opposing team player touches the ball before it goes over the bar, it will still be two points. Currently, shots for two-pointers will only lead to the awarding of one point if any player touches the ball after the kicker.

The modification is up for approval on Saturday at Croke Park.

Patrick Doherty, Westmeath GAA's Head of Operations, explained that the Football Review Committee (FRC), in proposing the change, are seeking to clear up an issue that arose in a championship game in Connacht.

Alan Leech (Killucan) felt there could be contention if a ball is kicked in long and two players contest it and it ends up going up over the bar.

Barry Kelly (Coiste na nÓg secretary), an experienced referee, explained that the change will remove a "farcical situation" where goalkeepers are jumping up just to get a touch on a two-point effort: if they “flap” at the ball it becomes one point. There are doubts then and officials (umpires and referee) have to decide if it’s two points or just one.

“It’s impossible for a referee, or an umpire to judge (accurately) if the goalie gets a touch. This change is trying to eliminate that,” he remarked.

Motion 22, which proposes the change, is presented as follows:

‘The motion proposes an amendment to the two-point score. Previously a shot kicked from outside the 40 metre arc only registered as a two-point score rather than a single point score if it went over the bar without being touched by another player. So you often had a situation where a goalkeeper getting his hand to a shot from outside the arc on its way over the bar meant it was a single-point score rather than a two-pointer. This motion proposes that all converted shots from outside the arc count as two-point scores provided no other player from the same team as the shooter touches it after it's kicked.’

In total, there are 62 motions on the clár for Saturday’s Special Congress and it is widely expected that there will be support for the FRC proposals.

Westmeath GAA chairman and secretary, Frank Mescall and Keith Quinn, will attend Saturday’s Special Congress. They will be joined by Joe Daly (Central Council delegate), Pat Reilly (Leinster Council delegate), Marie Lynagh (PRO) and Patrick Doherty.

Chairman Frank Mescall thanked the club delegates for their contribution and noted that there has been a lot of feedback during the year on the impact of the new playing rules. Some people felt the changes were not all positive.

“On the 50-metre rule and handing the ball back - I would have listened to an awful lot of dissatisfaction with those during the year. But we’re happy,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Barry Kelly felt it could become a talking shop and noted that this is the fifth Special Congress in six years and it’s very onerous on volunteer officers. Delegates are being brought from abroad - it could cost six figure sums. He felt this is merely a box-ticking exercise and perhaps they should have been passed by Central Congress.

There is a lack of necessity to bring delegates from all over the world for the second time this year, Kelly contended. The people who are going are extremely busy and there is a huge cost involved. It has now become two congresses a year for the past five years. Already the enhanced playing rules put forward by the FRC have received 98% backing, and will likely do so again, he observed.

The chairman felt this congress would be different and emphasised that there is a strong effort to be democratic.

“I take your point. We have no travel, we have no hotel. We are fine, but if you are coming from the likes of Cork or Kerry, you will have hotel (expenses) as well,” he said.

"We will listen to a lot of people with negative comments on the rules, and it will be the same people, by and large, who will have something to say on everything."

Patrick Doherty agreed with Mr Kelly’s observation, but felt consideration should have been given to holding the congress remotely.

“Special Congress up until relatively recently was a reduced representation. We have decided that it should be a full representation, in a democratic way - it was mooted to the FRC that this congress might be online. It was discussed at a meeting. I think the online option could have been considered for this congress,” he said.

Another change proposes that, from a kickout, the ball must now travel outside the 20-metre line as well as outside the 40-metre arc before being played by another player of the defending team. There are tweaks to the mark from a kickout, the rule on disruptive conduct by team officials, and it is proposed that failing to take a line ball from outside the boundary line will now result in a free to the opposition rather than a throw-in.

There are 19 recommendations as part of the Football Review Committee's final report.