Club activity meant that I didn’t get to see the Cavan-Armagh game live last Saturday evening.
But as I checked in on Twitter as to how the game had gone, I couldn’t miss numerous tweets about Ben Crealey’s goal for Armagh and how many thought it should have been disallowed for a square ball offence.
Having watched it numerous times it’s still not conclusive whether Crealey had one foot in the square as Ciaran Mackin put the ball across. But surely it’s time to get rid of such an outdated rule? What is the actual point of it?
It’s hard to fathom why we would have a rule that denies goals and limits excitement because a player may or may not be inside the small square when the ball is passed to him.
Some may be obvious, but many are virtually impossible calls, even after watching it back any amount of times, never mind in real time for referees and umpires.
A referee, a lot of the time, is guessing on these tight calls. When they are wrong, they can be the difference between winning and the losing of a game.
It brought me back to Benny Coulter’s controversial fisted goal against Kildare in the All-Ireland semi-final in 2010. Coulter was clearly in the square before the ball arrived, but the goal stood and Down won by two points.
There have been changes to the rule since with the player now just having to be outside the small square when the pass is made (except from a dead ball) but the time has come to do away with this nonsensical rule altogether.
Jackie Tyrell spoke on the Saturday Game highlights show about possible rule changes he would like to see brought into hurling, mainly a limit to the amount of consecutive handpasses and the ‘keeper having to go beyond the 45 with a puckout.
In 2019, the five-handpass limit was brought into football for the preseason competitions and it didn’t go any further. It certainly wasn’t pretty but, then again, football at that time of year rarely is.
The handpass limit was due to be trialled in the League that year but was scrapped at the 11th hour. Maybe it’s something that needs to be revisited because possession football has gone through the roof since.
In 2014, I was involved in the International Rules series for Ireland against Australia in Perth. There was a rule around the kickout whereby they had to cross the 45 when taken from the ground as we would have a distinct advantage over the Australians otherwise.
It was a disaster. The Aussies simply brought their six forwards out around the middle as they knew we had to go long.
It led to endless rucks and throw-ups around the middle on breaking ball.
It was rumoured towards the end of last year that the GAA was considering trialling it this year, but I think it’s a non-runner straight off based on that experience in Australia.
Dumping the square ball and limiting the handpass is certainly worth looking at, however.
Monaghan can turn the tables on Derry
The game of the weekend takes place in Omagh this evening for me.
After beating Tyrone, Monaghan will have no fear of Derry. The big question is whether they can back up that performance against another top team.
Derry got serious momentum from beating Tyrone in last year’s Ulster quarter-final and Vinny Corey will be hoping that Monaghan’s victory two weeks ago will propel them to bigger things.
So much of Monaghan’s play impressed me against Tyrone and they showed a steely determination when the game was in the melting pot, which hasn’t always been the case with them.
Derry will pose a different threat and probably won’t allow as much space for the Monaghan forwards as Tyrone did.
Again, the goalkeeping showdown should be fascinating, particularly given Rory Beggan’s display last time out.
Will Odhran Lynch push up on kickouts and in general play as much as he did against Fermanagh? He is getting better at it but at times it looks like they are on the verge of conceding another goal like Damien Comer’s long-range strike in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.
A concern I would have for Derry is that, defensively, they do not look as solid and have conceded six goals in their last two games.
Chrissy McKaigue was back from injury against Fermanagh but looked well off the pace and Ultan Kelm gave him plenty of trouble.
With very little to choose between the teams, I’m plumping for a narrow Monaghan win.
Armagh's set to finally reach Ulster decider
Armagh will not get a better chance to reach an Ulster final under Kieran McGeeney.
They were brilliant in the first half last weekend and some of the forward play between Rory Grugan, Jason Duffy, Andrew Murnan and Conor Turbitt was top quality.
Once they got that Ben Crealey goal there was a noticeable shift in tactics as they sat back, allowing Cavan possession and they only scored four points in the 40 minutes or so after the goal.
Down will be delighted with their win against Donegal and look to be a team on the up. I feel this is one step too far for them but even if it goes against them, they’ll be live contenders for the Tailteann Cup
Kildare will need other results to save them from Tailteann Cup
The bad news for Glen Ryan is that Dublin’s ruthless streak seems to be back.
Since that game against Derry in Celtic Park where Ciaran Kilkenny took a fisted point instead of setting up Cormac Costello for a tap-in goal, they have scored 10 goals in the four games.
Did that moment mark a seismic shift in Dublin’s mentality?
Kildare clearly have a mental block with Dublin. Too often, once they concede an early goal, the floodgates open. I can’t see anything else other than another comfortable win for Dublin which will leave Kildare looking at other results to determine where they will play their football for the rest of the year.
Offaly celebrations warmed the heart
Much of the fallout from last weekend surrounded Meath’s demotion to the Tailteann Cup.
But what a result it was for Offaly football. To deliver a performance like that after what the players have been through over the past number of weeks after the loss of their manager Liam Kearns is the real story.
The release of emotion was evident in the brilliant celebrations at full time.
I thought Louth were quite fortunate last weekend in getting a soft penalty which brought them back into the game against Westmeath.
They took full advantage, however, and look best placed to book a spot in the Leinster final.
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