As much as we should be enjoying the return of inter-county action after a far too long layoff, the early portion of the league has been dominated by the conversation around rule changes in both codes.
The GAA has implemented a number of new rules for the 2021 campaign, with the changes to the law surrounding advantage proving the most contentious.
In effect, this sees any foul committed within scoring distance of the posts immediately whistled unless there is an immediate goalscoring opportunity, not allowing the play to develop further.
The effect of this in hurling has been a very stop-start game, with every slight infringement stopping the game once a team gets outside their own '45.
We also saw what it could do in football yesterday.
During Kerry's game against Dublin, Dara Moynihan was fouled as raced towards the opposition goal, and despite burying the ball into the back of the next a split second later, the referee pulled the game back for the free to be take instead.
The Kerry players were understandably very unhappy with the decision. While the referee made an error in judgement on this occasion, it does show the potential damage this rule can cause. Imagine if the same incident occurred in an All-Ireland final?
Speaking on Allianz League Sunday last night, Colm O'Rourke said that while the referee made a mistake in this case, he has plenty of sympathy for them because of this new rule.
'I think it's simply a mistake by the referee'
Were Kerry denied a legitimate goal today against Dublin at Thurles? #RTEGAA #RTESport #AllianzLeagueSunday pic.twitter.com/dTcak1t5N1— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 23, 2021
I think the referee made a mistake. Again I have the height of sympathy with all these, I think Einstein would be needed to work out all the different possibilities here with Dara Moynihan going through.
All he had to do was let him for go for one second or two second more, which he is allowed to do.
I think this is simply a mistake from the referee, but in a lot of other areas there is confusion between players and referees over what exactly is allowed.
I thought the old advantage rule worked perfectly well and didn't think there was any need for tampering with it.
The referee could have let this play go yesterday, but it is very difficult to decide in a split second if a clear goalscoring opportunity is on or not. The wording of the rule leaves too much open to interpretation.
Let's just go back to the way it was.
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