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Enforcing a rule is one thing. Waiting for over a minute of play before implemetning a rule is another. I dread to think what would have happened had Clare scrored in that minute. What would the ref have done then? The fact that the ref failed to see the umpire has got little focus in this whole debate. Had the ref seen the umpire and given the free staight away Clare fans may not be as annoyed.

100% agree

Congrats to Steve and Carlow! Fair play! Pity the fuc**rs in the big house didnt think it was worth televising. Instead we have Fermanagh v Kildare - score after 24 minutes... 0.00 to 0.00. What bollo*ks!

3 points and a fine

I thought it was only a fine if you were caught in a section that had temporary speed limit?

Bump
Does anyone know if it is just a fine or a fine & points if you are caught speeding in a temporary speed limit zone.
The fcukers were out in force this morning - with cameras & in unmarked cars

Its def both - I got caught myself a couple of weeks ago on M2 going into Belfast - was doing 62 in temp 50.  Cop car sneaked up behind me and nailed me.  Pity about the 10 cars in fron of me who were all doing the same speed or faster...!

[This year the referees have been given special instructions to start enforcing the rule as some goalkeepers are ripping the ass out of it a bit.]

"4.15 To take the puck-out from outside the small rectangle."

Obviously the key word in the above rule is "outside" but theres no further detail on that as far as i can see in the rules. However if we look at another aspect of hurling namely the ball, when it goes near an end line it is considered "outside" when the whole of the balll is over the line. Using that logic would lead me to conclude that if a keeper does not have both feet outside the square on a puck out then hes not "outside". From the tv replays the Clare keepers back foot was well inside the small rectangle so a wrong decision as far as im concerned.

If the GAA rules were more specific i dont think this debate would be happening today.

Fairhead. The rule is that the keeper cannot have his foot outside the small rectangle when he's pucking the ball out. It has been a rule in hurling for as long as I can remember and any inter-county goalkeeper will know this rule.  This year the referees have been given special instructions to start enforcing the rule as some goalkeepers are ripping the ass out of it a bit.  (Not that the clare keeper was doing this). Whilst I believe it was a terrible call by the umpire to enforce the rule at this time in such a close game, that is the rule and the keeper would have known this. (especially when he had been pulled up on it earlier on in the game).  I think you are clutching at straws with this one.

By the way, I dont agree with the decision to enforce the rule! My point is that it is a rule and as such, the officials have every right to enforce it.  I would imagine that the reason that a bit of le-way is given on frees and sideline pucks is to allow the player a bit of freedom to find a decent spot of grass to set the ball on.

"4.15 To take the puck-out from outside the small rectangle."

Obviously the key word in the above rule is "outside" but theres no further detail on that as far as i can see in the rules. However if we look at another aspect of hurling namely the ball, when it goes near an end line it is considered "outside" when the whole of the balll is over the line. Using that logic would lead me to conclude that if a keeper does not have both feet outside the square on a puck out then hes not "outside". From the tv replays the Clare keepers back foot was well inside the small rectangle so a wrong decision as far as im concerned.

If the GAA rules were more specific i dont think this debate would be happening today.

Fairhead. The rule is that the keeper cannot have his foot outside the small rectangle when he's pucking the ball out. It has been a rule in hurling for as long as I can remember and any inter-county goalkeeper will know this rule.  This year the referees have been given special instructions to start enforcing the rule as some goalkeepers are ripping the ass out of it a bit.  (Not that the clare keeper was doing this). Whilst I believe it was a terrible call by the umpire to enforce the rule at this time in such a close game, that is the rule and the keeper would have known this. (especially when he had been pulled up on it earlier on in the game).  I think you are clutching at straws with this one.

Where is it in the rules about the keeper cannot a foot outside the rectangle? Its certainly not in rule 4.15. As the last line of my entry above says if the GAA rules were more specific this debate would not be happening. Franko you say a keeper cannot have a foot outside the square, AZ is talking about the ball being outside the sqaure and i interpret it as both feet need to be outside the square; what does all that say? It says we have a vague one sentence rule in the rules of hurling which people have interpreted many ways and the umpires on Wednesday took it to the strictest level of adherence that i have ever seen. I believe they were incorrect and it has completely overshadowed what i thought was a really enjoyable game with some outstanding individual performaces, Callinan and McInerney to name just two.
 

Ok. It is not specific that the goalkeepers foot should not be outside the small rectangle.  However, I can absolutely guarantee that your goalkeeper will have known that he is not allowed to have his foot outside the small square when taking the puck out.  For gods sake he was warned about it earlier in the game if he didnt. This may not be stated specifically in the rule book but if you actually read the book there are hundreds more rules which fall into this category.  An intercounty goalkeeper will know where the boundaries are regarding this.  If not he is the most ill-informed goalkeeper i've ever heard of.  A junior b keeper could tell you this.  To say that the wording of the rule is to blame for this fiasco is simply incorrect.

"4.15 To take the puck-out from outside the small rectangle."

Obviously the key word in the above rule is "outside" but theres no further detail on that as far as i can see in the rules. However if we look at another aspect of hurling namely the ball, when it goes near an end line it is considered "outside" when the whole of the balll is over the line. Using that logic would lead me to conclude that if a keeper does not have both feet outside the square on a puck out then hes not "outside". From the tv replays the Clare keepers back foot was well inside the small rectangle so a wrong decision as far as im concerned.

If the GAA rules were more specific i dont think this debate would be happening today.

Fairhead. The rule is that the keeper cannot have his foot outside the small rectangle when he's pucking the ball out. It has been a rule in hurling for as long as I can remember and any inter-county goalkeeper will know this rule.  This year the referees have been given special instructions to start enforcing the rule as some goalkeepers are ripping the ass out of it a bit.  (Not that the clare keeper was doing this). Whilst I believe it was a terrible call by the umpire to enforce the rule at this time in such a close game, that is the rule and the keeper would have known this. (especially when he had been pulled up on it earlier on in the game).  I think you are clutching at straws with this one.

To be complaining about our current game being too violent is ludicrous. The simple fact is that gaelic football (for a contact sport) is not currently troubled by an undue level of violence.  I dont know where the inspiration from this thread came from...

Whilst I absolutely agree with the sentiments of everyone here regarding the idiots involved in this rubbish I think that the abuse a referee has to take from the crowd is currently a bigger problem and something the GAA needs to act on.  I have seen referees make bad mistakes and have cost teams games but some of the mouthfuls of abuse that people hurl from the stands towards them are ridiculous.  No human being should have to listen to this.

I see lightning has struck twice for this amazing antrim team...?

I have to agree with you steve, whilst I am a Derry fan I am also a realist and I reckon that Westmeath have too much for Derry.  I envisage derry still being in the hunt with 15-20 to go with westmeath then kicking on to in the region of a 10 point win.  This seems to be the tried and tested format for these sort of games!

I think that the other semi will be closer - Mayo have made amazing strides this season under pete finnerty.  They also have home advantage.  However, tradition would suggest that Carlow will eventually win out and I would tend to agree.

As for derry v down - I think that the only people not surprised with this result were derry people - they have already beaten a full down side this year and that combined with some recent ulster championship results all pointed to a close game.  Thats why I couldnt let someone calling the game a 'no brainer' slip by without a mention steve!!

[Down v Derry. A No brainer, Down have an amazing forward division...hit the goals that mattered in group games & will beat Derry by at least 10 pts]

Wicklow v Mayo
Wicklow will easy win this one. Struggled during league, but have got sorted since. Win by 6 or 7 pts
Down v Derry. A No brainer, Down have an amazing forward division...hit the goals that mattered in group games & will beat Derry by at least 10 pts
Kerry v Carlow- Hard one to call. Carlow are the better team, but the game is in Tralee where Kerry are very rarely beaten. But last time they met in div 2 semi in Limerick Carlow won easily by about 15 points...so id side with Carlow for this..but only by 2 or 3 pts.
Kildare v Westmeath
Its the form team Kildare v the team that thinks they are better than this level!!I dunno if westmeath are all that after a loss to Wicklow!
But if i had to choose i think Kildare might cause a real big shock here & beat Westmeath!

steve you and your predictions crack me up! did you not watch the national league at all!

Antrim are the England of the hurling scene - have some good players and can talk a great game, have a solid club infrastructure compared to those around them and reminisce with rose tinted glasses about the great victories (y) of yesteryear.

However, they struggle to make any impact when it counts on a consistent basis - though will spring an odd good result and catch one of the top teams on the hop.

I feel that Antrim fans have expectations that are far too high - talking about going to play in Leinster because competition is not enough in Ulster.  Get a grip.  I thought that maybe the Derry game was a one off but then to give a repeat performance against a similarly average Down team - get with reality lads - Antrim Hurling is not at the standard you believe it to be....!

Yep, same man

[If that's the case, therre are a lot of tools around Bellaghy]

Let's  not start this sh**t* again. 99.9% of GAA people in Derry couldn't care less.

Drones, you annoy my happiness.

I appreciate that its an opinion, but sometimes they're better kept to yourself.

99.9% of people on this board think you're a tool.

If that's the case, therre are a lot of tools around Bellaghy for I haven't heard one yet who supports Hurling in derry!
[/quote]

Maybe your right...

OK Lads - I would have to agree that the GAA are not very good when it comes to ripping off the paying public but come on here - just as the standard of living has increased so has the cost of running a business (which is essentially what the GAA is) and these costs have to be covered in some way.  Whilst I see that the GAA could maybe have absorbed these higher costs slightly more it should be abundantly obvious as to where they have come from.