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The word deliberate should be removed.

Black cards should be used to stop opponents gaining an advantage from coughing up a "cute" free. The overwhelming majority of these instances are "lazy" fouls that kill momentum before it starts, or else trips designed to stop an attacker reaching a shooting position.

It's extremely difficult to judge these incidents when they involve a head-on tackle, as in many of these cases the foul is caused by trickery and movement, rather than a purposeful attempt to kill play by any means necessary.

Instead we should concentrate on fouls from behind.

So something along the lines of this would suffice:

"when tackling a player from behind (i.e. at an angle between 90 and 270 degrees from the direction of the attacker's movement), if the tackling action results in a technical foul that causes the ball carrier to trip or stumble, the tackler should be punished with a black card."

Simply put, if you choose to tackle a player from begin, don't foul him, or it's an early bath.

Seeing as we're debating rules, can you drop kick a free?

Antrim were 3 down against Armagh on Saturday night and CJ McGourty had a 14 metre free .  Injury time was almost up and I knew by his stance that he was going to drop kick the ball due to the additional power generated.

He did, and the referee allowed it (although the shot was blocked).
Surely it's not legal to drop kick a free?

I'm trying to work out on what grounds a drop kick could be illegal, whereas kicking a ball normally from hands would be legal??

If anything the drop kick method would be more in keeping with the old fashioned static kicks from the ground, as you're less likely to carry the ball a few steps to generate momentum before kicking it.

I refereed a minor game last week. Often went 5 minutes without a foul as the players (mostly) want to play football, and are less bothered about trying to grind opponents down. So refreshing.


The only way to encourage grown men back into this kind of behaviour is by making it the most desirable outcome.

So I reckon there genuinely aren't enough black cards being shown in adult football.

I still believe we should trial playing a competition with no yellow cards. They're a get out of jail free card for players and most annoyingly, for referees.

Refs would be encouraged to dish out blacks for anything unsporting .

Cynical fouls / persistent fouling: black card.
Normal fouls that a contact sport should involve: carry the f**k on lads. This is football.
Dangerous fouls: red card.

Fair enough good point Wobbler
I'll not let on I know all other half forward lines in division 2
All I am saying is I would like to see 2 more attacking minded players to come into the team for the next 2 games?
And if we get hammered then go back to 12 behind the ball at least we know it does not work
Wobbler do you totally disagree?

Yeah I would agree.

We need at least 3 genuine scoring threats on the field, otherwise all the defensive / counter-attack game does is put even more pressure on the defence to keep the opposition in check.

Ideally these lads would be workhorses too, but if 12 men can't protect their own 45, then we are in trouble.

I would think Barry O Hagan tops the scoring then Ryan Johnstone with Darragh O Hanlon probably third.Mooney would be fourth with 4-5 points then your are talking 1-2 points from Maginn Murphy Miller Carr McKernan.
6-7 points scored from our Midfield and half forward line in 5 games is a worrying statistic
Look at the Dublin half forward line in Connolly McMenimum and Flynn they would be looking 1-6 per game from those 3 plus they have a solid defence
I'm not saying we are anywhere near Dublin but I just feel we need to add something going forward this weekend

What's that saying about not comparing yourself to others, for you'll only become vain or bitter?


If you're looking to draw comparisons, do it with D2 teams. Or even D1 teams that aren't Dublin!

I think some of the coverage on Twitter etc. is a bit pathetic.  Yes a win over England is something to savour but Ireland shouldn't be feeling smug about winning a battle but ultimately losing the war.

While there's a never ending stream of luvvie horseshit in rugby I would disagree with you wholeheartedly here.

The very reason why test rugby is so utterly brilliant (and so significant) is because the players involved don't need a "war" to keep  them interested; the battle is plenty enough.

Today we witnessed two games that shouldn't have mattered a damn, yet some 90 odd players literally gave everything to the cause. That's worth celebrating.

Further proof today that Ireland are only a player or two short of being one hell of a team.

Delighted to see Henderson and O'Mahoney shove tactical selections up their coach's hole, while Payne was just outstanding (basically everything that Kearney is not).

Get rid of the wingers, replace them with flowerpots, and cross fingers with injuries - and we've a genuine chance in the next RWC.

Watched the game on Periscope so don't take this as gospel. However in thr last Tyrone attack of ET did I see right? Tyrone attacking and the Donegal sideline boot 2 or 3 balls onto the field to disrupt the attack?
No wonder the management team are despised in their own County.

Have to say that's disgusting behaviour. I have said before the ref should have the power to punish cynical play by awarding a 20m free in front of the goals and for cynical play preventing a goal he should award a penalty. The donegal sideline would not have behaved in this manner if they thought it would be punished in the form of a simple free kick in front of goals. The way to punish cynicism is on the scoreboard.

There's currently dozens of jumped up managers in club and county teams across the country scratching their chins and wondering when best to use this "tactic".


Donegal Management team should be banned from entering the ground for the replay.

Needs knocked on its head.

Tyrone folks, I noticed there was a huge turnover in players between your u21 team last night and when those fellas were minors in 2014.


Tyrone minors 2014 - P O'Neill, D Mullan, P O'Neill, N Kelly, E McGarrity [0-2], R Quinn, R Samir, R Nugent [0-1], M Quinn [0-2], P McAnenly [0-2], C McKenna [0-3], J Darcy [0-1], L Brennan [0-4], C O'Hagan, F McClure [1-1]. Subs – K Coney for R Quinn, J Lafferty [0-1] for Brennan, R Coleman for McKenna, C McLernon [0-1] for O'Hagan, B Kennedy for Nugent


Tyrone u21 2017 – B Gallen, N Kelly, P Teague, C Shields, L Rafferty (0-1), M McKernan, F Meenagh (0-1), B O'Donnell, R Loughran, M O'Neill (0-1), D Mulgrew (0-4), N Donnelly (0-1), L Brennan (0-3, 2f, 1 "45"), B Kennedy, P Donaghy (0-1). Subs – C McLernon (0-1) for Kennedy, J Harkin (0-1) for O'Donnell, E McNabb for Donaghy, R Coleman for Loughran (black card), Donaghy for O'Neill, P McAnenly for Mulgrew


2 starters remain: Kelly corner back, Brennan corner forward. McAnenly came in as a sub last night and started in 2014. Coleman and McLernon subs on both matches.

David Mulgrew was injured in 2014 or would have started.

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It surely couldn't be normal for 16 out of 22 faces to change in such a short period of time - especially as team 1 were talented enough to destroy Down within 10 minutes of throw in.

Anyone explain the turnover?

Reid will be starting

Byrne is playing for Shamrocks and I don't think he made the panel.
Fitzpatrick will most likely start.
Harte is injured or most likely would have been playing.

Rafferty is struggling for form at Shamrocks.
Donnan was CHB last year but I don't think he made it this year. Might be injured.
McEvoy I don't think made the panel.
McCartan will most likely start.

Dobbin has hardly kicked a ball since.
Barr has settled into goals at Mayobridge and I'd expect him to be next year's keeper.

Millar will most likely start.
Guinness will most likely start.
Lively wrecked his cruciate and hasn't quite fit back to speed.

Treanor will most likely start.
McCrickard will most likely start.

Of the subs, Murdock, McConville and Rushe will likely start, maybe Laverty too - though he has two full years left at this level. I'd be surprised if McDowell and Hardy aren't in the mix too as they both start week in week out in D1. I've no idea about Aiken.

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Ceilum Doherty, Conor Francis, Sean Gallagher and Ruairi Campbell likely to be the new faces involved.


Apart from a clear out of the Shamrocks contingent, it's actually not that much change.

When you say Earls was "very good" tonight, are you basing that on the fact that two tries came up his wing, and his cumulative carries (I'm guessing) will average about 0.1 yards, and that he never made a single line break or telling pass?

He was far fro the worst player on show tonight. But it's redefining very good to put him in that category. Not guilty is the best way I could sum up how performance.

By the way, Rory Best, Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble are also very much done in 2017, if anyone is worried about my provincial bias.

Keith Earls. Jamie Heaslip.

Move them the f**k along please.

Wobbler you are probably the most vocal critic on here. Only a casual watcher so out of interest what would be your first 15 and match day squad assuming no injuries?

See this is all out of character for me. I'm normally all for loyalty and coaching.

I'm just absolutely sick to my eyeballs of watching Earls and Kearney run sideways then falling.

Yes but are the centres the cause of the symptom?

If I was an Irish centre and saw the matchups outside me, I'd put my head down too.

Said it a few weeks ago. Ireland are a back 3 away from being a serious team. We just can't breakdown any team of substance with that back 3.

Keith Earls. Jamie Heaslip.

Move them the f**k along please.

Leave wee paddy alone.

Sexton got smashed because his fullback isn't full for purpose.

We saw more pace in Wales' try than we have from Ireland's back three this season ((Gilroy's cameo excepted).