So what do ye think of the black card rule now?

[Itchy]

Monaghan accumulated a grand total of 0 black cards in the 7 league games.

That's what's known as a miracle

[Hardy]

Does anyone know who referreed the Tipp v Limerick football match yesterday and what rule book he was using. Black carded a player who barely touched his opponent, who didn't even go to ground. A yellow card for a goalie who rugby tackled a forward and the saved a penalty and then another extremely harsh peno for a foot block. And they were only the 60 second highlights.

Absolutely nowhere near a foot block. does anyone else think that most of the problems we are complaining about re football would be resolved by going back to the old rule whereby only one player at a time is allowed to tackle an opponent. When I played and was tackling an opponent if one of my teammates came in to help out a free was almost always awarded. Going back to  this rule would be a lot easier for referees and would make the game a whole lot better to watch. It would cut out the horrible situations where a player is surrounded by 7 or 8 opponents and finds it impossible to play the ball.

There is not and never was such a rule.

Are you sure? When I played in the 80s and 90s it was applied in the way I've stated. I'm not sure if it was in the rule book but even if it wasn't I'm putting it forward as a suggestion to make the game (a) more enjoyable for spectators and (b) much easier to referee.

I'm sure. But I don't doubt what you say. As I keep saying, referees make up their own rules all the time and many seem to subscribe to rules that are no more than myth or legend - rolling ball, third man tackle, etc.

As far as I can tell, many, even inter-county referees, have never read the rule book but just referee in accordance with the way they see it done by others. That may seem an outlandish claim, but otherwise it's very had to account for some simple observations like:

- A player who plays the ball away on the ground with his hand after falling in possession is nearly always penalised for touching on the ground. (Feckit, always - I can't remember ever seeing otherwise.) That's despite the clear rule that allows this. It's on the very first page of the Official Guide. The second rule in the whole book.

- Many (most?) referees penalise anyone who tackles the goalie in the small square; many penalise a tackle on the goalie anywhere. They seem to have a vague inkling that the goalie has a special privilege. If they'd ever read the rule book, they couldn't be unaware that there's nothing in it about tackling the goalie. They'd know you can't shoulder-charge the goalie in the small square - that's all.

- I've only once ever seen a referee apply the penalty for feigning, despite the wholesale infestation of the game with diving, rolling, collapsing, face-clutching and the rest. Do they know the penalties (free, caution, red card for second offence) exist?

That's only a few. There are loads. So it's no surprise that, if referees are largely refereeing by doing what they see other referees do, local custom and practice take root to the extent that refs and players swear by rules that don't exist.

[lenny]

How would that work? One man tackle doesn't stop players being surrounded and crowded.

When a player is surrounded he is usually being tackled by 2 or 3 men at least. In my opinion that should be given as a foul. That would stop the surrounding and crowding.

[highorlow]

When a player is surrounded he is usually being tackled by 2 or 3 men at least. In my opinion that should be given as a foul. That would stop the surrounding and crowding.

You may aswell have no defense at all then.

The black card isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The refs are the problem.

When Pat McEnaney was on the SG apologizing for mistakes its proves that aspects don't work. He was trying to say that a 75% success rate was a success. It isn't when it might concern a match changing decision.

I'd say from this weekend onwards things will improve.

[AQMP]

Does anyone know who referreed the Tipp v Limerick football match yesterday and what rule book he was using. Black carded a player who barely touched his opponent, who didn't even go to ground. A yellow card for a goalie who rugby tackled a forward and the saved a penalty and then another extremely harsh peno for a foot block. And they were only the 60 second highlights.

Footblock was not even close to a footblock.First bc was touch and go but the goalie I honestly felt pushed the player as opposed to pulled him down.Think this was refs reading of it judging by his actions.As for the Sunday game debate,it was fairly harmless,McEnaney did well I thought and his logic made sense,there has been a vast overreaction to a few incidents.Dessie Dolan was an embarrassment.He didn't seem to have prepared his argument at all.Can't understand why someone from Ulster wasn't brought in to speak against it seeding as this is where most of the opposition comes from.

I remember Dessie speaking on the radio about the Black Card when it came in first, and he has been consistently against it. He was stuttery on Sunday evening, but what he was actually saying was it's too hard for refs to adjudge whether a pull down is 'deliberate' or not, especially if some players are trying it on. He's got a point in that. It is difficult, and this is where you hope the refs only award them where they are sure.

I felt the one v Tipp was very harsh. I don't think he deliberately pulled down the man. He tried to put him off his shot, and the player fell down. I don't think it was a deliberate pull down.

The foot block was just atrocious. Must have been near 5 yards before the ball hit the defender. Good job it wasn't a close game.

This would be my main issue with it as well.

You won't have seen this on the 2 nano-second highlights on the Sunday Game but Antrim picked up two black cards on Sunday against Fermanagh.  On the first Conor Murray had both his arms round the Fermanagh player, there was a bit of two way wrestling and then, it seemed to me, the Fermanagh player fell to the ground.  Whether it was a drag to the ground was debatable never mind deliberate.  Murray was playing well at the time. 

Most people I spoke to thought the second was harsh but it seemed to me that James Laverty dived in front of the Fermanagh player deliberately to use his body to trip him.

I suppose that's why we have a ref...to be the arbiter on these decisions?

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

It should be abundantly clear now that those who invented, proposed, championed and voted for the black card have absolutely no understanding how modern-day Gaelic football is played.

[rrhf]

And they have castrated it.

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

Based on the rules, McCurry's black and Mone's yellow were IMHO correct. Which was cynical?

[screenexile]

It should be abundantly clear now that those who invented, proposed, championed and voted for the black card have absolutely no understanding how modern-day Gaelic football is played.

Once Cavanagh retires hopefully fewer refs will be conned into giving black cards!!

[Zulu]

And they have castrated it.

Utter nonsense.

[highorlow]

Very bad ref again today. Rules not implemented. Didnt effect result.

The SG lads should get eugene mcgee in to explain himself.

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

It should be abundantly clear now that those who invented, proposed, championed and voted for the black card have absolutely no understanding how modern-day Gaelic football is played.

Once Cavanagh retires hopefully fewer refs will be conned into giving black cards!!

That may be, but the black card is not even close to a solution to cynical fouling.

That's the second black Darren Hughes has received; another and it's a one match ban.

[LeoMc]

Based on the rules, McCurry's black and Mone's yellow were IMHO correct. Which was cynical?

Both were cynical, but where there is an element of physicality it gives the Ref the option of going for the yellow.

[LeoMc]

It should be abundantly clear now that those who invented, proposed, championed and voted for the black card have absolutely no understanding how modern-day Gaelic football is played.

Once Cavanagh retires hopefully fewer refs will be conned into giving black cards!!

Waiting on TSG now but at the time I thought Cavanagh was fouled each time, he "made sure" it was seen for the Hughes one

[Maguire01]

It should be abundantly clear now that those who invented, proposed, championed and voted for the black card have absolutely no understanding how modern-day Gaelic football is played.

Once Cavanagh retires hopefully fewer refs will be conned into giving black cards!!

Waiting on TSG now but at the time I thought Cavanagh was fouled each time, he "made sure" it was seen for the Hughes one

I've just watched the game (Sky+) - Cavanagh very clearly pulled Hughes down and both Brolly and Spillane pointed it out after the game. Once again, Hughes is cheated by Cavanagh and there's a card and a free in when it should have been a free out.