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I don't think it is a double bounce as he did not touch the ball with his hands after the second bounce.

Actually when you double bounce the foul occurs as you bounce the ball for the second time. Many players think that if you bounce the ball the second time and don't take it into your hands again, then that's alright. I'm afraid it isn't. If you bounce the ball the second time, it doesn't matter if you take it into your hands again or not, it's still a double bounce.

Now to the original question. I wouldn't blow someone up for a double bounce when they drop kick the ball. By the letter of the law if the ball hits the ground before they kick it then its a double bounce. However, it would be extremely difficult to tell, which came first, the kick or the contact with the ground. Almost every referee will let it go.

Let's put it this way, if the referee applied the letter of the law in every situation we'd be blowing all the time, e.g. the only legal way of tackling is to flick the ball with the open hand out of an opponents hands. How many times do players just flick at the ball? Very few. Most leave the hand in there for a short time (others longer). Most referees let the hand stay there for a short time before they'd blow but strictly speaking you're not allowed to leave the hand in the tackle for anything other than the time it takes to flick at the ball.

As you can see refereeing is not easy! It's a little like basketball being a non-contact sport  

So,you are telling me that a player can receive the ball inside the 14yard line as long as he was 14 yards away when the ball was kicked.

What I'm saying is that provided the ball travels 13m (in any direction) and that the player was outside the 20m line when the ball was kicked then yes, they can pick it up (even it goes to the corner flag, which I seen happen in a Mac Rory cup match a few years back, because of the wind). This rule definitely surprises a lot of people but its true.

Another weird one. I can set the ball up on the 20m line for a kick out and begin to dribble it out the field provided I don't pick it up. I could do that the length of the field if I want. I wouldn't recommend it of course! You probably wouldn't get very far 

So the ball can be played 13m to the wing and still be inside the 21 and its ok?

Yep. As long as it travells 13m and everybody was outside the 20m line when the kick was taken.

I take it from the gist of your response that you are are referee.  If  the players you referee are as confused as me about your interpretation of the rules, God help you.

Yes, I am a referee. There's no doubt about it there are places where the rules are open to interpretation. hardly anybody gets 100% in the National referee's exam so what would that tell you!

1) Forward hits marker off the ball. 
2) referee awards free kick to attacking team still unaware of incident.  Umpire raises flag and walks 2 yards onto field.  Opposition stops.
3) Unmarked Forward runs for quick free kick slots the goal past umpire and Goalkeeper (umpire still on field of play)
4) Referee consults with umpire sends goalscorer off, then allows goal and 14 man team wins by 3 points. 
Were the rules correctly applied here or what should have happened differently, to protect a team that dosent strike?

Many rules in play here, I'm not going to bore you with the details, but:

(1) The umpire should not have entered the field of play. He must move along the line and signal with his hand up for the referee's attention.
(2) As the referee was unaware of the incident he should not stop play until there is a break in play, in this case it was when the score was taken. The fact that the defenders stopped defending is irrelevant, we are taught from a young age to play until the whistle.
(3) Sending the goalscorer off, no problem there.
(4) He should allow the goal as play had not been stopped.

I disagree with point 4 because according to the post, the play had been stopped after the incident but was re-started again before the umpire was able to get the referee's attention. We had this exact situation in Derry a couple of years ago (except that a point resulted) and our referees co-ordinator got clarification from Croke Park as to what should have been the outcome. They said, that because play had been stopped after the incident but had been re-started (when it shouldn't have been) then the goal should not have stood.

However, the offence to which Oakleaf refers falls under the Dissent Rules, which state:

Rule 6.2
To show dissent with the referee's decision to award a free kick to the opposing team.
<b>PENALTY - The free kick already awarded shall be taken 13m more advantageous than the place of original kick - up to opponents' 13m line.</b>

THEREFORE, in the case of Dissent the ball CANNOT be moved 13m.

You're right that if someone questions the referee that he can't move it forward. The point I was trying to make (rather badly) is that there's more than one type of dissent. If I ask a player to move back from a sideline and they don't then that's dissent in my book and I'll move the ball forward 13m (esentially because they are interferring with the kick being taken. If they failed to move the next time I would book them for dissent. You're quite right about the specific question that was asked. The point I'd like to make is that most people (especially players) are of the opinion that you can't ever move a sideline forward 13m, which is not the case.

Official Line you are very welcome.  Lets see how you would deal with this interpretation?
1) Forward hits marker off the ball. 
2) referee awards free kick to attacking team still unaware of incident.  Umpire raises flag and walks 2 yards onto field.  Opposition stops.
3) Unmarked Forward runs for quick free kick slots the goal past umpire and Goalkeeper (umpire still on field of play)
4) Referee consults with umpire sends goalscorer off, then allows goal and 14 man team wins by 3 points. 
Were the rules correctly applied here or what should have happened differently, to protect a team that dosent strike?

The goal must be disallowed and play should be re-started from the position of the incident with a hop ball. The bottom line is that, nothing that happened after that incident, is valid play until the hop ball re-starts play (unless off course if some else struck during that time).

What is the rule in football on playing the ball on the ground. I was told that its ok for a player laying on thr ground to palm it away from himself but I've also seen it blown for a free. This is something even the refs aren't sure about.

You can only play the ball on the ground with your hand, if you had position of the ball and fell to the ground. If the ball comes loose as you fall you can plam the ball away from you on the ground and can even score by doing this.

[Advantage Rule]

Gabriel Hurl,

Your position on the Advantage Rule is incorrect, if you read the rules properly you will see what i mean, i am not acting the smart arse, there is no rule titled Advantage rule, however in the Rules of Football and hurling, 4.36 in football rule will clarify it for you. Your answer with the awarding a 10 yrds further up the line is also incorrect for dissent, the player can be cautioned, you cannot move the ball a further 10yrds up the line.

I would suggest that you read the book in more detail Gabriel, even 1.2?

Offical Line, I believe you are incorrect about being able to advance the ball from a side line for dissent. We had this discussion with Pat Mc Eneany last year and he in turn, had discussed it previously at the National referee's seminar. You CAN move the ball 13m for dissent even when it's a sideline ball. You CAN'T move it straight up the line; you must move it infield in a direct line towards the goals. It actually surprised me but it's true.

It's not called an advantage rule in Gaelic so as not to confuse it with Soccer and Rugby. In both of those sports the referee can play "advantage" with the option of bringing play back if it doesn't turn into an genuine advantage. In Gaelic we can't bring play back. If it doesn't turn into an advantage then it's tough luck as they say.

The Newtownards Chronical has a full colour suppliment on the hurling and football every thursday. The Camogie gets a great write up in the Newtownards Spectator as well.

You are taking the Mick, right? I wouldn't have taken Newtownards for being a hotbed of GAA.

In Derry I'd say it's:

1. Mid Ulster Observer
2. Mid Ulster Mail
3. Derry Journal

Club: Greenlough
County: Derry