All-Ireland Series Sam Maguire 2026

[blanketattack]

Showing goalline clearance again, looks over but the camera on the bck stanchion and not in line. so is the rule partially over or all over?

3.1

A goal is scored when the ball is played over the goal-line between the posts and under the crossbar by either team.

I read that as fully over but who knows.

I have yet to see an angle that proves it conclusively one way or another. In those circumstances I think it's hard to criticise the officials whatever decision they give.

Pretty sure I saw/heard before that the ball has to be fully over the line for it to be a legitimate goal.

The rule on square ball is also a very tough one for the officials, especially when it's a from play situation compared to from a dead ball situation. The natural instinct when the ball is in play is for an umpire to concentrate on following the flight of the ball especially in a situation where it looks like a player is shooting for a point. It's one thing to call a square ball accurately from a video or even a still picture but it's a far harder task to do in real time especially when you're not expecting it (like in the case of a shot at the posts dropping short)

I wonder if there would be merit in the rules committee looking at trialing possible changes or alternatives to this especially in play given it seems to be a rule that is missed by officials with a fair degree of regularity. The other option is the VAR route but I really don't think there is all that much in the way of appetite for that. 

Yeah I have always worked on the understanding it's whole ball over whole line

Yes, was always "over all of the line" previously.
The goalline is 4 inches wide. If there's any overhang over even a millimetre of the line, it's not a goal, and I've seen no evidence of clear daylight between the ball and all of the line.

The square ball isn't an open and shut case either.
Was the ball actually in the square when O'Brien made contact with it? He jumps in the air, starting just inside the edge of the square and stretches his arm out. He's 6'3" so has a considerable wingspan. And like the goalline one, all of the ball has to be over all of the line to be considered 'in the square'. To me, while he's in the square, it looks like he makes contact with the ball either outside the square or above the line (thus not considered inside), which means no infringement.

[tiempo]

Aidan O'Shea be delighted, maybe a centrefold this time?

What age are you?

Tonight Matthew I will be Mitch Buchannon

[DaleCooper]

The three big calls all went Kerrys way. Penalty, square ball and a goal not given when over the line.

And the 3 big & wrong calls v Tyrone all went Kerry's way...show strange

Calls went Dubs way vs Galway. I wouldnt go so far as alleging anything as its statistically insignificant.

Every time umpires are either to blame for not seeing it or maybe afraid to speak up. The square ball is most infuriating as its easiest one to rehearse with your fellow umpire.

[Main Street]

Watching it frame by frame the Dubs were denied a goal, but in real time I wouldn't have the foggiest notion. Without an eagle eye umpire (doesn't exist anyway) you can't be certain it was a goal, to get that decision right one would need to use video technology or something.


I am not sold on the penalty, not arguing against the ref who was perfectly positioned and applied the law, I'd just say that type of contact in a cluttered area around the goal shouldn't be a penalty, that it was bought by a rampaging forward trying to make inroads in a cluttered box, he's bound to run into somebody. If that was team Handball it would be more likely to be adjudged as barging into an opponent, you can sorta see the Kerry player turning his shoulder toward Byrne just before the contact. But I haven't watched it frame by frame measuring the momentum of both players

Overall I think I would have much preferred to watch a ding dong Dublin Kerry semi final played under the old rules.

[DaleCooper]

Brian Howard was immense from start to finish. Even when tired he managed to throw a dummy and get a point. Blocked Clifford hand fisted point. What a warrior.

[DaleCooper]

Aidan O'Shea be delighted, maybe a centrefold this time?

What age are you?

Tonight Matthew I will be Mitch Buchannon

Some laughing done in Tyrone in run up to the final. Said everything about the Mayo spiceboy mindset they considered this acceptable.

Imagine we wont see a repeat

[EoinW]

Bravo Dublin!  That was a fine effort today and a very impressive three game run.  Take away Kerry's two goals and they are in big trouble.  No sour grapes on how controversial they were.  I think we can all agree that Kerry were lucky to win today.

Yet another thing against Mayo in the Final: will Kerry get all the breaks again?  Great teams make their own luck.  Is that fair?

On the other hand, Kerry looked flat much of the game and were certainly outworked by Dublin.  Reminded me of the Kerry team in the league final.

Now I'm wondering what if "tired" Kerry had been required to come north for their Armagh match.  Have to admit that it still bothers me that the Ulster champion ends up having to play a knockout game in Killarney.  So much for rewarding a provincial champ!

Wasn't it 2023 when Kerry squeaked past Derry and Jack O'Connor admitted they weren't the better team that day and were lucky to win.  Then their luck ran out in the final.

Obviously Dublin won't do it but has any team ever won the AI championship the same year they were relegated in the league?

[RedHand88]

Aidan O'Shea be delighted, maybe a centrefold this time?

What age are you?

Tonight Matthew I will be Mitch Buchannon

Some laughing done in Tyrone in run up to the final. Said everything about the Mayo spiceboy mindset they considered this acceptable.

Imagine we wont see a repeat

But will Ballina credit union be advertising Sam Maguire loans?

[David McKeown]

Showing goalline clearance again, looks over but the camera on the bck stanchion and not in line. so is the rule partially over or all over?

3.1

A goal is scored when the ball is played over the goal-line between the posts and under the crossbar by either team.

I read that as fully over but who knows.

I have yet to see an angle that proves it conclusively one way or another. In those circumstances I think it's hard to criticise the officials whatever decision they give.

Pretty sure I saw/heard before that the ball has to be fully over the line for it to be a legitimate goal.

The rule on square ball is also a very tough one for the officials, especially when it's a from play situation compared to from a dead ball situation. The natural instinct when the ball is in play is for an umpire to concentrate on following the flight of the ball especially in a situation where it looks like a player is shooting for a point. It's one thing to call a square ball accurately from a video or even a still picture but it's a far harder task to do in real time especially when you're not expecting it (like in the case of a shot at the posts dropping short)

I wonder if there would be merit in the rules committee looking at trialing possible changes or alternatives to this especially in play given it seems to be a rule that is missed by officials with a fair degree of regularity. The other option is the VAR route but I really don't think there is all that much in the way of appetite for that. 

Yeah I have always worked on the understanding it's whole ball over whole line

Yes, was always "over all of the line" previously.
The goalline is 4 inches wide. If there's any overhang over even a millimetre of the line, it's not a goal, and I've seen no evidence of clear daylight between the ball and all of the line.

The square ball isn't an open and shut case either.
Was the ball actually in the square when O'Brien made contact with it? He jumps in the air, starting just inside the edge of the square and stretches his arm out. He's 6'3" so has a considerable wingspan. And like the goalline one, all of the ball has to be over all of the line to be considered 'in the square'. To me, while he's in the square, it looks like he makes contact with the ball either outside the square or above the line (thus not considered inside), which means no infringement.

I'm not sure that even if correct that would be no infringement. The rule is that it is square ball.

For an attacking player to enter opponents' small rectangle:
(a) (b) During Play (excluding Set Play), before the final play of the ball into the small rectangle.

So even if you are correct that O'Brien was outside the square the other Kerry player would still on that version have been in the small rectangle before the final play of the ball into the small rectangle.

[gallsman]

It's simple. From open play, you can't already be in the square when the ball is kicked. Once it's played, you can stand wherever the hell you want and play the ball.

[tonto1888]

Ger Brennan

"The referees need assistance because there's so much happening"

He thinks the referee got the three big calls wrong

The ref got one badly wrong, the umpires got one badly wrong. The goal line one you could forgive since we have a slow motion replay and can't say for sure.

You are in minority of people in this discussion who think the penalty was the wrong call. One eejit even tried to suggest O'Connor was charging as POCB ran into and clattered him straight on. That is not "badly wrong".

I thought the penalty was def wrong at the time. Not so sure now but can see what it was given. Square ball wrong call. Dublin 'goal' inconclusive.
Even then, Dublin had the chances to win that game.

[Look-Up!]

The ball looked over the line but the problem is not whether it was or wasn't, it's that the umpire was standing a yard away and wasn't even looking.

And square ball too. There's fecking two of them. Not hard to keep track. They've two basic jobs- watch for square ball and watch where ball crosses post/line. 7 officials in a game, granted the ref (and linesman) much more complex jobs. But 4 x umpires relatively simple job.

VAR in soccer came in because one linesman has to keep up with play and be in position of the line of players while also watching when ball is released. Not an easy job. If we need VAR in GAA to do the task of 2 x umpires because they're not up to it, then the issue is, a serious issue, with how we allocate officials in the game in the first place. 

[JollyGreenGiant]

Ger Brennan

"The referees need assistance because there's so much happening"

He thinks the referee got the three big calls wrong

The ref got one badly wrong, the umpires got one badly wrong. The goal line one you could forgive since we have a slow motion replay and can't say for sure.

You are in minority of people in this discussion who think the penalty was the wrong call. One eejit even tried to suggest O'Connor was charging as POCB ran into and clattered him straight on. That is not "badly wrong".

I thought the penalty was def wrong at the time. Not so sure now but can see what it was given. Square ball wrong call. Dublin 'goal' inconclusive.
Even then, Dublin had the chances to win that game.

That's it.

The Great Dublin team's value add was their ability to take their chances. I can count numerous occasions between 2010-2023 when they went for the jugular late, or capitalised on a mistake, or turned the screw when all was lost. Ger has a big task ahead of him, but the raw materials are there to improve Dublin's position,

[Armamike]

The ball looked over the line but the problem is not whether it was or wasn't, it's that the umpire was standing a yard away and wasn't even looking.

And square ball too. There's fecking two of them. Not hard to keep track. They've two basic jobs- watch for square ball and watch where ball crosses post/line. 7 officials in a game, granted the ref (and linesman) much more complex jobs. But 4 x umpires relatively simple job.

VAR in soccer came in because one linesman has to keep up with play and be in position of the line of players while also watching when ball is released. Not an easy job. If we need VAR in GAA to do the task of 2 x umpires because they're not up to it, then the issue is, a serious issue, with how we allocate officials in the game in the first place. 

Yep that was the issue for me - the umpire nearest to it was looking straight ahead.  The other umpire had a clear look along the line but wasn't the nearest to it.  The positioning of the Kerry player who 'kept it out' was a bit of an indicator.  He was backed up to the net! On the square ball, when was the last time a square ball call was given in intercounty? I can't remember seeing one in a long time. If i'm a coach i'm telling my players to get into the square and take their chances as they're rarely spotted.  The penalty was very harsh.  There was another incident late on when there should have been a Dublin free out for a knee in the back, which resulted in a Kerry score.  Can argue the rights and wrongs of all those calls, but ultimately Dublin came out the wrong side of them all.

[Armagh4sam2024]

I see Jack O'connor has had rhe decency to come out and say Kerry got lucky. He said rhe same after Tyrone and Cork too if I'm not mistaken.  So much luck from the refs for one county....