Gaelic Football - Rules & Regulations discussion/clarification

[Milltown Row2]

I think the GAA has to take away a lot from the referee's control at inter-county level to make it easier for him/her.


Really, with a team of 10 officials, why is there not a desinated person on the sideline not taking the score? Instead ref. has to write it down in a wee black book then get set for kick out/puck out etc. Bit silly in my opinion.


The referee has enough to worry about.

Actually the ref does more in regards to time since the hooter came into being, instead of using his stop watch now he has to use more energy with arm signals to indicate to some mysterious person as to when the clock should be stopped and restarted. Why can't the 'clock person' take care of the amount of time to be added on using a stop watch and inform the ref near the game's end and have both the crowd and players clearly informed.  The ref can end the game with his final whistle and even use discretion should one team resort to cynical fouling to delay or if one player is in mid strike with the last shot as what could have happened to Sam Mulroy.

Or Bluetooth his watch to the clock?

[Main Street]

I think the GAA has to take away a lot from the referee's control at inter-county level to make it easier for him/her.


Really, with a team of 10 officials, why is there not a desinated person on the sideline not taking the score? Instead ref. has to write it down in a wee black book then get set for kick out/puck out etc. Bit silly in my opinion.


The referee has enough to worry about.

Actually the ref does more in regards to time since the hooter came into being, instead of using his stop watch now he has to use more energy with arm signals to indicate to some mysterious person as to when the clock should be stopped and restarted. Why can't the 'clock person' take care of the amount of time to be added on using a stop watch and inform the ref near the game's end and have both the crowd and players clearly informed.  The ref can end the game with his final whistle and even use discretion should one team resort to cynical fouling to delay or if one player is in mid strike with the last shot as what could have happened to Sam Mulroy.

Or Bluetooth his watch to the clock?

To bluetooth or not to bluetooth? How about expanding  bluetooth technical boundary limits and have the ref wifi his watch to the wifi enabled clock ........but this is the GAA.

In any event that exercise does not lessen the 'massive' burdens placed on the ref in today's game   The hooter is a shítshow, an imposed artificial "cliffhanger", what is more simpler, more efficient, more appropriate than the ref blowing the final whistle when he deems the game to be finished?

[Armagh18]

I think the GAA has to take away a lot from the referee's control at inter-county level to make it easier for him/her.


Really, with a team of 10 officials, why is there not a desinated person on the sideline not taking the score? Instead ref. has to write it down in a wee black book then get set for kick out/puck out etc. Bit silly in my opinion.


The referee has enough to worry about.

Actually the ref does more in regards to time since the hooter came into being, instead of using his stop watch now he has to use more energy with arm signals to indicate to some mysterious person as to when the clock should be stopped and restarted. Why can't the 'clock person' take care of the amount of time to be added on using a stop watch and inform the ref near the game's end and have both the crowd and players clearly informed.  The ref can end the game with his final whistle and even use discretion should one team resort to cynical fouling to delay or if one player is in mid strike with the last shot as what could have happened to Sam Mulroy.

Or Bluetooth his watch to the clock?

To bluetooth or not to bluetooth? How about expanding  bluetooth technical boundary limits and have the ref wifi his watch to the wifi enabled clock ........but this is the GAA.

In any event that exercise does not lessen the 'massive' burdens placed on the ref in today's game   The hooter is a shítshow, an imposed artificial "cliffhanger", what is more simpler, more efficient, more appropriate than the ref blowing the final whistle when he deems the game to be finished?

That's better than the current shite but very arbitrary as well as refs tend to play for a draw. Will never forget the last plays of the 2024 final, time was well up and Hurson seemed intent on giving Galway the chance to equalise.

[GTP]

A sensible thing to do would be for the GAA to review the timekeeping in conjunction with inter county referees and use whatever system allows them to officiate the game in the best manner.
Personally I don't like different rules for different venues and different levels of the game so would ditch the hooter system.

[Milltown Row2]

I think the GAA has to take away a lot from the referee's control at inter-county level to make it easier for him/her.


Really, with a team of 10 officials, why is there not a desinated person on the sideline not taking the score? Instead ref. has to write it down in a wee black book then get set for kick out/puck out etc. Bit silly in my opinion.


The referee has enough to worry about.

Actually the ref does more in regards to time since the hooter came into being, instead of using his stop watch now he has to use more energy with arm signals to indicate to some mysterious person as to when the clock should be stopped and restarted. Why can't the 'clock person' take care of the amount of time to be added on using a stop watch and inform the ref near the game's end and have both the crowd and players clearly informed.  The ref can end the game with his final whistle and even use discretion should one team resort to cynical fouling to delay or if one player is in mid strike with the last shot as what could have happened to Sam Mulroy.

Or Bluetooth his watch to the clock?

To bluetooth or not to bluetooth? How about expanding  bluetooth technical boundary limits and have the ref wifi his watch to the wifi enabled clock ........but this is the GAA.

In any event that exercise does not lessen the 'massive' burdens placed on the ref in today's game   The hooter is a shítshow, an imposed artificial "cliffhanger", what is more simpler, more efficient, more appropriate than the ref blowing the final whistle when he deems the game to be finished?

That's better than the current shite but very arbitrary as well as refs tend to play for a draw. Will never forget the last plays of the 2024 final, time was well up and Hurson seemed intent on giving Galway the chance to equalise.

Explain (to a ref ) the concept that a ref tends to play for a draw?

So he prefers the extra 20 minutes and possible penalty shootouts?

I prefer a game that one team is hammering the other, less hassle and I'm away home on 60 minutes as the team getting stuffed wants the game to be finished with no injury time

The draw also brings more hassle as players supporters and managers bring up tackles/fouls/challenged points that would have won them the game had he seen it the way they do..

I'd say 90% plus games finish with a winner also, the odds of getting a draw are 8/1 or 9/1 on average, they are high because most games don't finish in a draw

[theticklemister]

Going back to the 'last kick of the game'.  What happens if a defender or goalkeeper manages to catch the ball and then drops it instantaneously into the net. Does this count? What happens if it bunches off goalkeeper and palmed in? What happens if goalkeeper (like rafferty) manages to touch it and then into net? Was the last kick of the game not come to an end as the keeper manages to touch it?

[Main Street]

Going back to the 'last kick of the game'.  What happens if a defender or goalkeeper manages to catch the ball and then drops it instantaneously into the net. Does this count? What happens if it bunches off goalkeeper and palmed in? What happens if goalkeeper (like rafferty) manages to touch it and then into net? Was the last kick of the game not come to an end as the keeper manages to touch it?

According to the rules

Q. If my team takes a shot and the ball leaves the boot/fist just before the hooter sounds, and results in a score - does the score count?

A. Yes. If the ball is in the air after the hooter sounds, a score may be awarded. The ball must go directly over the bar/in the net i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

I'd say a live ref  (as apposed to a technocrat dogmatic  approach)  would allow the goal/point  in those circumstances as an organic part of the 'last play'.

[Smokin Joe]

Going back to the 'last kick of the game'.  What happens if a defender or goalkeeper manages to catch the ball and then drops it instantaneously into the net. Does this count? What happens if it bunches off goalkeeper and palmed in? What happens if goalkeeper (like rafferty) manages to touch it and then into net? Was the last kick of the game not come to an end as the keeper manages to touch it?

According to the rules

Q. If my team takes a shot and the ball leaves the boot/fist just before the hooter sounds, and results in a score - does the score count?

A. Yes. If the ball is in the air after the hooter sounds, a score may be awarded. The ball must go directly over the bar/in the net i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

I'd say a live ref  (as apposed to a technocrat dogmatic  approach)  would allow the goal/point  in those circumstances as an organic part of the 'last play'.

That was the rules last year, it has been changed this year.  It is pretty straight forward and not sure why there would be confusion.

The rule for this year is:
If the ball has been played before the hooter sounds and results in a score, it counts provided no attacking player touches it

That's it.

[David McKeown]

Going back to the 'last kick of the game'.  What happens if a defender or goalkeeper manages to catch the ball and then drops it instantaneously into the net. Does this count? What happens if it bunches off goalkeeper and palmed in? What happens if goalkeeper (like rafferty) manages to touch it and then into net? Was the last kick of the game not come to an end as the keeper manages to touch it?

According to the rules

Q. If my team takes a shot and the ball leaves the boot/fist just before the hooter sounds, and results in a score - does the score count?

A. Yes. If the ball is in the air after the hooter sounds, a score may be awarded. The ball must go directly over the bar/in the net i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

I'd say a live ref  (as apposed to a technocrat dogmatic  approach)  would allow the goal/point  in those circumstances as an organic part of the 'last play'.

That was the rules last year, it has been changed this year.  It is pretty straight forward and not sure why there would be confusion.

The rule for this year is:
If the ball has been played before the hooter sounds and results in a score, it counts provided no attacking player touches it

That's it.

That's what I am looking for. Where is that from? I can't find it in the actual rulebook but can find what the position is from a free kick

[Smokin Joe]

Going back to the 'last kick of the game'.  What happens if a defender or goalkeeper manages to catch the ball and then drops it instantaneously into the net. Does this count? What happens if it bunches off goalkeeper and palmed in? What happens if goalkeeper (like rafferty) manages to touch it and then into net? Was the last kick of the game not come to an end as the keeper manages to touch it?

According to the rules

Q. If my team takes a shot and the ball leaves the boot/fist just before the hooter sounds, and results in a score - does the score count?

A. Yes. If the ball is in the air after the hooter sounds, a score may be awarded. The ball must go directly over the bar/in the net i.e. it cannot be flicked on by a teammate/or opposition player.

I'd say a live ref  (as apposed to a technocrat dogmatic  approach)  would allow the goal/point  in those circumstances as an organic part of the 'last play'.

That was the rules last year, it has been changed this year.  It is pretty straight forward and not sure why there would be confusion.

The rule for this year is:
If the ball has been played before the hooter sounds and results in a score, it counts provided no attacking player touches it

That's it.

That's what I am looking for. Where is that from? I can't find it in the actual rulebook but can find what the position is from a free kick

Rule 3.2 of Part 2 if the Official Guide concludes with:

3.2

Where a public clock and a hooter are available, they shall be used, subject to Regulations issued by the Central Council.

So then we go to the Central Council regulations (you will recall that Central Council had the decision on how the hooter would be used).

I can't find a document listing the Central Council regulations but it was them who made the change on the hooter after the All Ireland final last year.  RTE states the Central Council regulation in this article: https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2025/1202/1546861-hooter-change-ahead-of-2026-lgfa-set-to-trial-12-rules/

So that explains why there is no definite ruling in the Official Guide.  The Official Guide defers to Central Council on the subject of how the hooter will be implemented