CONNAIRE Mackin has blasted Gaelic football’s new rules as ‘an absolute load of nonsense’ following last night’s Allianz Interprovincial Games.
The majority of the Football Review Committee’s seven ‘core rules enhancements’ got an airing on the night.
2
Keeping at least three players in the opposition’s half at all times didn’t cause much fuss while there were plenty of four-point goals and two-point long-range scores.
The solo-and-go and Advanced Mark options didn’t catch on though.
Aidan O’Shea and Niall Morgan won the Man of the Match awards on the evening and both expressed reservations about some aspects of the rules.
While many feel that the changes are necessary, Mackin is not in the camp.
READ MORE ON GAA FOOTBALL
Despite nine of his Armagh teammates taking part in the Ulster side, he will play no part.
When asked by RTE which rule he was most excited to see trialled, he replied: “None.
“What an absolute load of nonsense, there’s no need to completely change the game.
“Good luck watching Dublin play someone from Division 4 in Leinster and putting 60 points on them with the new scoring.
“I was asking boys who were playing in the trial games last week. Niall Morgan, who has possibly the longest kick-out in Ireland, boomed out a kick-out and it landed on his own 14-metre line…
“Opposition teams are just going to set up around that arc anyway for kick-outs and that’s taking away the art of kicking for keepers too.
“There is so much more running involved in it too, the lads were saying it was manic, so they want us to get fitter, faster and stronger yet train less. And they talk about injuries?
“They’re trying to turn it into an individual sport, full-backs having to stay back defending all the time and the likes.
“There’s no poor footballers anymore. Why should a defender have to stay back all the time?”