CORK FOOTBALL BOSS John Cleary would support a return to last year’s hooter system to determine the conclusion of matches.
Cleary was unclear why a late free was not brought forward 50 metres at the conclusion of their recent Division 2 final loss to Meath.
The Irish Independent yesterday reported that the free should have been brought forward, with a pre-championship referees’ seminar last weekend agreeing that the decision should have been taken.
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Meath forward James Conlon received a black card for a foul on Cork defender Maurice Shanley but the ball was not advanced up the pitch. That would have given Cork a chance for a long-distance opportunity to get a two-pointer to force extra-time, but instead the game ended soon after their free was taken deep in their own defence.
Cleary expressed his unhappiness with the decision in the aftermath of the game and revisited the topic this week in the build-up to Sunday’s Munster quarter-final against Limerick.
In relation to the change to the hooter rule where games now stop once they reach the 70-minute mark, Cleary would prefer if the old system returned where the action finished once the ball went out of play.
“I still think the old rule was better to finish out the game. There were fierce exciting finishes. People talked about Kerry last year but I thought it was the most intriguing bit of play the whole year. They were waiting and waiting. Kerry knew what was happening, Donegal knew what was happening and yet to me it was a fantastic end to a half. So what, that you had to wait two and a half minutes for it?
“I think there’s a bit of an anti-climax at the end of games now. People maybe go away after the game feeling that it finished on a negative, whereas if the team was still going, at least the defending team would be on a big high and a better positive than seeing it out that way.
Cork football boss John Cleary. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
“All you’ll do is foul. That’s what we’d be instructing our team to do – foul. They can’t get it up then in 20, 25 seconds. I think it’s definitely something that needs to be looked at. Anyone I’ve spoken to thinks it should be played out.”
Cleary hadn’t received clarity surrounding the decision the day after the game.
“I was trying to make enquiries the following day because it could come up again and I’m still of the opinion that it seemed to that Maurice Shanley was fouled, the whistle went and he went up and he was pulled back. The player got a black card but there was no advancement. I’m still a bit puzzled by it.
“I think Éamonn Fitzmaurice wrote in the Examiner that it should have been a 50-metre advancement. Other people on The Sunday Game said it shouldn’t. I’m sure there are a lot of teams around the country a bit peeved with last-minute decisions.
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“You had the Barrs (against Dingle in Munster club final), you had Sallins (in the All-Ireland IFC club semi-final) out here. It was brought up and they lost the game.”
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'The old rule was better, there were fierce exciting finishes' - Cork boss favours hooter rule change
CORK FOOTBALL BOSS John Cleary would support a return to last year’s hooter system to determine the conclusion of matches.
Cleary was unclear why a late free was not brought forward 50 metres at the conclusion of their recent Division 2 final loss to Meath.
The Irish Independent yesterday reported that the free should have been brought forward, with a pre-championship referees’ seminar last weekend agreeing that the decision should have been taken.
Meath forward James Conlon received a black card for a foul on Cork defender Maurice Shanley but the ball was not advanced up the pitch. That would have given Cork a chance for a long-distance opportunity to get a two-pointer to force extra-time, but instead the game ended soon after their free was taken deep in their own defence.
Cleary expressed his unhappiness with the decision in the aftermath of the game and revisited the topic this week in the build-up to Sunday’s Munster quarter-final against Limerick.
In relation to the change to the hooter rule where games now stop once they reach the 70-minute mark, Cleary would prefer if the old system returned where the action finished once the ball went out of play.
“I still think the old rule was better to finish out the game. There were fierce exciting finishes. People talked about Kerry last year but I thought it was the most intriguing bit of play the whole year. They were waiting and waiting. Kerry knew what was happening, Donegal knew what was happening and yet to me it was a fantastic end to a half. So what, that you had to wait two and a half minutes for it?
“I think there’s a bit of an anti-climax at the end of games now. People maybe go away after the game feeling that it finished on a negative, whereas if the team was still going, at least the defending team would be on a big high and a better positive than seeing it out that way.
“All you’ll do is foul. That’s what we’d be instructing our team to do – foul. They can’t get it up then in 20, 25 seconds. I think it’s definitely something that needs to be looked at. Anyone I’ve spoken to thinks it should be played out.”
Cleary hadn’t received clarity surrounding the decision the day after the game.
“I was trying to make enquiries the following day because it could come up again and I’m still of the opinion that it seemed to that Maurice Shanley was fouled, the whistle went and he went up and he was pulled back. The player got a black card but there was no advancement. I’m still a bit puzzled by it.
“I think Éamonn Fitzmaurice wrote in the Examiner that it should have been a 50-metre advancement. Other people on The Sunday Game said it shouldn’t. I’m sure there are a lot of teams around the country a bit peeved with last-minute decisions.
“You had the Barrs (against Dingle in Munster club final), you had Sallins (in the All-Ireland IFC club semi-final) out here. It was brought up and they lost the game.”
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Cork GAA Gaelic Football John Cleary League Meath