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Open Thread: Does the 'Nash Rule' give the advantage to defenders?

Kilkenny benefited from the new ruling by saving two Tipperary penalties, but is it fair?

TJ Reid and goalkeeper Eoin Murphy save a penalty Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

TIPPERARY HAD TWO penalties saved in yesterday’s thrilling drawn All-Ireland final, and had they found the net with either, the Liam MacCarthy cup might be on its way back to the Premier County later today.

It raises an important question, is the forward at a disadvantage when taking a penalty?

The ‘Nash Rule’, which was introduced to restrict the penalty taker from encroaching over the 20m line in June, came under criticism on The Sunday Game last night.

Ex-Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy, highlighted how Kilkenny benefited from the old ruling when they defeated Tipp in this year’s National League final, before the changes came into effect.

“You see the way the rule has changed. (In the league final) TJ Reid was striking the ball on the 14 and he cracks the ball into the back of the net. The advantage in this instant, in the league final, is with the attacker,” he said.

“Going back on it, those two goals, that match finished in a draw. If the rule was as it is now, you probably would have had Tipperary being league champions. Likewise today. We’ve shifted the advantage now clearly into the hands of the defender.”

Both Donal Óg Cusack and Eddie Brennan were in consensus with Sheedy that the punishment isn’t severe enough for defenders.

“The advantage should be with the attacking team if you’re fouled. Anybody who’s stood in goals or taken penalties, as we all have around here, it’s a huge difference if the ball is being struck from outside the 21,” said Cusack.

penalty1 INPHO / James Crombie INPHO / James Crombie / James Crombie

Brennan added: “The point we’re making, this was trashed out earlier on in the year, is a penalty in its present position, where you can’t strike it inside the 20 metre line, is it a fitting enough punishment? Is it rewarding the attacker?”

“And you’d say in this instance, if you’re a defender, ‘take him down and we’ll take a chance.’”

So what changes should be made?

“I think you’d have to definitely have a look at the goalkeeper versus the penalty striker,” said Brennan.

“It would balance things up if you have one player, the goalkeeper, on the line facing the attacker,” agreed Cusack.

“What happened this year – Patrick Horgan was probably one of the first strikers post the rule being changed. He scored and that kind of camouflaged the problem that existed, but I think it was made very clear again there today.

“There is a problem and it needs to be dealt with.”

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Is the ‘Nash Rule’ unfair? What changes, if any, would you make to the way penalties are taken in hurling? Let us know in the comments section below.

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