Cork, Donegal, Louth and Carlow lifted the silverware last weekend as the first inter-county competition played under these rules came to a close.
The focus quickly switches to championship.
Time first, for the verdict.
Six of the 12 mirror the GAA Football Review Committee’s rules from the men’s game, including the two-pointer, solo and go, and three-up. The six others look specifically at long-standing LGFA rules, including those related to the tackle.
Roundly welcomed before the leagues, it is widely thought they have breathed new life into ladies football and had a positive impact.
“It’s definitely a more fast-paced game than we would have had in previous years,” as Waterford captain and All-Star Emma Murray recently told The 42.
“With different rules like the solo and go, there’s not much stoppages in play that we would have usually had, stopping for frees, and (there is) that little bit more contact. The change in the definition of the tackle, there’s less frees being given to tackles that that we would have been pulled up on in previous years. They’re allowed in today’s game.
“The solo and go is probably the one we’ve seen have the biggest impact.”
Advertisement
Most teams would agree: the quick restart after a foul was the most visible change early doors anyway.
“The first day, we were doing solo and go every time, because we were able to,” said Murray, whose Waterford side were quick to reap the benefits at the outset.
“Girls were nearly afraid not to do it, incase they were given out to for not knowing the new rules. As the games have progressed, there is certain stages of the game where maybe, the other team has momentum, and you want to slow it down and take that free. It’s just becoming a bit more cute, and I suppose you learn as you go.”
That was the case across the board with regards all of the tweaks: for players, management, referees, supporters and media alike.
There was familiarity, of course, from their introduction to the men’s game last year, but the rules surrounding contact and physicality have brought more clarity through an adjustment period.
“It’s still a work in progress and a learning process,” Murray stressed when we spoke last month. “I suppose we feel that we’re not getting pulled up on something that we would have nearly have thought to be allowed, or should be allowed in the past, if you get me?
“In the past, you would have felt like you were giving away easy 21 yard frees, or frees inside our backline, whereas now, that small bit of contact on the ball is allowed. Ladies footballers are in the gym, that’s not a new thing, that’s going on at the last 10 years, so it’s just using that physicality and bringing it to the pitch.
“The charging rule, that was up for debate for a lot of years, that was a very grey area. It got to the stage where teams were nearly being coached to fall down when someone’s charging at you to get an opposition player sin-binned. That seems to be kind of taken out of the game anyway so far this year.”
Cavan's Ellie Brady: 'I used to play on thin ice.' Shauna Clinton / SPORTSFILE
Shauna Clinton / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
Cavan midfielder Ellie Brady similarly welcomed the increased contact in a recent interview with The 42.
Due to link up with AFLW side Collingwood in the coming weeks, the 19-year-old admitted the previous lack of physicality was a factor in her imminent move Down Under.
“I’ve always wanted to have that bit more contact,” Brady explained. “I think it’s brilliant. I used to play on thin ice, with the grey areas and stuff. I don’t see why contact wasn’t brought in earlier. We’re well fit for it, and it’s showing now that girls are well fit for it, especially with more gym sessions being brought in and all.
“I think it’s far better. You’re actually playing a game that does involve contact. You had some refs years before that were letting things go, and others weren’t letting anything go. But now they have to let it go.”
Debate swirled around the two-pointer: the arc is the same as the men, with 40 metres a sizeable kick.
But five on the opening weekend alone allayed any major doubts, as Kate Slevin (Galway), Eimear Fitzpatrick (Down), Aoife Cullen (Wexford), Rachel McGoldrick (Sligo) and Niamh Hannon (Derry) all saw orange flags raised on a January Sunday.
“There’s been a few in the league — not as much as the men’s game, but I suppose it’ll take players a bit while to adapt, learn their range and gain that bit of confidence that they’re able to take it outside the new arc,” Murray, who is also AFLW bound with Geelong Cats, said.
“It changes the dynamic of the game. You’re not comfortable with a one-point lead with a minute or that on the clock. You’re afraid of not only them getting a draw, but I suppose getting the two-pointer to win it.
“When it was brought in first, people were saying there wouldn’t be any — ‘It’s too far out, girls can’t kick it that far’. But as we’ve seen, there’s been plenty of them over the last few weeks.”
Brady also sees the advantage, with the trial rules resulting in higher scoring in general. More chaos, more goals.
The number of green flags raised in 2026 to date is significantly higher, with 392 goals recorded in 112 regular round league games (excluding finals and Division 4 semi-finals). That’s opposed to 363 in the same bracket in 2025.
As many as 11 goals were scored in one single game — Clare 4-13 Down 7-13 — with 10 chalked up in other fixtures.
Related Reads
What do leading ladies football stars think of the new rules?
Two-point specialists, power rankings, entertainment value - Ladies football set for trial rules
The difference hasn’t been as striking in points scored (combining goals and points): 797 in Division 1 in ’26, as opposed to 790 last season.
The 3 v 3 structure has allowed for a more exciting game; more direct and attacking football, and instinctive play from forwards. “Tough going for us backs,” Murray laughed. “I suppose they have that bit more space.
“With the faster game, you’re getting that ball in faster than teams can sometimes set up.
“Even last year, before the new rules came in, we had a new management team and they were all about attacking football. It was something that we tried to implement. The new rules help with that attacking style of play that we were using last year. It’s made our game plan that bit better.
“The defensive style of football has kind of gone out of it. You’re back to one on one defending for a bit of it, if you’re caught in the hop, which brings back in that art of defending as well.”
“They do quicken the game up a lot, which kind of helps us,” Brady, whose Cavan side were beaten by Donegal in the Division 2 final, concluded.
“The talent we have up front, you just want to get the ball to them and now we can do that in the quickest way, especially with solo and go. You’re taking your solo and looking up and seeing where the girls are.
“I think it takes a lot of pressure off the backs as well, because the backs don’t have to mess about with (the ball) waiting for the forwards. You get the ball in now to beat the 11 girls trying to get back to defend. We like a fast break, so it’s brilliant for us.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'It's definitely a more fast-paced game': Assessing ladies football's new rules
THREE DAYS AFTER the curtain dropped on the leagues, the rule changes which had been trialled within were approved by the LGFA.
Cork, Donegal, Louth and Carlow lifted the silverware last weekend as the first inter-county competition played under these rules came to a close.
The focus quickly switches to championship.
Time first, for the verdict.
Six of the 12 mirror the GAA Football Review Committee’s rules from the men’s game, including the two-pointer, solo and go, and three-up. The six others look specifically at long-standing LGFA rules, including those related to the tackle.
Roundly welcomed before the leagues, it is widely thought they have breathed new life into ladies football and had a positive impact.
“It’s definitely a more fast-paced game than we would have had in previous years,” as Waterford captain and All-Star Emma Murray recently told The 42.
“With different rules like the solo and go, there’s not much stoppages in play that we would have usually had, stopping for frees, and (there is) that little bit more contact. The change in the definition of the tackle, there’s less frees being given to tackles that that we would have been pulled up on in previous years. They’re allowed in today’s game.
Most teams would agree: the quick restart after a foul was the most visible change early doors anyway.
“The first day, we were doing solo and go every time, because we were able to,” said Murray, whose Waterford side were quick to reap the benefits at the outset.
“Girls were nearly afraid not to do it, incase they were given out to for not knowing the new rules. As the games have progressed, there is certain stages of the game where maybe, the other team has momentum, and you want to slow it down and take that free. It’s just becoming a bit more cute, and I suppose you learn as you go.”
That was the case across the board with regards all of the tweaks: for players, management, referees, supporters and media alike.
There was familiarity, of course, from their introduction to the men’s game last year, but the rules surrounding contact and physicality have brought more clarity through an adjustment period.
“It’s still a work in progress and a learning process,” Murray stressed when we spoke last month. “I suppose we feel that we’re not getting pulled up on something that we would have nearly have thought to be allowed, or should be allowed in the past, if you get me?
“In the past, you would have felt like you were giving away easy 21 yard frees, or frees inside our backline, whereas now, that small bit of contact on the ball is allowed. Ladies footballers are in the gym, that’s not a new thing, that’s going on at the last 10 years, so it’s just using that physicality and bringing it to the pitch.
“The charging rule, that was up for debate for a lot of years, that was a very grey area. It got to the stage where teams were nearly being coached to fall down when someone’s charging at you to get an opposition player sin-binned. That seems to be kind of taken out of the game anyway so far this year.”
Cavan midfielder Ellie Brady similarly welcomed the increased contact in a recent interview with The 42.
Due to link up with AFLW side Collingwood in the coming weeks, the 19-year-old admitted the previous lack of physicality was a factor in her imminent move Down Under.
“I’ve always wanted to have that bit more contact,” Brady explained. “I think it’s brilliant. I used to play on thin ice, with the grey areas and stuff. I don’t see why contact wasn’t brought in earlier. We’re well fit for it, and it’s showing now that girls are well fit for it, especially with more gym sessions being brought in and all.
“I think it’s far better. You’re actually playing a game that does involve contact. You had some refs years before that were letting things go, and others weren’t letting anything go. But now they have to let it go.”
Debate swirled around the two-pointer: the arc is the same as the men, with 40 metres a sizeable kick.
But five on the opening weekend alone allayed any major doubts, as Kate Slevin (Galway), Eimear Fitzpatrick (Down), Aoife Cullen (Wexford), Rachel McGoldrick (Sligo) and Niamh Hannon (Derry) all saw orange flags raised on a January Sunday.
“There’s been a few in the league — not as much as the men’s game, but I suppose it’ll take players a bit while to adapt, learn their range and gain that bit of confidence that they’re able to take it outside the new arc,” Murray, who is also AFLW bound with Geelong Cats, said.
“It changes the dynamic of the game. You’re not comfortable with a one-point lead with a minute or that on the clock. You’re afraid of not only them getting a draw, but I suppose getting the two-pointer to win it.
Brady also sees the advantage, with the trial rules resulting in higher scoring in general. More chaos, more goals.
The number of green flags raised in 2026 to date is significantly higher, with 392 goals recorded in 112 regular round league games (excluding finals and Division 4 semi-finals). That’s opposed to 363 in the same bracket in 2025.
As many as 11 goals were scored in one single game — Clare 4-13 Down 7-13 — with 10 chalked up in other fixtures.
The difference hasn’t been as striking in points scored (combining goals and points): 797 in Division 1 in ’26, as opposed to 790 last season.
The 3 v 3 structure has allowed for a more exciting game; more direct and attacking football, and instinctive play from forwards. “Tough going for us backs,” Murray laughed. “I suppose they have that bit more space.
“With the faster game, you’re getting that ball in faster than teams can sometimes set up.
“Even last year, before the new rules came in, we had a new management team and they were all about attacking football. It was something that we tried to implement. The new rules help with that attacking style of play that we were using last year. It’s made our game plan that bit better.
“They do quicken the game up a lot, which kind of helps us,” Brady, whose Cavan side were beaten by Donegal in the Division 2 final, concluded.
“The talent we have up front, you just want to get the ball to them and now we can do that in the quickest way, especially with solo and go. You’re taking your solo and looking up and seeing where the girls are.
“I think it takes a lot of pressure off the backs as well, because the backs don’t have to mess about with (the ball) waiting for the forwards. You get the ball in now to beat the 11 girls trying to get back to defend. We like a fast break, so it’s brilliant for us.”
******
Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Green Light Ladies Football LGFA