Top players are flourishing under new rules

Two weeks down and forever to go. Football’s new rules have now been road tested over two competitive weekends at inter-county level and there’s little doubt about it: they're working.

Over the last two Saturdays and Sundays I’ve taken in four games and, on the basis of that admittedly small data set, it looks to me like the rule changes have breathed a new life into Gaelic football.

The argument that there wasn’t a whole pile wrong with the game beforehand was closer to the truth, in my opinion, as there was plenty of excitement and tension in Gaelic football when the best teams went at it hammer and tongs against one another. But now, with the new incarnation of the game on the back of the FRC’s rule enhancements, we have a product that has the potential to morph into a dynamic spectacle each and every week. This isn’t football like it used to be; this is football 2.0.

Around the country, there is now a sense of curiosity among supporters. So far, for the most part, they’re enjoying what they’re watching. Yes, there are creases in the implementation of these rules and yes, there may need to be some tweaks. But by and large, they are doing what they were intended to: they’re giving us a much better game to watch.

On Saturday night last, there was a bumper crowd in the Athletic Grounds to take in Armagh’s thumping win over Tyrone. Before throw-in, the crowd was steadily filling the main stand 90 minutes before the game was due to start; in all, well over 14,000 packed into the ground.

This enthusiasm was, of course, heavily linked to the match being Armagh’s first at home since winning last year’s All-Ireland and it being against near neighbours Tyrone. But once the game got underway, it was impossible to escape, even as a neutral, the electric nature of the atmosphere as the home team thundered into the game and embraced the possibilities presented by the rule changes.

Instead of the porous back and over game we have become too accustomed to seeing, Armagh went at things with a real intent. They hunted turnovers, played high up the park, showed huge running power when transitioning from defence to attack and displayed a ruthless efficiency in front of goal to establish a 1-14 to 0-3 half-time lead. It was so good it was hard to believe; Tyrone looked shellshocked.

Armagh goalkeeper, Ethan Rafferty, took full advantage of the two-point arc on a couple of occasions, backed by a strong breeze.

Yet, for all they were behind, Tyrone still had the opportunity to close things down in the second-half with the opportunity for two-pointers. In the end, even for their sub-par display, the visitors 'only' lost by 1-23 to 0-18.

Above all, though, both teams really embraced the freedom given by the new rules.

One aspect in particular that stood out over this weekend was a willingness by teams to chase after possession in the opposition half, with the defending team now without the option of using their goalkeeper. This has put even more emphasis on the tackle and the sight of seeing your team hunt a ball carrier in packs is giving the crowd a real kick.

There were a couple of instances of that in Kerry’s meeting with Derry on Sunday, in what ended in a scarcely believable scoreline of Derry 1-24 Kerry 5-15. Last summer, in a dour All-Ireland quarter-final, it finished Derry 0-10 Kerry 0-15.

This was a game that had just about everything. Again, the new rules had a major part to play in that, and it was a joy to watch the marvellous fielding from both teams with Diamuid O’Connor and Anton Tohill particularly impressive in that area. Conor Glass, too, excelled for the home side.

How Derry managed to combust by conceding two goals in the space of a few seconds in the last three minutes is something that will cost Paddy Tally significant sleep time this week, but their eagerness to chase down and force Kerry at the back was one of the highlights of the game.

Kerry, without David Clifford, were massively fortunate to come away with anything, not alone the two points, but they too showed a real desire to use the rules to their advantage. O’Connor’s aerial ability is a serious asset and in goalkeeper Shane Ryan they have someone capable of hurting teams down the other end as the extra player.

Indeed, the week previously, the goalkeeper as an attacker was on show in both games I attended. At Croke Park, Mayo’s Colm Reape scored a point and helped set up the Mayo goal with a tasty sidestep; the following day in Tullamore, Offaly’s Paddy Dunican scored two points and helped set up the goal for home team against Sligo. The same man scored a cracking goal against Laois last Sunday.

The 12 v 11 is something that has exercised some managers, but if it stays, teams will have to engage with the new rules by selecting a goalkeeper capable of adding something in terms of outfield play. So far, it seems like a necessity and teams without a goalkeeper with this ability are suffering.

It’s early days but the new rules have helped speed up the game significantly. The solo and go free is a large part of this and, once we hit better weather and better pitches as the spring turns to summer, football should be even better to watch.

There are some negatives as the footballing fraternity adjusts to the new reality – Jim McGuinness and Dessie Farrell both spoke of the increase in injuries after Donegal’s defeat of Dublin in Ballybofey on Saturday night – but by and large, things are going well.

Referees deserve an enormous amount of credit for the relatively smooth introduction of the rules, with minimal controversy over the last two weeks. Rolling out the rules at club level will, however, provide a bigger test with less resources available to officials in that arena.

All things told, as the football league takes a break this weekend bar a couple of rearranged fixtures, it’s an exciting time for the game. There’s now plenty to look forward to as football 2.0 takes hold.