McConville Calls for Consistency as Rule Changes Face Scrutiny
Wicklow boss Oisín McConville believes the initial goodwill towards football’s new rules is fading fast, with inconsistencies now coming under the spotlight as the league heats up.
Brought in at the start of the year, the rule changes have been met with mixed reactions from inter-county managers. Football Rules Committee (FRC) chairman Jim Gavin confirmed this morning that further refinements are on the table, with discussions set for the GAA’s Central Council meeting on March 13th.
McConville, speaking on BBC Sport NI’s The GAA Social podcast, highlighted a major disparity in their application across the Allianz League. He pointed out that while some divisions use the hooter to signal full-time, others do not.
“It’s not a level playing field,” the former Armagh star remarked. “If we can’t get it right across four inter-county divisions, what hope do we have of rolling it out properly at grassroots? No chance.”
With every point now crucial in the race for promotion and survival, McConville feels the reality of the new rules is setting in.
“The honeymoon period is over,” he admitted. “We always knew these games would take on greater importance as the season progressed. Now that they do, everything is under the microscope. The smallest decisions can have a massive impact on a team’s entire season.”
As the GAA prepares to assess potential changes, the focus will be on whether they can ensure greater uniformity across all levels of the game.
