Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Having watched a lot of football over the last season and a half( and before that unfortunately) I have to say that they wave reinvented the game and its a very entertaining spectacle these days for everyone.
It has been well debated but this is my take on it as a predominantly hurling man who lives in football country. Hurling still has the more entertaining product but that doesnt mean that we cant improve the game. Im not talking about structures, formats or anything else. Im talking about the game itself and how its played.
People single out individual rule changes in football as things they like or dislike but the reality is that the changes work as well as they do because they work together as a collective pr suite of changes for the betterment of the product as a whole.
Normally when hurling people start this conversation they quickly get bogged down on a couple of things, namely handpass/steps and rucks. Focusing solely on those fails to understand what actually happened in football. They set out to speed up the game first and foremost. They also wanted to reintroduce the contest for the ball and shooting in general and long distance efforts in particular. That was their goal and they succeeded in achieving that.
What would our goal be? We want to speed up the game, have more contests and increase spectacular scores and goal chances. Thats my take anyway.
Before I address that I will deal with the handpass, steps and rucks.
The rule , in my opinion, on both steps and the handpass are fine. This notion that lads should be throwing the ball up and slapping it with their palm is dinosaur stuff. There is just as many dodgy handpasses in football as there are in hurling. Im at halftime in my third NFL final of weekend and pretty much every short handpass looks dodgy or illegal to me. The difference is that iss bloody hard to propel an o neills football over a long distance without striking it given the weight of the thing. The o neills sloliotar doesnt require much, on underarm pass anyway, to travel the same distance. Refs are doing a reasonable job in both codes imo and it isnt detrimental to the product on view. If anything it helps it as a spectacle. Imagine the amount of rucks that would be caused if players had to throw it up and slap it 80s style given how little time they have these days? It would be chaos.
Steps has been an issue/ non issue since carrying the ball became popular. It is reffed to the best od their abilities so leave it alone and to them.
Rucks are a consequence of a breakdown in play. So clamping down on handpass and steps only causes more. The suite of changes will help alleviate them but they will always be with us to some extent. Hurling is a possession game and the ruck is merely a contest for the ball.
Ive looked at the football rules and how they worked for that game and this is my take.
1. Advantage rule- in my opinion the advantage rule should be treated as the current football solo and go rule. When the ref shouts advantage and/or raises the arm the defender should have to cease his tackle for 3m or length of time it takes to travel 3m before reengaging. This will work well in the holding and spare arm tackles and if reffed properly speed up the game as attacker should break the contact area in that time.
2. Tap and go free. Where the advantage rule cant apply a tap and go from behind or at the mark can be taken by any player from anywhere level or at the mark. There would be a 5m no tackle /impede zone. Where the defender carries or strikes ball away or impeded it can be taken from 30m further forward. Same applies to dissent.
3. Puck out. Keeper must play it to player outside the 40m arc and cannot be first to receive it back after the puck out. So he cant puck it to fb at top of 40m arc and receive it back immediately. This will encourage an aerial battle for the ball.
3. Ground hurling. Ive thought long and hard about this one. Most young lads start at 4 or 5 years old in the hall or astro pulling on the ball and dribbling on the ground between cones. By the time they are u14 we have that skill trained out of them.
I would propose a 2 point score for hurling for a point scored from a ground stroke outside the 20m line and/or small arc. This would include line balls. I dont like the way line balls have gone in hurling and I want to bring back the sideline cut point. I think this will help with rucks as players will ground dribble or pull on ball early to move it on as they redevelop the skill.
4. Id make a goal a 4 point score to encourage teams to go for them.
5. I think the one on one competition at start of games is better so id introduce that too.
6. The black card/penalty rule. Id change this to one or the other. If the ref is unsure it should be a black card and free. If its clearcut then it should be a yellow and penalty. I think that takes pressure of referees.

I think, taken as a suite of changes, that these changes would greatly improve the game as a spectacle."

Replying To Jack L:  "I wonder will Murphy be targeted in the championship after yesterday Could pick up a controversial red card down the line."

Replying To Gaa_lover:  ""first game their fans expected them to win of the campaign"

Maybe I'm wrong but fairly sure Roscommon fans expected to win against Monaghan.


The idea of a great chance of reaching the final comes from where exactly? Had they beaten Dublin then the same effort and determination wouldn't be put in to beat Donegal, that win came mainly from the reaction of the defeat to Dublin. The final table didn't lie you need to focus on that than whataboutery."

Replying To legendzxix:  "Meath were expected to win the Ring Cup last year but missed on the final. They'll be looking to put that right this year. Meath's tough year last year is a warning for Kerry who have fallen from contesting Joe Mac finals. Ring runners-up Derry lost out in the D2 relegation battle to London who beat them in last year's Ring final. Derry have made 3 consecutive Ring finals. They'll be in for a tougher battle this year with both Kerry and Meath to contend with.
Wicklow off the back of their smash and grab in the D3 final will be looking to cause a few upsets. They narrowly missed out on last year's final. Donegal had notable results against Kerry (league) and Meath (championship) last year. A key result for them this year was pipping Roscommon for promotion. Roscommon complete the Ring line up after promotion last year.
Meath, Kerry and Derry after their spring in D2 are expected to challenge for the final. Wicklow, Donegal and Roscommon likely to battle to retain Ring status first and maybe even cause an upset or two along the way. The group stage starts on April 11th."

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I dont think they were fully confident of beating Monaghan. They gave themselves every chance yes and probably targeted that game but it waa early in the league and both teams were favourites to go down.
You give yourself a great chance of getting to a final when you win games. Of course you have to win the games that come after but they were on a winning streak at home against a struggling team who were relegated and they flopped badly. It isnt the end of the world but it did happen unfortunately."

Replying To Lockjaw:  "Some thoughts....

Yes, Murphy deserved a red. But Armagh ones, Kerry ones, Dublin ones crying on about it need to wind their necks in. Big elite GAA players have always pushed the boundaries and gotten away with it. It was ever thus! I remember Kieran Donaghy giving Murphy a "Rock Bottom" in a league game away back down in Tralee I think it was. Wooly, Keegan, Wheelo etc would wanna tone down the cac bó!

Other than that, what about Super Max? Jesus if the fearlessness of youth could be bottled. What a great wee lad!

Michael Langan is operating like a peak Andrea Pirlo.

Big John - only the greats would attempt to lob the keeper from that position.

Caolan McC - if Neil McGee is calling you a dog, then it's a great sign.

Conor Doc - the neglected All Star. My 2026 prediction for POTY.

Shane OD agus Ryan Mc - the metronomes - Xavi and Iniesta

Hughie & Jason Mór - crucial, absolutely crucial. Na fir mór sa lár iontach tabhactach.

Mulreanny - el Loco! In the best possible way. Tactically so interesting, 2PT threat, all round massive NFL

I could keep ******* on here but you get my drift. We'll enjoy this, but need to heed the rules of Icarus.

* And yes, I've had a good feed of beverages *"