KEVIN CASSIDY: A season of change

As the curtain comes down on yet another GAA season, we get the chance to look back on the season that has passed.

Heading into last year, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding our game. With the FRC, change was on the way, and although it was badly needed some of us were sceptical about how that change may look.

For whatever reason, especially in this country, we don’t like change as we get fearful of what that may bring. Cast your mind back to this time last year and I would say watching GAA games became more of a chore than something that you would do for enjoyment.

It’s not that long ago when the idea of watching a couple of games back-to-back would feel like a burden given the quality of football that was on show. We needed an overhaul and thankfully that arrived in the form of the new playing rules.

I don’t think that there is anybody who would argue that the football we witnessed this year was head and shoulders above anything else that was served up in the recent past.

Teams are still getting used to the new rules and I think that things will improve even further as coaches and managers sink their teeth even deeper into these new playing rules.

When you sit back and analyse the changes that were made, you can only applaud those who were given the task of implementing these changes.

With one fell swoop they have given us back a beautiful game. Football is enjoyable once more because we no longer have to sit and watch slow negative styles of play.

Like I said, most teams coped well with the changes last season but given the nature of how we operate in the GAA, I’m sure that management teams will implement their own style now that they know how these rules look in practice.

I have said it on numerous occasions these changes were not just for our game at the moment, but even more so for the generations to come.

Now football is back where it once was, where skill and creativity are back to the forefront once again.

Like most others, I really enjoyed last year’s championship and I am already looking forward to this year taking up where we left off.

As I sign off for 2025, I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas. I hope that the holidays are full of laughter and fun and I shall see you all soon back on the terraces as we cheer on our teams for 2026. Nollaig Mhaith Daoibh.