Ask The Players: Tackling cynicism

Emer Gallagher

Donegal ladies footballer Emer Gallagher said that the lesson learned from ladies football is that the sin bin was able to address the issue of cynicism.

“I am a massive fan of the mens game. I followed it for years. But I think cynicism is more of an issue in the men’s game than in the women’s game.

“In the men’s game there is a huge amount of physicality, and power and cynicism that is part of the game. In order to be at the top of your game that is something that you need to be doing.”

However, Gallagher reckons that the ideology and the approach to the two codes are different.

“With the ladies game, I am not saying that it doesn’t happen, because it does, but it doesn’t have as important a role in our game. I do think the ladies game is more focused on skill. There are some fantastic athletes playing for their counties in our game. There is less respect given to cynicism and the referees do allow a great flow to the game. When someone pulls someone down in front of the net then they are going to go to the sin bin for ten minutes. That is something you have to weigh up in your own head.”

Yet Gallagher believes that the sin bin rule could go some way to addressing the issue in the mens game, because it worked in the women’s game.

“They have to ask if the goal or point is worth going down to 14 players. I think the sin bin rule, as annoying as it can be for a defender, it limits the amount of cynicism in the game because players aren’t willing to go to the sin bin for ten minutes. It can change a game going down to 14 minutes. You don’t want to be the player that lets the team down.

“I do think that cynicism in the game has to be addressed, where players are purposefully diving or claiming that they are being pulled down You don’t want that to creep into the game. But in the ladies game there is more emphasis on skill, and not so much power like it is in the men’s game.

“You will see great kick passing in the ladies game. People will often say that there is so much freedom in the ladies game. We are quite lucky that the game has remained that way.”

Niall Delargy

Antrim footballer Niall Delargy does not believe that a rule addressing cyncisim in the game was necessary.

“I am not quite sure what to think about the cynical foul rule. I would have to see it in action. I think it is open to interpretation and to controversies.

“I don’t think cynical play was an overly problematic issue. I know in the last five minutes of games teams might have focused on tactics like that.

“A punishmemt of a sin bin is enough. But I don’t think the whole rule, the sin bin and the penalty, was needed.

“It’s hard to know what will happen but there wasn’t much wrong with Gaelic before.

“We have already had the sin bin. I think a ten minute sin bin is enough without adding a penalty as well. But it is there to prevent cynical play which is a good thing.”

While Delargy is not sure it is needed, he accepts that it is here, and he thinks we will know better of its worth after we see it in action.

“I know in hurling the sin bin and penalty rules are more controversial. We will wait and see what happens. It is on a trial basis at the moment. Hopefully it will be implemented correctly.”

Brian delargy

Former Antrim hurler Brian Delargy believes that the referees will be under pressure to correctly police any new rules that are implemented to address cynicism in the game.

He thinks that any such rules could be contentious.

“I think it is going to be very hard for the referees. The referees have a hard enough job at the moment without bringing in more rules.”

Delargy said that he does understand why they wanted to implement the rules.

“There have been a few incidents where teams have been giving away the free and not allowing the play to go on. That has been highlighted in the media and on the TV. You can understand why the conversation was there. You need to be careful in how much changes you make as we could lose a bit of the game.

“They have obviously looked into it and want to give it a go and try it. They have put a bit of thought into it and it will be interesting to see how it goes.”

Brian Og McGilligan

DERRY hurler Brian Og McGilligan is concerned about the knock-on effects of any new rule that will address cynical play in hurling.

He said that new rules that will punish players with black cards and sin bins, and award their opponents with penalties is a nod to soccer, and that could affect the traditional way that he likes to see hurling played.

“Hurling has traditionally been played in a certain way, in that you are hit hard but you are hit fair and you get on with it. Hopefully that doesn’t get taken away from our sport.

“In soccer if there is any contact and the player doesn’t go odwn they are nearly asking why he didn’t go down.”

McGilligan, who hurls for Derry and Banagher said that he is always concerned about rule changes.

“I am a bit of a purist and a bit of a traditionalist about hurling. I don’t like it when they make rule changes. It is a difficult enough job for referees. It is going to make it a whole lot tougher. I am open to seeing what happens but I don’t think there was an awful lot wrong with it.”

He explained that the matter has not come out of the blue, and he has been asked about the rules before.

“The GPA have got in touch and they have encouraged us to vote on the rules, so as a player you do have your say. But as I say I didn’t think there was too much wrong with the rules. I am opposed to changing the rules. We will wait and see what happens and hopefully it has a positive effect as we all want to see open games of hurling.

“I just hope that it doesn’t bring in a whole lot more stoppages and controversial decisions that take away from the game.

“There is always going to be cynical level of play in sport. You see it at underage level and you see it at elite level. Whether it is vying for penalties or frees, I hope that doesn’t come into play.

“From talking to people they are worried that the advantage may be with the forward. You might see guys playing for the penalty and playing for the free. If guyns think there is an opporunity to get a penalty or to get a free then they are going to go down.”