JOE BROLLY: Saving Gaelic Football


AFTER the votes last weekend, there will not be “A New Energy” or “Moving Forward Together” for the country, but there most certainly will be for Gaelic football. Standing in front of a Christmas tree in Croke Park on Saturday morning, Jim Gavin delivered the mother of all Christmas presents to the GAA community, with voting […]


Rule changes receive ringing endorsement at Special Congress


RADICAL new rule changes to the game of Gaelic Football will be introduced wholesale to the 2025 season having received the backing of a large majority of delegates at today’s Special Congress. The rule changes, proposed by Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee, encompassed 49 motions spread across 18 separate votes. Every single vote passed with […]


Running the rules: What the players think of the proposed rule changes


Central council delegate Benny Hurl and six intercounty footballers speak to Niall Gartland ahead of Saturday’s Special Congress on the new rules. SOON, all will be revealed. A Special Congress will take place this Saturday to determine whether Jim Gavin and his band of merry men will have their way. Unless you’ve been living under […]


JOE BROLLY: Planning permission


IT is a terrible irony that Jimmy McGuinness’s system won Michael Murphy an All-Ireland medal yet ruined his best years. As a young footballer Michael was so good it was cartoonish. Here was a real life Hotshot Hamish, fetching impossible high balls and driving them to the net like Tony Yeboah, the ‘keeper standing there wondering […]


Family bonds behind Portaferry success


By Shaun Casey GERARD McGrattan was still playing the last time Portaferry claimed three consecutive county titles, and last Sunday, he patrolled the sidelines and watched on as his son led the line on another historic day for the club. Sunday past was the first time since 2002 that Portaferry won three in-a-row, and Tom […]


KEVIN CASSIDY: A look to the future


LAST weekend‘s games gave us a glimpse into the future as to what our Gaelic games might look like from here on in. By and large, I took a positive outlook on what I witnessed and think that we are heading in the right direction. At this point, it’s important that we point out that […]


JOE BROLLY: Honest Jim Gavin


JIM Gavin has the air of a fresh faced young Mormon selling bibles door to door. Serene as the buddha, he could persuade you of almost anything. Imagine him as a US trial lawyer, beaming down from a gigantic billboard, with the slogan: Honest Jim Gavin, Trial attorney. Just because you did it doesn’t mean […]


KEVIN CASSIDY: Facing into a new landscape


THIS weekend, we face into a massive weekend of football but it’s the action at Croke Park that may change the entire Gaelic football landscape and how it is played for years to come. On Friday evening, the interprovincial series makes a return. While that is nice to see that in itself, the biggest excitement […]


Running the rule: A player, coach and referee’s take on the new GAA rule proposals


Jim Gavin and the Football Review Committee have revealed their proposed seven core enhancements to help shape Gaelic Football. Michael McMullan spoke with a referee, player and coach to get thoughts on the proposals. Barry Dillon (Ulster University and Truagh manager) COACHES and managers look at rule changes in the same way. How do they […]