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 majorities the Shinners could only dream of. Even the Healy Raes were jealous.

In a tidal wave of relief and hope, every single one of the 49 motions passed, resulting in all 18 new rules being passed in their entirety. The 1v1 throw in got 91.7 per cent. The kickout beyond the 40 metre arc 95 per cent. The crucial restriction on the pass to the goalie, which will stop teams strangling the life out of the game and the spectators by playing keep ball with the goalie, got 94.3 per cent. The three players from both sides remaining in each half at all times rule hit almost 97 per cent and got the biggest cheer of the day.

The popular solo and go came in at 96 per cent, which will be very pleasing for elusive, dynamic forwards. I’m thinking of Clifford or O’Callaghan, and in particular the two Canavan boys, who like their father can be dragged and fall and slide, and be back on their feet in a trice, slippery as wet greyhounds. After the younger lad Ruairi scored a magical nine points in the Ulster semi final, a friend of mine from Tyrone texted me to say: “If you think he’s good now, wait til he goes bald.”

Let us look at the example of either of these two (or any dangerous forward) in the 2025 season, getting a quick early ball leaving them one on one inside the attacking half. The suite of rules will mean this: 1. If the defender pulls him down or holds him up it will be a) a black card and b) a penalty (if it deprives him of a goal scoring opportunity). 2. When the referee blows the whistle for the free, they can elect to play on immediately ie solo and go. 3. If the opponent does not immediately retreat four metres when the whistle is blown, the 50-metre advance penalty applies, which will mean at the very least a tap over free. As you can see, this is a massive positive impact on the game.

One of the most intensely annoying features of the modern travesty has been the cynical holding up of an opponent to avoid the black card. On Saturday, 94 per cent of the delegates closed that loophole. Armagh’s universal soldiers will have to go back to the drawing board. 91 per cent voted for the new two-point outside the 40 metre arc rule. 97 per cent for the new contributing to a melee penalty. The finally fit for purpose dissent punishment came in at 92 per cent.

There was an inexplicable dip in the vote for the proposal that any attempt to delay the play will result in a 50-metre advance of the ball. Delaying tactics have become an integral part of the game.(“Game management” is the euphemism for this form of cheating) so it was a surprise to see 15 per cent of the delegates voting against this. When the vote was carried with only 85 per cent, Jim looked surprised, wounded even. On and on it went, one landslide after another, each result greeted with cheers and loud applause. Almost 98 per cent for the rule giving linesmen long overdue new powers to do their job properly. 96 per cent for the rule that both feet must be the right side of the line.

The atmosphere at Congress was triumphant and giddy, reminiscent of the famous pub scene in Father Ted when he offended the Chinese community and took them to the pub to make it up to them. After every round was finished, Ted shouted, “more drink” and the revellers cheered. Here, the drink came afterwards but the mood was tipsy.

It was a triumph for Gaelic football and a personal triumph for Jim Gavin, who ran this entire revolution with the same brilliance and efficiency as his six in a row campaign. In different hands, this could have been a terrible mess. Look no further than the previous Playing Rules Review committee. Here, Jim understood that it was not enough to create a comprehensive, logical and effective set of rules to save football.

He also knew that he needed to win the hearts and minds of both the football public and critically, a Congress that is more conservative than Peadar Tobín. He achieved that with a simply brilliant PR blitz, explaining the rules to the public with excellent graphics and video shorts, using highly respected football people like Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Michael Murphy and of course, himself. He toured the studios. He was endlessly patient, exuding that reassuring Dalai Lama glow of his that says, “Don’t worry, everything will be okay.” By the time the weekend of Congress came around, there were no questions left to answer and the delegates new that everything was going to be fine.

We used to marvel at his calmness on the sidelines in epic finals, that half smile playing on his lips in the last few minutes as though he knew something no one else did. That sense that no matter what happened, his team would win, and win in style. Then, it was the Dubs who were winning. On Saturday, it was Gaelic football itself.