Kavanagh happy with new-look game but glad with midfield mark tweak

By Michael McMullan

DONEGAL All-Ireland winner Rory Kavanagh feels the FRC’s rule enhancements have led to football being a “much better spectacle” but is happy to see the latest tweak around the midfield mark on kick-outs.

Kavanagh is in his first season as Glen manager and looking forward to getting their county players integrated after the summer break, ahead of the championship start in mid-August.

“It’s hard to get control of a full game now,” he said, speaking after Glen’s 1-21 to 1-15 win over Castledawson in mid-week.

As a former midfielder, he commented on the shifts in momentum around the kick-outs with the new 40-metre kick-out arc.

There are the contests but there is also the caveat of the “struggle” goalkeepers are finding in difficult conditions.

“I suppose that’s what spectators want to see, they want to see contests, they want to see midfielders fetching and clean catches and all that, so you get that,” he added.

“I do like the solo on goal too, I think it has speeded up the game quite a bit.”

Wednesday’s win was the last time a Kavanagh could’ve saw a ball can be moved forward if a player is impeded after taking a clean catch from a kick-out.

It has led to frustration, across the country, with the ball moved 50-metre more advantageous. On top of that, the free can then be taken outside the arc where teams can avail of a two-point chance.

“The kick out mark was one that we all thought was very penal on teams,” Kavanagh said of the rule that has been banished, voted out 38-1 in midweek, with a new rule coming into play from Saturday onwards.

The rule now reads as follows:

(ii) If the Player is illegally challenged, a free kick shall be awarded to the player’s team from the point at which the challenge is made, and this free kick may be taken by any player on that team.,

“We’re glad to see that gone because it’s in a lot of players’ instincts to go in for a breaking ball,” said Kavanagh, who was upbeat and largely in favour of the new-look game.

“Naturally, there’s going to be a collision at times when a midfielder comes down and there’s maybe a wing forward or someone going in for a breaking ball.

“I am glad to see that one’s been binned, but, by and large, it’s (the game as a whole) a much better spectacle. I think the spectators are voting with their feet and you are seeing it at county level too, there’s bigger attendances all around the country.”

Wednesday’s game didn’t have any instances of the ball being carried forward for a breach where a team didn’t have three players in their own half.

The fear was that it would be a difficult rule to impose at club leagues games with a referee the only official appointed.

“Look, in general I think the referees are being helped by the players,” Kavanagh said, when asked if it had been an issue so far.

“By and large, they (players) are trying to check over their shoulders and things like that, approaching the halfway line.

“There are a couple of rule breaches of course with the three up. Naturally, the players are in the forward position. Sometimes they are running back, particularly if quick there are transitions, they follow a defender and they get caught and that’s perfectly understandable.

“We all felt the referees was going to be on his own here at these club games and it’s going to be a bit of a struggle.

“It does happen from time to time. By and large I think they’re being helped by the players of course but it hasn’t been a serious issue.”