GAA Reportedly Set To Make Intriguing Change To Controversial Hooter Rule

The Football Review Committee (FRC) have made wholesale changes to the game of Gaelic football, yet the least talked about recommendation they made last winter has possibly turned out to be the most controversial of all in this year's race for Sam Maguire.

The introduction/non-introduction of the hooter/buzzer system has created consternation at various levels of Gaelic football.

Firstly there was the incident in the Westmeath v Meath match back in March where Meath scored a last-second goal just after the hooter had supposedly sounded. This resulted in a change in the ruling whereby now, if the hooter goes and the ball is in play, the play can continue until it goes out over one of the sidelines or out for a score/wide.

Following on from that we had the controversy surrounding the ending of Donegal and Monaghan, where the ball went out of play before the hooter sounded but was not returned to play in time - therefore, the game ended amidst huge confusion.

We also had the almost farcical scene of Craig Lennon booting the ball out over Louth's end-line in Louth's win over Kildare. The hooter had gone and Lennon thought he could end the game by doing this but under the new rule, the '45 was allowed to be taken.

Kildare didn't score the goal they needed so Louth had no grievance but another controversy only narrowly avoided there.

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John Fogarty of The Irish Examiner is reporting that the Central Competitions Controls Committee (CCCC) have confirmed the hooter should be in use for all remaining Sam Maguire matches.

This is despite the previous policy stating the hooter would only be needed in broadcasted or streamed games.

The two All-Ireland football matches that took place last weekend that were not broadcast live - Mayo v Cavan and Clare v Down - used the old timekeeping system with additional time determined by the officials.

In April, FRC Chairman Jim Gavin explained why the technology would not be used in every ground for every match:

Obviously from an FRC perspective, we’d like to see it everywhere. The harsh reality is that some grounds aren’t ready.

Four of next weekend’s second round All-Ireland football group games are not being broadcasted or streamed but they too will use the hooter, the report says.