FEARGAL LOGAN believes “one curious change” to the gaelic football rules could lead to “car park business” after matches.
The new rules made their debut in competitive inter-county football during the opening weekend of the 2025 Allianz Leagues.
Former Tyrone joint-manager Feargal Logan was speaking about the new rules on a Sports Law Bar Association podcast recorded before the weekend’s action.
And he pointed to a potential issue concerning the new 40m scoring arc, outside of which points are counted as double.
Logan – who led the Red Hands to the All-Ireland in 2021 with Brian Dooher – compared it with the new 3Up, 3Back rule.
That particular regulation sets out that both teams must have at least three outfield players in the opposition half at all times.
Breaking the rule comes at the cost of a 20m free.
He said: “Jim [Gavin] helpfully explained that if you’ve one foot planted over the halfway line, you’re deemed over the halfway line in terms of going back.
“But one change that has been curious in my head is if [a player] kicks a winner from outside the arc and, as you expect good kickers to do, both feet leave the ground and both feet or one foot lands inside the arc and the two points becomes one or when does it become one?
“I envisage some car park business after matches on that this year.
“There was a basketball match during The Olympics.
“You saw the French team that had the American ladies team beaten and they scored a three-pointer but the girl’s foot just touched inside the line and didn’t get the three points and they lost.
“They will be contentious because you (might) need two points to draw a game and you fall short, you get your one-pointer.”
There was a lot of adaptation required from every county over the course of the opening weekend of the Allianz Leagues.
Derry were punished three times in the first half of their Division 1 loss to Tyrone for dissent and not handing the ball over to their opponents after losing possession.
The ball was brought forward 50 metres each time by referee David Coldrick, who was strict when it came to enforcing the rules.
And new Derry gaffer Paddy Tally called the rule “draconian”.
He rapped: “It doesn’t seem natural. I think it’s a very draconian punishment for something so simple at times.
“There was one there I don’t know if the ball was even touched on the ground and knocked away.
“The players weren’t too sure what it was for, and it was brought up 50m so I think it’s a hard one on players.”
When asked if Tyrone were further down the line in terms of preparation and in working with the new rules, Tally replied: “I’d say so.
“Sure Malachy was on the committee that designed the rules so it’s a fair start, isn’t it?”
