The Football Review Committee (FRC), led by chairman Jim Gavin, has submitted recommendations for adjustments to Gaelic football’s playing rules.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, the former Dublin manager confirmed that the FRC met for the 50th time on Monday night and has put forward proposals that will be reviewed by the GAA’s Central Council this Thursday.

No Specifics Yet on Rule Changes

While Gavin declined to outline the exact details of the recommendations, he explained that the FRC report would first go through the Standing Committee on Playing Rules before any changes are considered by the wider GAA hierarchy.

One key area still under review is the physical demands placed on players by the new rules. However, Gavin revealed that counties have yet to share data on the subject, which has prevented the committee from making a fully informed decision.

“What we have heard is that there are more physical demands on players, but we haven’t seen the data yet. We want teams to share that data with us,” Gavin said.

Call for Extra Substitutes Remains Under Consideration

Several inter-county managers, including Donegal’s Jim McGuinness and Dublin’s Dessie Farrell, have called for an additional substitute to help cope with the increased physical demands. However, Gavin stressed that no decision could be made without concrete data.

“That research is ongoing, and until we get the data – which will be anonymised – we can’t make any assessment of the physical demands.”

The recent rule changes have drawn heavy criticism from certain managers, but Gavin maintained that “in general, people like what they see.”

One of the strongest critiques came from Meath boss Robbie Brennan, who claimed that the current game “is not Gaelic football.” His comments were particularly striking given that Meath have won four games in a row and currently sit joint top of Division Two.

Gavin acknowledged the concerns but pointed out that inter-county managers make up just 2% of the Association, albeit as “very important stakeholders.”

The Central Council’s decision on Thursday will determine whether any of the FRC’s recommendations are implemented ahead of the All-Ireland series.

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Match Details:

Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024

Time: 7:35 PM

Venue: BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, Armagh

TV: Live on RTÉ

Dublin Look to Extend Strong Start to League Campaign

Dublin head to Armagh this weekend aiming for their third win of the Allianz Football League. Dessie Farrell’s men have impressed so far, bouncing back from a Round 2 loss to Donegal with wins over Kerry and Derry.

Key Performers for Dublin

• Seán Bugler led the scoring in last weekend’s victory over Derry, notching six points.

• Niall Scully struck the net in the 22nd minute, setting Dublin on course for a dominant win.

• Conor Tyrell & Lorcan O’Dell both found the net early in the second half to put the game beyond doubt.

• Con O’Callaghan chipped in with four points, while his brother Niall O’Callaghan put in a solid performance.

With new faces blending well with seasoned stars, Farrell will be eager for another strong showing against the defending All-Ireland champions.

Armagh Seeking Consistency After Mixed League Results

Reigning All-Ireland champions Armagh have had a frustrating league campaign so far. Kieran McGeeney’s side secured a commanding eight-point win over Tyrone but have struggled for consistency, with defeats to Galway and Donegal followed by a draw against Mayo last weekend.

Key Armagh Players to Watch

• Paddy Burns hit the net in the 15th minute against Mayo, giving Armagh a five-point lead at the time.

• Conor Turbitt, Rory Grugan & Ethan Rafferty have provided crucial scores throughout the league.

• Stefan Campbell was vital in halting Mayo’s comeback last weekend.

Armagh will be determined to use home advantage to kickstart their campaign and challenge Dublin for the points.

Dublin v Armagh – Recent Allianz League Meetings

2022 (Croke Park): Dublin 1-13 (16) | Armagh 2-15 (21)

2012 (Croke Park): Dublin 4-17 (29) | Armagh 1-10 (13)

2011 (Athletic Grounds): Armagh 1-11 (14) | Dublin 2-12 (18)

With both teams eager to climb the Division 1 table, expect a fiercely contested encounter in Armagh this Saturday night.

The post Dublin Face Tough Test Against All-Ireland Champions Armagh in Allianz League Clash appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The All-Ireland winning manager cited the lack of impact the Dublin bench had on the game – Ryan Basquel was the only point scorer off the bench.

He compared the Dublin benches from previous Delaney Cup successes over Kildare and Laois in 2017 and 2018 with the one at the county’s disposal on Sunday.

The past benches featured the likes of Jack McCaffrey, Kevin McManamon and Paul Flynn.

Their bench in the 2017 final against Kildare was worth seven points to Dublin on the day, six greater than the bench on Sunday amassed.

Fitzmaurice noted that the bench is “possibly one area that [Dublin] aren’t as strong as they were”.

The bench has been a huge asset to Dublin’s football team in recent years with their replacements having been able to enter the match after 50 minutes and play to the same level and intensity the starters had.

McManamon was the most recognisable figure that Dublin would look to when they needed a change and the St Judes forward is the catalyst for several important moments throughout the team’s recent history.

He is still part of the Dublin panel but is currently in Tokyo as the sports psychologist is part of Team Ireland’s boxing camp.

Fitzmaurice praised Dublin’s high work rate under Dessie Farrell and used examples from Sunday’s game to showcase that.

The Sunday Game pundit analysed their performance and labelled the intensity they showed as the county’s “cornerstone”.

Dublin, although troubled in attack for periods of the final, put up a dogged display, retaining the ball all over the pitch throughout the game.

Fitzmaurice applauded the Dublin forwards for tracking back and helping out their defence whenever Kildare had possession.

Their inability to roll over for their opposition is something that Fitzmaurice believes is proof that the side is still among the top teams in the country.

“I think their work rate and the way they are tackling shows they’re not ready to give it up just yet.”

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Dublin beat Kildare by 0-20 to 1-9 in Croke Park to retain the Delaney Cup and win their 60th Leinster title overall.

Dessie Farrell’s side was not perfect on Sunday but a strong third quarter put the game beyond any doubt after a close third half.

The eight-point win margin was the county’s lowest in a Leinster final since 2013 when Jim Gavin’s Dublin beat Meath by seven points (2-14 to 0-15) on their way to a first All-Ireland out of six under the 10-year Dublin veteran.

Dessie Farrell gave his thoughts on the Delaney Cup win over Kildare in a post-game interview with DubsTV.

The inter-county manager lamented his side’s shot selection in the first half after they squandered several chances.

The side looked as if they wanted to walk the ball through the Kildare defence and it was detrimental to their impact in the opening half.

Their strong third quarter saw the side revert to taking high-possibility chances when presented with them.

“Having discussed it at half-time, the players themselves saw that as a challenge,” Farrell said.

Kildare played the game defensively with some extra players dropping back to stifle the Dubs’ impact in attack.

Their set-up led to Dublin often moving the ball from side to side in an attempt to open up spaces for their forwards to take advantage of.

Ciarán Kilkenny led the Dubs’ third-quarter charge with two points, with Niall Scully also grabbing two in a period that was worthy of the Leinster title.

Dublin’s focus now turns to their All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Connacht champions Mayo, in a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final.

“[Mayo] were very, very impressive in that second-half performance against Galway in the Connacht final. Very little separates the teams over the year’s so I think everyone can expect a massive tussle.”

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The defender is understood to have left the panel prior to Dublin’s win over Wexford in the Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter-final.

The St. Peregrine’s player is a seven-time All-Ireland champion with the side under both Jim Gavin and Dessie Farrell.

Lowndes featured in every league match for Farrell’s Dubs this year, making one start.

Although he was not a consistent starter throughout his time with the inter-county team, he was a mainstay within the squad and a cult figure among fans of the Dubs.

Wishing the very best of luck to Eric Lowndes who has left the Dublin panel. Eric, a valuable member of the senior panel since 2013, has an incredible 7 All Irelands titles, 8 Leinsters and 6 NFL medals to his name. Thank you for the memories Eric. pic.twitter.com/Kjtaw7m8T0

— Dublin GAA Fans (@DubsGAAFans) July 13, 2021

Lowndes broke through in 2013 alongside Paul Mannion, Ciaran Kilkenny and Jack McCaffrey.

However, while the other three started some of Dublin’s biggest games in the 21st century, the 27-year-old rarely stood in the spotlight.

He made his inter-county debut in 2015 and last appeared in the Championship in the 2020 Leinster final against this week’s opposition Meath.

The news now leaves Dessie Farrell with a headache as he prepares for this weekend with depleted defensive options.

On top of Lowndes’ departure, there are doubts over the fitness of John Small, Jonny Cooper, Eoin Murchan and Robbie McDaid ahead of the 2020 Leinster final rematch with Meath.

The latter went off in the Wexford fixture after sustaining a shoulder injury in the clash and this would have opened up a spot in the side for Lowndes if he was still on the panel.

Tom Lahiff, who replaced McDaid against Wexford, is expected to fill that void once again this weekend instead.

The St. Peregrine man’s departure can be added to a long list of players who have left the Dublin panel or retired since the resignation of Jim Gavin following Dublin’s record-breaking fifth All-Ireland in a row in 2019.

Cian O’Sullivan is the last player to officially announce his departure while Stephen Cluxton is currently not involved with the panel.

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