Chopping and changing of football rules is ‘frustrating', says Oisín O'Neill
Armagh
's Oisín O'Neill says the chopping and changing of rules mid-championship is frustrating for players and managers.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that Central Council had voted overwhelmingly 38-1 in favour
of removing the 50-metre penalty for a foul
on a player who catches a kickout mark.
The change in rule was recommended by the
Football Review Committee
. The regulation, which will be operational from this weekend, has now been amended to revert to what had existed before the recent Special Congress.
The rule now reads: '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.'
READ MORE
The FRC previously implemented modifications to the trial rules after round five of this year's National League. Kieran McGeeney has questioned the need for tinkering with the rules midseason and O'Neill agrees with his manager's position.
'I think Kieran's biggest issue is that they constantly change. We played half the league and then they changed and now they're talking about another change this week – there are four rounds of the championship left, like,' says O'Neill.
'I think Kieran has no issue with the rules, it's more just that they keep continuously changing. As players, that's frustrating because you're working on one thing one week and then it might change. But look, whatever it is, it is and we'll be ready for the quarter-finals in two weeks.
'We probably had to tweak a few things [after the changes in the league] that we had been working on and change certain things.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Louth boss Brennan on not getting the rub of the green with referee decisions
Ger Brennan says he's twice seen his Louth outfit on the receiving end of decisions against sides - but he's confident that won't happen against Donegal at Ballybofey tomorrow with Barry Cassidy in charge. Derry official Cassidy will take charge of the MacCumhaill Park All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final tie with the winner going to Croke Park next weekend and the loser's season over. Brennan, speaking to LMFM, outlined that Louth's Division 2 loss to Donegal last year at Ballyshannon and their All-Ireland group stage defeat by Kerry at Portlaoise later that season were games he felt the Wee County were hard done by. The match official for the Donegal game was Roscommon's Paddy Neilan, while the Kerry game was refereed by Conor Lane of Cork. 'I certainly rarely would whinge about referee's decisions as players have to be accountable for their own errors first and foremost and referees are only human,' said Brennan. 'There were certainly a lot of hometown decisions awarded in that league game in Ballyshannon last year. 'In looking towards this game in Ballybofey, in one way it's interesting that a Derry referee has been appointed to look after the game. 'But when I heard it's Barry Cassidy, you are confident with someone with Barry Cassidy's experience that he is not going to be overawed consciously or subconsciously by the Ballybofey crowd and that he will give Louth a fair crack of the whip. 'Again, I think I have a bit of credit built up in the bank over the last couple of seasons by not giving out about referees. 'When Louth played Kerry last year in the group stages of the All-Ireland, we were competitive. 'We were pushing hard and it's almost as if referees subconsciously - and people outside the group of Louth senior footballers - they can't believe that Louth are being so competitive and this shouldn't happen. 'And all of a sudden some big game decisions are going against you, or the opposition are getting away with rougher challenges, which Louth players are being punished for. 'I suppose I've seen that on two occasions in particular in my time so far with Louth, last year with Kerry in the group stages of the All-Ireland and certainly in the second half last year in Ballyshannon. 'But again, happy to see you have someone with Barry Cassidy's experience, that he is not going to be influenced by the Donegal sideline and Donegal supporters and that he's going to give Louth and the Donegal players a fair crack of the whip.'
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Cercene provides Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll with first Group One success in Coronation
One of Irish racing's stalwart partnerships, trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll, tasted Group One success for the first time in their careers when Cercene belied 33/1 odds to land Friday's Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot . Murphy described it as the culmination of half a century of work after Cercene rallied when headed by the French favourite Zarigana inside the final furlong to win by half-a-length. Back in third was Aidan O'Brien's January while stretched further back were blue-blooded runners form some of racing's powerhouse operations. The diminutive Cercene had already belied her relatively meagre €50,000 purchase price by finishing third to Lake Victoria in the Irish Guineas. READ MORE Having held a license since 1977, Murphy's ability to make the most of his relatively small Co Tipperary string was well established. It might even have made Cercene's SP something of an insult. But the pluck to take on such an elite challenge paid off in style. A former dual-champion apprentice, Carroll (35) had previously enjoyed a couple of Royal Ascot wins for Gavin Cromwell. He recently got a boost with the likelihood of more rides for Ger Lyons on the back of Colin Keane's Juddmonte appointment. His abilities got the perfect shop window here as despite a slow start he got Cercene into a good position on the rail and was strong in the finish. His use of the whip, reportedly using it eight times, could yet prove costly in fines, but the satisfaction of a first top-flight victory was obvious. 'I've been riding a long time now and been placed in plenty of Group Ones. This is my first one and if I was ever to ride a Group One winner it was for Joe Murphy,' he said. 'I've been riding for him since I was a 7lb claimer and he's been very good to me so I'm delighted I can repay him.' Cercene, ridden by Gary Carroll, winning the Coronation Stakes on day four at Royal Ascot. Photograph:for Ascot Racecourse The wait was even longer for the trainer who commented: 'This is 50 years of work, of love and care, and all for the owners we have, all our people. It's just a whole group of people together. This is heaven on earth. 'It's a lifetime's ambition to have a Group One winner. She's by Australia – a sire I love – and her half-brother (Perotto) won the Britannia so the pedigree was there: if she was an inch bigger, I wouldn't have her!' Another Irish trainer hitting the board this week was Willie Mullins , who landed the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap with Ethical Diamond under Ryan Moore. The 3/1 favourite was Mullins' 11th Royal Ascot success. 'We will give him a little break and look at York, that is normally where we go from here. The Ebor would look possible. We would love to go to Melbourne. If we can get him qualified, that would be wonderful. We might see if we can get him Group-placed. I think he would suit the race,' he said. Ireland's tally for the week to date is nine winners with Aidan O'Brien saddling five of them. The best Irish haul ever at the meeting was 12 in 2022 with eight trainers contributing. Friday's other Group One, the Commonwealth Cup, also went to an outsider as the 25/1 Time For Sandals edged out the Irish hope Arizona Blaze. It was a second top-level victory of the week for trainer Harry Eustace who landed the Queen Anne with Docklands. Venetian Sun was described by Karl Burke as the best juvenile filly he's trained after an authoritative Albany Stakes success. 'I think Venetian Sun is a very special filly. The work she has done at home over the last six weeks – I haven't had a two-year-old filly work like that. She has been kicking all the Group horses out of the way,' Burke said.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
‘Normal' Cole Palmer assumes control of Chelsea's attack from No 10
Cole Palmer sees himself as a normal kid. Strangers watch him with something close to fascination, though. What's going on beneath the chilled exterior? The shrugging demeanour adds to the mystique. Kids copy the Chelsea attacker's 'cold' celebration. Interviewers walk away amused but bemused after spending time with him. What's the story with those answers? Why are they all so short and sweet? The Philadelphia sun is beating down when Palmer mooches over for a quick chat at Subaru Park, where Chelsea are training before facing Flamengo in their second game at the Club World Cup on Friday. So, Cole, can you tell us why you walked out wearing a mask when the team plane landed in the US last week? Are you ill? Enzo Maresca, your manager, thinks you were playing a trick on everyone. 'It wasn't a joke,' he says. 'I just don't like the smelly planes. That's why I wear a mask. When I travel I don't like the smells so that's why I wear them. Nothing else. Enzo doesn't know. I didn't tell him. But he didn't ask me, to be fair.' It is straight to the point with Palmer, who turned 23 in May. He has enjoyed a rapid rise to fame and does not really understand why he attracts so much attention. He still finds being recognised when he goes out in London a strange experience. 'I am just a normal kid,' he says. 'When people do stuff like that I think: 'Why me?'' READ MORE The answer is that Palmer is one of the most enjoyable players in the Premier League, a free spirit, a bit of a throwback to when the game was less rigid and less systems‑based. No wonder he is on so many of the billboards promoting the Club World Cup in Philadelphia. Palmer is by far the biggest draw at Chelsea. While there is a sense that he is more aware of his worth than he makes out, it is hard to see the fame going to his head. 'I still do the same things I did before I came to Chelsea,' he says. 'I try and think it's just a game of football, it's not life or death. I just try and enjoy it. I like to go and play five-a-side and just do normal things. I like PlayStation.' Cole Palmer in action against LAFC's Ryan Hollingshead. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images The Normal One, then. Only, Palmer is capable of doing the extraordinary when he plays. He turned the game with two fabulous assists when Chelsea beat Real Betis in the Uefa Conference League final in May. Afterwards, he talked about growing tired with playing backwards and sideways when behind in that game. It led to suggestions that Palmer was having a dig at Maresca's tactics. There was no drama, though. Maresca has since made it clear that he wants his best player to produce those off-the-cuff moments from first minute to last. 'We had a joke about it,' Palmer says. 'My comments weren't towards the manager or anything. It was just a personal thing. I felt I was maybe being a bit safe. That's where the comment came from. I wanted to get the ball and try something different. You can't take the piss and do whatever you want, but I feel like he still gives you a little bit of room to try and see what I can do.' Palmer's form was exceptional during the first half of the season. He was directly involved in 53 goals in his first 50 Premier League starts for Chelsea. Palmer dipped after Christmas and went 18 games without scoring but took things in his stride. A dismissal of 'social media idiots' after he ended his barren run with a typically cool penalty during Chelsea's victory over Liverpool last month was classic Palmer. He is ready to accept more responsibility. Chelsea will play in the Champions League next season and will need Palmer to be at his best. For now, though, the focus is on becoming world champions. No doubt the marketing team at Chelsea were pleased Palmer swapped the No 20 shirt for the famous No 10 – previously worn by Mykhailo Mudryk, who has been charged by the Football Association with doping offences – before the start of the tournament. 'I wore No 10 all my life growing up,' says Palmer. Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney were two of his heroes. He also loved Eden Hazard, who wore No 10 at Chelsea. He feels like the Belgian winger's successor. Hazard, who was Chelsea's star talent before leaving in 2019, was similarly down-to‑earth. 'I have seen him a few times at the training ground,' Palmer says. 'He asked me for one of my shirts for his sons.' It all sounds reassuringly normal. – Guardian
