New football rules for inter-county and club level passes at GAA Special Congress
Darren Jepson, lead groundsman, lines the 40m arc, as Croke Park prepared to host the Allianz GAA Football Interprovincial championship series in October. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Gaelic football will be a different game in 2025 at inter-county and club level.
The motions at Saturday's GAA Special Congress at Croke Park on the seven new football rules have all been passed with huge majorities as delegates back the wide ranging changes proposed by Jim Gavin's Football Review Committee.
The new rules required 60% support to enact change, but it passed that threshold comfortably with over 90% supporting the rules at 93%.
Gavin and his Football Review Committee were tasked with making football a more enjoyable spectacle when they came together earlier this year. Seven main recommendations were trialled, with a raft of mini-proposals at October’s trials in the form of an inter-county provincial competition, which featured players whose club involvement had ended for the year.
It was largely a success, with the rules now given the nod to be implemented early next year.
It must be noted that the rules will be introduced on a temporary basis for 2025 and the Central Council has the option to change rules throughout the upcoming season. Club competitions already underway and continuing into next year will be played under current rules. The new rules will not be used in the upcoming Sigerson Cup and lower third level football competitions.
There was also a vote on whether the rules would be introduced at club level, which received more than 90% approval.
The seven core enhancements which have been given the greenlight, represent the biggest change to football in modern history.
These include the solo and go, the two-point scoring arc, all kick-outs having to go beyond that arc and the three-up rule. The three-up rule means that both sides must keep three players inside both halves at all times.
The new rules come into effect from January, 1 2025. The first look at the rules will come in the Cork footballers first game in Division 2 of the league, which is at home to Meath on Saturday, January 25 at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh with throw-in at 5pm.
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