Jarlath Burns urges Cork GAA faithful to embrace new football rules
GAA President Jarlath Burns on walk about with Castlemartyr officers during his visit to the club to mark their centenary year.
GAA President Jarlath Burns says he is excited about what lies ahead in 2025 and urges everyone involved to embrace the new football rules.
The Armagh native has certainly made a striking impression in his first year in the hot seat.
Football rules have dominated many column inches in recent weeks with a real sense of anticipation and intrigue as we look forward to the Allianz Leagues and Cork's opening game at home to Meath in late January.
Highlighting what's around the corner with the big ball, Jarlath Burns emphasised the significance of 2025.
"Let's first remember that all that these rule changes are doing is ushering in a year of experiment. Every year ending in five, is a rule change year so it's important that we are all aware of this.
"Some people may say, let's wait and focus on clubs in the following year. But we can't really do this if we are to accept that we are all going to take this big leap forward.
"When we all reconvene this time next year at the Special Congress, it will be then time to decide what exactly the game looks like after a year in experiment. We will have seen league and championship, club and county, which will mean everybody will be in a better position to make decisions.
"I would urge everybody in all areas, who have concerns about referees or club and county, to take the leap of faith with us this time, We can all look at it again together next year.
"It's all actually about going back to the basics of the game."
After the 7,000 surveys were returned, there were four obvious things that people wanted to see: long kicking, high catching, man-to-man competition and long-range scoring.
"All the measures we are introducing are to try and cultivate these skills back into the game again. In particular, having to keep three men behind the halfway line is going to create more space. Forwards need to operate in space.
"Remember also that for the first time ever referees are getting incredible protection. Any dissent is going to have a major sanction and any U18 player who gives dissent will get a black card and will be allowed to be replaced. So it's the player's punishment, not the team's.
"The final point I would stress is that during the year Ard Comhairle, in front of proposals from the football review committee, will be able to tweak things on the hoof and this is also going to be significant."
Still secretary of his native club Silverbridge in south Armagh, and mindful of the challenges that await in developing hurling in weaker countries.
"It's basically Gaelic football attitudes in that it's thought if we bring hurling into the club, we will dilute the chances of winning football competitions. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you give young guys a chance of playing a football and a hurling match in the one week or a football match and a football training session, the first option is what they want to do.
"I'm delighted to be still involved in my own club. We don't have a knife and fork brigade in the GAA, all our presidents come from ordinary backgrounds and are very proud of that.
"In my club, we have the normal run-of-mill things to do. I think if you become detached from that, you can forget where we have come from.
Finally, to that never-to-be-forgotten day when Armagh were crowned champions.
"Ah it is just a dream year. It's a question everybody asks and I love answering.
"It's the type of thing that keeps you awake, thinking would it ever happen. Being honest I thought I missed my chance when Armagh lost the Division 2 Final late to Donegal.
"I felt 'Is this team is just destined for heartbreak for all their lives?' I really felt we couldn't win the All-Ireland after the league final as boys were too despondent following another close call... but there was a happy ending."
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