Ben O'Connor happy with new dissent rule

Cork manager Ben O’Connor has welcomed the increased penalty for dissent in hurling.

At the GAA’s official Congress last weekend, delegates voted in favour of punishing outbursts towards referee by advancing frees 30 metres towards goal – a similar measure, albeit with a 50-metre extension, was part of the enhancements introduced into football in 2025.

Speaking after Sunday’s win away to Kilkenny, O’Connor expressed his support for the change.

“No issues with it at all,” he said.

“Referees have a hard enough job, not to mind fellas roaring and shouting at them.

“They'll make mistakes, we'll make mistakes, so why not?”

The new rule will come into effect for the national hurling finals. There is a chance that the Division 1A decider could see Cork come up against Limerick and the Treatymen’s manager John Kiely has no issue with the new state of affairs, either.

“It’s a positive, really, from a refereeing perspective,” said Kiely.

“The referees don’t want players coming in and badgering them and rushing in to their faces when there is an incident on the pitch.

“If the decision goes against you, it goes against you and you have to get on with it.

“It’s one that is in all of our control in terms of how we behave on the pitch as players, so it is important for the lads to take cognisance of it.

“Ultimately, it brings every free into a scoring position.”

Meanwhile, a Laois motion seeming to dispense with the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals received 94 percent support.

Since the introduction of that stage in 2019, with the second-tier Joe McDonagh Cup finalists playing the sides finishing third in Munster and Leinster, only Laois themselves have won such a fixture as a McDonagh side.

Instead, the beaten Munster finalists will play the Leinster third-placed side and vice-versa, while the McDonagh Cup will now have a semi-final, with the second-placed team at home to the county finishing in third.