THE GAA has strongly defended the new definition of the hand pass, which caused controversy over the weekend, as the All-Ireland football championship began in earnest.

Director general of the association Páraic Duffy, speaking at yesterday’s championship launch by sponsors Ulster Bank, said every effort had been made to communicate the change to the counties.

“The rule was changed at congress four weeks ago,” he said. “Every county, every club in the country was written to directly. Officials were written to.

“Last week we sent six of our elite inter-county referees to meet the six teams who were playing yesterday. The rule is as simple as could be: you can strike the ball with a closed fist or you can strike the ball underhand provided there’s a definite striking action.

“We sent the six referees last week to answer any queries. I can’t see why there should have been a problem. Pat Doherty, the national match officials’ manager, went down to RTÉ and met commentators and broadcasters, analysts and answered every query that was raised.”

Duffy also expressed surprise at the level of uproar for what he maintained was a rule change with negligible effect. “These changes are very minor changes. Even the hand pass rule is very straightforward. If you strike the ball with a closed fist or if you strike the ball with an open hand and an under-hand action – they were the changes.”

He conceded the whole manner in which rule changes are processed within the GAA may well have to be looked at. Part of the outcry over the weekend was directed at the whole issue of introducing a new rule without trialling.

Concerns about the increasingly blurred lines between much of the hand passing in the modern game and outright throwing were the motivation behind the experimental provision, trialled during the national league, than all hand passes had to be with the fist.

That didn’t prove popular either although after the weekend players, including former Footballer of the Year Kieran Donaghy, who had what looked like a good goal assist ruled out for breach of the new rule, were saying that at least the insistence on the fisted pass had the virtue of clarity.

Mick McGrath, the former Donegal intercounty referee, was a member of the committee that devised the rules experiments during the NFL. He analysed a random club match to get a sense of the scale of the problem.

“It could be seen from 200 hand passes in the game that 77 were illegal. That’s a problem but if the referee doesn’t blow for these fouls players don’t complain, media doesn’t complain and fans don’t complain. But what’s the point of having the rule? You might as well allow throwing. I’d invite anybody to watch a club adult game and ask themselves how many hand passes are being properly executed and how many are not.”

The trialled experiment didn’t survive the cull at last month’s congress but surprisingly a motion from the Connacht Council stipulating the open hand pass would have to be struck in a “definite under-hand motion” did secure the two thirds majority needed.

Duffy said there was nothing to stop motions on playing rules being brought forward by sources other than national administration. “There was a package of experimental rules that Croke Park brought to congress and many were rejected. Every unit has a right to bring forward motions. I would prefer if we weren’t introducing rules in the first weekend of a championship but that’s the way the rules operate.

“In general terms I would agree that there is a case for looking at how we change the playing the rules and how we implement them but that’s not the issue here. Yesterday saw a relatively straightforward change of rule that shouldn’t have caused the problems that it appeared to.

“The impression you get from some people is that we’re always changing the rules. We change them once every five years. The referees were absolutely clear on what was involved and to make sure that the teams were clear, we asked six of those 18 referees to visit the first competing counties. So to put it mildly I’m surprised that there should be problems in terms of what the rule was.”

Asked would the GAA consider revisiting the decision given the scalded reaction of some of the teams playing at the weekend, he was emphatic. “Absolutely not. The rule was passed by congress and will remain there. There can be no rowing back and nor do we want to. If teams want referees to go and explain it to them we’re quite happy to keep doing that until the penny drops.”

HAND-PASS RULE

2009 Definition

“When in possession, the ball may be struck with the open hand or fist – provided there is a definite striking action, with the striking hand not being in contact with ball before delivering the strike.

In a two-handed pass, the ball may be struck off a holding hand by the other hand, or released and struck.

In a one-handed pass, the ball shall be released from the hand before being struck by the same hand. The releasing of the ball, when used, shall be considered an integral part of the hand/fisted pass.

2010 Definition

“When in possession, the ball may be played away with the fist or an open hand – in which instance there shall be a definite underhand striking action. The striking hand shall not be in contact with the ball before delivering the strike.

When both hands are involved, the ball may be struck off a holding hand by the other hand or released from the holding hand and struck with the other hand.

When one hand is involved, the ball may be released from the holding hand and struck with the same hand.

The releasing of the ball, when used, is considered an integral part of the fisted/open hand pass.