Gaelic Games

Referees keen to simplify decision-making process for attacking marks

Concerns were expressed around the difficulty in officiating the regulation at a meeting of referees

Kerry's David Clifford has successfully added the attacking mark to his arsenal. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Kerry's David Clifford has successfully added the attacking mark to his arsenal. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Gordon Manning
Mon Aug 29 2022 - 19:23

Concerns around the attacking mark in Gaelic football were expressed by referee chiefs during Saturday’s meeting of Central Council at Croke Park.

The merits of the attacking mark continue to generate debate, and there were discussions on the rule during Saturday’s gathering, at which several referees were present – including Maurice Deegan, John Keenan, Seán Hurson, Seán Stack and Donal Smyth, Croke Park’s national match official manager.

The chairman of the Standing Committee on Playing Rules (SCPR), Prof David Hassan, gave a presentation on stats gathered from the 2022 football and hurling championships.

Issues including the proliferation of hand-passing in football were highlighted, while there was positive feedback on improved hand-passing in hurling, which had been an issue earlier in the season. On the discourse regarding the attacking mark, concerns were expressed around the difficulty in officiating the regulation.

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“It was interesting to have the referees in the room for the meeting, it is important to have everybody singing off the one hymn sheet,” said a Croke Park source.

“One of the points raised was on the number of items they must tick off their checklist when it comes to making the decision to award a mark – from where the ball was kicked to how far it was kicked, where the player is when he catches it, whether he puts his hand up. In short, there was a desire to see it simplified, if possible.”

Kerry were one of the teams to successfully utilise the attacking mark this year, with David Clifford adding it as another weapon to his arsenal. Clifford scored two points from marks during Kerry’s All-Ireland senior football final victory over Galway at Croke Park.

The SCPR will now review suggestions made at the meeting before returning to Central Council with any motions.