IN ALL FAIRNESS - Green flag for Black card

IN ALL FAIRNESS

 

Since news emerged last week of the proposal to introduce the black card or sin-bin into hurling at this months GAA Congress, there hasn't been much support for it.

Limerick manager John Kiely was vehemently against it saying there was nothing wrong with the game as it is and it should be left alone while former Kilkenny defender Jackie Tyrrell said on RTE's League Sunday that there were more pressing issues for the GAA to be looking at in the game that introducing a black card, like football.

On the flip side, it was no surprise that Donal Og Cusack and Derek McGrath, both modern thinkers of the game and who introduced new facets to the game from the measured puckout and the use of the sweeper said the debate is well worth having at least.

Of the four highly respected hurling men I have referenced, there is merit to each of their opinions but for me it comes down to the simple question, would it improve the game and for me it would.

The introduction of the black card in football came about to try an eliminate cynicism and to a certain extent it worked, particularly the elimination of the off the ball blocks which were a blight on the game some five years ago. However, what is hasn't eradicated is the cynical foul late in matches when teams are holding onto a lead and don't want to conceded a score.

Certainly, the change from the black card where a player could be replaced to instead being placed in the sin-bin for ten minutes is a positive move as what punishment was that for a team for a player to be black-carded and then be replaced. Certainly, being down a body for the final stages at least has a more material impact.

People might ask, what has that got to do with hurling where cynicism isn't as prevalent but the argument I would make is, surely something that would prevent it completely can only be a good thing.

How many of us over the years have been at an inter-county or club game where a forward has gotten inside a defender and is bearing down on goal and the immediate thought among us all is for the defender to pull down his man and not to concede the goal at least. Conceding just a point from a free and picking up a yellow card is a win for the defender as it's better than falling a further two points behind if the ball hits the back of the net with Borris-Ileigh's Dan McCormack's foul in the All Ireland Club final a case in point.

Also, one aspect the sin-bin in hurling could lead to is the scoring of more goals which has almost become an endangered species over the last decade.

You only have to look at last Saturday's National Hurling League game for a prime example where if the new proposals were in place, the likelihood is that Tipperary's Sean O'Brien and Cork's Bill Cooper would have been sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes each for deliberately pulling down their opponent in the square.

Under the current rules, some might feel the concession of a penalty and a yellow card is punishment enough and while Patrick Horgan and Brian Hogan both converted the resulting penalties, there is never any certainty they will be scored and in that case, subsequently benefitting from ten minutes with an extra man at least would soften the blow and in the case of Bill Cooper's offence on 67 minutes, it's likely he would have sat out the rest of the game and Tipp with the extra man might have been able to earn a positive result from the game.

I would argue that sin-binning in hurling wouldn't be a frequent occurance as it is in football, only on occasions when goal-scoring opportunities have been deliberately denied. We saw it blatantly in last years All Ireland Championship quarter final between Kilkenny and Cork when on at least two occasions, two Cork forwards got inside their men and were pulled down on route to goal. Under the current rule, it might be seen as a good foul for one team and frustrating for the other that a goal-scoring opportunity has been denied and there is nothing better in hurling than a net shaking and the fans roaring in celebration.

It will also force defenders to be more careful in their approach as they'll have to make split second decision of whether to foul and put his team under pressure by spending ten minutes off the field or try and do what he is supposed to do and get back and try and get a hook or block on the forward and put him off, or force his goalkeeper to get him off the hook.

On the flip side, there is the argument that a sin-bin would see more time-wasting and defensive play but such is the speed of hurling compared to football, being a man down in hurling would be far more impactful.