Listen to the full debate via the podcast.

It looks a new of taking penalties with the GAA planning to prevent takers from advancing within the 20-metre mark before striking the sliothar.

As the GAA director of games development, Pat Daly told the Irish Independent:"It's now proposed to state clearly that the ball can be no closer than 20 metres from the goal-line when it's struck. It will be up to the striker to decide how much further out he wants to place the ball in order to get momentum from tossing it forward but the strike must be made no closer than the 20-metre line.

Former goalkeeper Christy O'Connor joined us on the line to debate the issue with our own Diarmuid 'Gizzy' Lyng.

"There's a couple of ways at looking at it. The reality is it is probably down to [Cork goalkeeper] Anthony Nash and he's probably being punished for the power he has in his strike. If a shot like that hit somebody into the neck, they're effectively dead," said O'Connor. "

But the other point of it is - and Nash made the point himself - this could possibly lead to more cynicism in that if guys go straight through on goals, maybe you're better off to pull him down because he has less of a chance to score. But the reality is Joe Canning is the only comparable player to Nash who has that power. In one sense it is a safety issue but on the other side are you punishing Nash for his technique and his ability?"   

Gizzy believes the new change means it will be nearly impossible for players to score penalties with more reaction time for goalkeepers.

The debate then touched on the issue of wearing cups in the GAA to protect player's appendages to borrow Ger's term.

"If [the sliothar] hits you in the wrong area, maybe forget about having a family down the line," said O'Connor. "Alot of keepers don't wear the cup. Some of them just feel that it's awkward. I got a belt when I was a minor in that area and it was probably the worst pain you're ever going to experience. If that hits you in the neck - like a Nash bullet - you could literally be killed and that's where the GAA are coming from. There is a safety issue here."

O'Connor and Gizzy also discussed the role of Congress when it comes to rule changes, how they are implemented and what happens if for example the black card fails in football which you can listen to via the podcast. 

 

Main image: Anthony Nash ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy