Helmet rule clarified after protest

GAA chiefs have moved to clarify the rule regarding mandatory wearing of helmets at senior level, after a dispute arose in Sunday's Kehoe Cup match between Roscommon and Wicklow.

Wicklow's Jonathan O'Neill took off his helmet when taking frees, from which he scored three points, as Wicklow lost 1-10 to 0-12.

Roscommon players protested, arguing that taking off his helmet broke the new helmet rule. But Dublin referee Gearóid McGrath permitted him to continue.

But GAA communications manager Alan Milton has now gone on record that O'Neill should have been forced to keep his helmet on during free-taking, and he admitted that some teething problems with the rule would be inevitable.

'Players are obliged to wear a standardised helmet that complies with safety rules at all times when holding a hurley on the pitch,' Milton said in the Irish Examiner.

'There are no exceptions to that rule, they have to wear a face-guard during the games as that's the only way players are covered under the injury scheme. I think to be fair in this instance with the Kehoe Cup match it was the referee's first outing and the issue of free-taking may have been a grey area.

'That's understandable and it was just an oversight. You have to remember that we're still only in January. Both players and referees are only getting to grips with the rule now. It was always to be expected that there might be some small problems in the first few weeks.'

But Milton reckons the rule change has by and large gone down well and he praised officials and players for adopting the shift in policy.

'The general application by everyone has been first class. This really is the only incident that has come to light and that's very encouraging. We do recognised that a lot of players have had to make a massive effort to get used to this cultural shift, particularly older players and goalkeepers. Their response is to be commended. People suggested this ruling would be problematic at minor and U-21 level, and it wasn't.

'We don't underestimate the challenge of implementing this at senior level, but all going well, we're very confident that within a few weeks and months all players will be coping with the rule perfectly.'