Live

Highlights on Off The Ball

10:00 AM-01:00 PM

Highlights on Off The Ball
Advertisement
Football

“Give them a chance” ”“ Laois’ John O’Loughlin plays down fears surrounding GAA rule changes.

 Should the proposed rule changes for Gaelic football become a permanent fixture, it’l...



“Give them a chance” ”“ Laois’...
Football

“Give them a chance” ”“ Laois’ John O’Loughlin plays down fears surrounding GAA rule changes.

 Should the proposed rule changes for Gaelic football become a permanent fixture, it’ll be worth remembering the unenviable position Laois’ John O’Loughlin has found himself in.

Currently being rolled out for the preliminary provincial tournaments, in an O’Byrne Cup clash with Meath this weekend, O’Loughlin became the first player penalised for playing off a fourth-successive hand-pass.

“The habit of playing football for the last 20-years, you don’t expect to be pulled up on something like that,” John O’Loughlin relayed on OTB AM this morning.

“I think a few of the lads were shouting that I had to kick, but I didn’t listen obviously, and the referee was counting and pulled me up for the fourth hand-pass.”  

One member of the first two inter-county county teams to trial the rules in a competitive tie, O’Loughlin was left largely unfazed by the sizable changes to the rules, however, and found himself encouraging any sceptics to go and get on with it.

“It’s something we have to get used to now and that’s it,” O’Loughlin believes.

“I don’t think the rules are going to be as drastic as people are making it out to be. I think once people get used to it, it’s going to add to the game.”

In particular, John O’Loughlin is curious about the advances that will be forthcoming in kick-passing as a result of the limits on passing the ball off from the hand.

“I think there’s going to be a lot more kick-passing before you get to the third hand-pass,” O’Loughlin stated.

“I think anytime now a fella gets a ball, he’s going to look up with the intention of kicking the ball. If you let it get to [the third hand-pass] too often, you’re going to be under [too much] pressure.”

Although the Laois midfielder was under no illusions that an isolated O’Byrne Cup clash in December could determine the absolute effectiveness of the new rules, John O’Loughlin refuses to be negative for the sake of it; “It is what it is, why make excuses?”

Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!

Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.


Read more about

Football