Colm Cooper believes the enforcement of the rule which led to Monaghan being awarded a penalty late in their Allianz Football League victory over Mayo on Sunday could have a significant impact during the GAA football championship.
In injury time, with Karl O'Connell racing towards the goal and Mayo goalkeeper Rob Hennelly absent from between the posts, the half-back was brought down by Jason Doherty inside the semi-circular arc.
Referee David Gough immediately awarded Monaghan a penalty and showed Doherty a black card. Conor McManus stepped up in the 77th minute to dispatch the kick, taking his total to 1-7 for the game and giving Monaghan a vital 2-14 to 0-14 victory.
Though the foul by Doherty was not inside the large rectangle, the penalty was awarded due to a rule which came into effect during the 2021 GAA season.
Rule 5.41 of the GAA's official guide states that a penalty shall be awarded in football when a player is "denied of a goal-scoring opportunity" due to a black card foul inside the 20m line (though not within 25m of either sideline) or within the semi-circular arc.
26 March 2023; Monaghan players celebrate with their manager Vinny Corey, top, after the Allianz GAA Football League Division 1 match between Mayo and Monaghan at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
"It didn't have a major impact today because the game was pretty much done at that this stage," Kerry GAA legend Cooper told RTÉ's Allianz League Sunday.
"This is a long kickout. Rob Hennelly is out of his goals, he's going through the air like Superman and gets nowhere near it. Monaghan are on the break.
"The rule basically is that if you are pulled down inside the 21 [it's a penalty]. You can see it here, Jason Doherty for a deliberate pull down. David Gough goes straight for a penalty.
"This could have a big impact during the summer in a championship game. It's a rule we don't see enforced too often. I can see this playing a big role during the summer."
This is 100% a hurling rule but can anyone point in the direction of where it exists in the football rulebook ? #GAA pic.twitter.com/V7kNAbrYSA
— UnOfficialGaa (@UnOfficialGaa) March 27, 2023
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