26-man panel lists for senior inter-county GAA championship games will be publicly announced on Friday afternoons. It is expected that the new practice will begin this week ahead of the first games in the provincial championships.
Up to now, many teams would name a starting team but not the complete squad, preferring to keep their full arsenal to themselves. Not all counties were in agreement regarding the introduction of the public announcement.
As in previous years, counties must register their matchday panels with the GAA by 9am on Thursdays. Teams can also register a maximum of four standby players. The public announcement of the panels is delayed to allow management teams to inform players.
This year, due to the condensed season and an increase in the number of games, there will be some leeway to allow alternations to the panels, providing teams have the permission of the committee in charge at least one hour before throw-in.
23 August 2009; Frank Murphy, Cork County Board Secretary, after handing the team sheet to referee John Bannon before the game. GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final, Tyrone v Cork, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
Changes can be made due to a number of circumstances, including a player being injured and a medical report being provided; a player having a bereavement in their family; a player having Covid-19; a player being suspended after 9am on a Thursday; a player having a suspension lifted after the deadline; and if the committee in charge accepts that a genuine administration error has been made.
Teams must provide their starting sides to the referees 40 minutes before the throw-in. Changes to starting teams can be made after that time if a player picks up an injury. However, they are not allowed to participate in the match.
The penalty for including a player not named in the matchday panel, whose introduction has not been approved by the committee in charge, is the forfeiture of the game.
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