Check out New playing rules 15/05/2010

The GAA Congress 2010 passed a number of playing rule changes relevant to football and hurling which will come into effect in all games played on or after May 15^th 2010. In total there are six changes specific to football only and three specific to hurling, while a further six changes affect both codes, A summary of the changes is as follows:

Football Only:

1. Handpass – If a player handpasses the ball using the open hand, there must be a definite underhand striking action.

2. Penalty Kicks – All penalty kicks will now be taken from 11 metres out

3. Kick Outs – All kick outs will now be from the 13 metre line

4. Sideline kicks – Line balls must be kicked from outside the boundary line

5. Illegal Charge - It is illegal for a charge to be made on a player kicking the ball.

6. Definition of bounce - The redefinition of the bounce has the effect that the “Basketball Type”, bounce, per se, is not a foul.

Hurling only:

1. Puck Outs - The penalty for taking a puck-out from outside the small rectangle is changed from the award of a 65m free to the opposition to a throw in the ball on the defenders’ 20m line.

2. Handpass - The ball must be released and struck with a definite striking action of the hand

3. Penalties - Both attackers and defenders must remain outside the 20m line and the arc until the ball is struck from a penalty and the three defenders on the line must not move off the line until the ball is struck.

Both Hurling and Football:

1. Restarting Play – If play is stopped by the referee to enable a seriously injured player to be treated, play will now resume with a free to the team that had possession. However it will not be permitted to score from such a free (if neither team is “in possession”, play shall re-start with a throw in)

2. Throw ins – when the play is being restarted by a throw-in, this must take place a minimum of 13 metres from the sideline

3. Advantage – A referee will now signal that advantage is being played by raising his arm

4. Extra Time – Extra time consists of 10 minutes per half only. The provision for two additional periods of 5 minutes per half has been removed

5. Boundary Lines – The penalty for a player deliberately going outside the boundary lines of the pitch to gain an advantage has changed from a caution to a free.

6. Charge – A charge is now defined as “shoulder to shoulder” rather than “side to side”