McCabe questions new rules but lauds efforts of players

By Stephen Barry

Dermot McCabe questioned the “crazy” intensity of Gaelic football under the new rules and what he described as “strange” two-pointers after his side's narrow defeat to Cork last Saturday.

But the Westmeath manager equally lauded his young players for how they are stepping up to Division 2 football.

“We did a lot of things well and created a huge amount of chances,” he said, following the 3-18 to 3-17 defeat in a thrilling game.

“It’s a tough game now. On my watch, it was at 41 minutes (the second half) and that was at quite high intensity for the month of February, which is crazy. I don’t know how lads who have to be at work in the morning are going to survive that.

“We don’t like moral victories but every lad tried his hardest. The lads are stepping up. That was Brandon (Kelly)’s first game to start with us. We had Jack Geoghegan, a debutant. We’d a lot of new guys there.

“We’re one of the youngest teams in all the divisions of the National League and they’re giving us everything.

“We could’ve got something out of definitely two of the three games. Those couple of late scores are just hard to take,” continued McCabe.

Westmeath have excelled at kicking two-pointers from the likes of Luke Loughlin and the McCartan brothers, but McCabe remains unconvinced of their benefit to the game.

“The two-pointers are just strange. I can’t understand them, to be honest. It’s getting more and more like 11-a-side basketball. There are just set-ups and structures that have to be done to create and prevent scores.”

Against the prevailing consensus, McCabe is sceptical of the 'solo and go' rule change and highlighted the dark arts around kickouts.

“We’re missing a good bit of experience as regards fielders so lads are really trying to step up and get it to ground.

“I felt at times it was close to a lineout (in rugby). A lot of Cork players were blocking runners. That seemed to be allowed so I’m interested is that the format going forward? Can I practise during the week that I’m going to stop five jumpers in order to get my jumper up? Because that appeared to be what was allowed.

“My biggest difficulty with the rules is consistency. I saw a programme during the week and the ref has 500 decisions to make. The new rules have probably turned that into 700 decisions. They have to be consistent and that’s a difficult thing for the refs to do. It’s hugely unfair on the refs.”

McCabe hopes to have absent midfielders Ray Connellan and Brian Guerin back for “the latter stages of the League”. Athlone's Connellan and Guerin of Mullingar Shamrocks started at midfield in the opening round against Louth but haven't featured since due to injury.