Queen's manager Cathal O'Rourke has criticised the new ruling which prevents freshers (first years) from lining out with their universities in pre-season competitions such as the McKenna Cup. "The new rule where freshers can't play for the university I think is probably the stupidest rule that has ever been invented," the former Armagh star told the Irish News. "We have a number of freshers at Queen's who are in the McKenna Cup squads for their county." O'Rourke claims players at that age want to play as much football as they can and that the rule was "a sop to Croke Park on the burnout issue." The new ruling means that 2008 All-Ireland winning minor Niall McKenna can line out for Tyrone in the upcoming McKenna Cup, but is ineligible to play for Queen's. Tweet

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