The GAA is happy with the positive effect the black card has had on gaelic football so far.

Statistics from the national football league show that the number of scores has increased by over 10% per game and this is seen as an encouraging start for the new rule.

However, there is no room for complacency as the championship could prove to be a whole different ballgame as - with stakes higher - players who were reluctant to even tackle let alone foul during the Spring could revert to type.

"Of course we're happy with the initial findings," the GAA's head of games administration and player welfare Feargal McGill told The Irish Times. "We're not patting ourselves on the back because we're also mindful that we haven't seen any championship yet and that would be expected to have just that bit more cut and thrust.

"I also think that there's still confusion out there about what is and what isn't a black card. My personal experience judging by reactions at matches is that there's a perception it's somewhere between a yellow and red. I've heard people complain when a black card is shown that it 'wasn't that bad a tackle'" Tweet

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