I'm glad to see the black card rule is improving match quality.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 2590 - 31/08/2014 20:36:36    1645556

I think it makes a difference as it forces defenders to defend properly and stop players needlessly being hauled to the ground.

The handing out of the black card is inconsistent but that will hopefully improve with time but the biggest success of the black card has been that it has caused defenders to be afraid of hauling someone down and that is a good thing.The quality of proper defending in the 3 semi finals was really good in my opinion.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 31/08/2014 20:40:36    1645560

The black card is a joke. An extra worry for over-burdened referees. Some of them find it hard to tell the difference between taking a name, a yellow or red so how are they expected to police the game with a third card thrown in?

One ref could have sent off 5 or more from each side in Limerick yesterday while another would, rightfully, leave the teams as they were. A lot of inconsistencies from referee to referee. Gaelic football is a physical game and should remain so. Scrap the black card.

I don't theink the presence of the black card option for the referee had much affect on the to Mayo v Kerry games. I haven't seen the Dublin v Donegal yet.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 31/08/2014 20:46:34    1645566

Are you serious? The black card was completely ignored by the referee yesterday despite 2 or 3 quite clear black card offences. It was implemented today but once again it was total inconsistency in the two games. Look at the cynical hits in the Mayo/Kerry game and the clear pulling and dragging and yet no black cards????????

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9702 - 31/08/2014 20:46:59    1645567

31/08/2014 20:36:36 omahant
I'm glad to see the black card rule is improving match quality. But its not used enough or on a consistent basis to really improve games
31/08/2014 20:40:36 uibhfhaili1986
I think it makes a difference as it forces defenders to defend properly and stop players needlessly being hauled to the ground.
The handing out of the black card is inconsistent but that will hopefully improve with time but the biggest success of the black card has been that it has caused defenders to be afraid of hauling someone down and that is a good thing.The quality of proper defending in the 3 semi finals was really good in my opinion.Agree on defending being very good but while it does try force defenders to defend properly are referees using the card enough? No IMO
31/08/2014 20:46:34 GreenandRed
The black card is a joke. An extra worry for over-burdened referees. Some of them find it hard to tell the difference between taking a name, a yellow or red so how are they expected to police the game with a third card thrown in?
One ref could have sent off 5 or more from each side in Limerick yesterday while another would, rightfully, leave the teams as they were. A lot of inconsistencies from referee to referee. Gaelic football is a physical game and should remain so. Scrap the black card.
I don't theink the presence of the black card option for the referee had much affect on the to Mayo v Kerry games. I haven't seen the Dublin v Donegal yet. The card isn't a joke but its implementation is. Don't scrap the black card as something more than taking name, then yellow, red is needed

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 31/08/2014 21:16:15    1645614

It's not needed. It's there to cover up the real problem, inconsistencies between referees. It's flavour of the month stuff. There was nothing wrong with the rules before the black card. There was just inconsistencies between different referees which remain, despite the introduction of the black card. It's also being exploited by both attacking players going down too easy in the free-kick scoring zone trying to get a player black carded. And the worst aspect of it is the team if the player is blackcarded out can bring in a sub. I think it's actually encouraging cynical play because managers know the referees are incosistent and can spot where the inconsistencies can be exploited.

How to deal with cynical fouling :

Straight red. Player off cannot be replaced. 2 game ban. No compromises. The blackcard is just the politically-correct, Twitter generation, attempt to take the physicality from our games.Just my opinion.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 31/08/2014 21:55:11    1645657

31/08/2014 21:55:11 GreenandRed
It's not needed. It's there to cover up the real problem, inconsistencies between referees. It's flavour of the month stuff. There was nothing wrong with the rules before the black card. There was just inconsistencies between different referees which remain, despite the introduction of the black card. It's also being exploited by both attacking players going down too easy in the free-kick scoring zone trying to get a player black carded. And the worst aspect of it is the team if the player is blackcarded out can bring in a sub. I think it's actually encouraging cynical play because managers know the referees are incosistent and can spot where the inconsistencies can be exploited.
How to deal with cynical fouling :
Straight red. Player off cannot be replaced. 2 game ban. No compromises. The blackcard is just the politically-correct, Twitter generation, attempt to take the physicality from our games.Just my opinion. That isn't a solution as there'd be loads of red cards every gam
The black card or something like a sin bin is needed. Inconsistencies would still occur/
Blackcard doesn't try remove physicality from gaelic football.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 31/08/2014 22:00:23    1645664

I stated that badly. The black card was not set up to remove the physicality but because some defenders are wary of it it has the effect of having less physical challenges. I'll give it time but I hope referees become more consistent in it's implementation.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 01/09/2014 08:40:44    1645674

You're right Ormond. There would be lots of reds in games at the start if the refs cracked down more consistently and decisively on cynical play. That's exactly jy point.But they would soon cop on to the fact and cynical play would be reduced. I don't believe the current inconsistent refereeing and the inconsistent use of the black card is a proper deterrent. Remains to be seen if it will improve though. If they keep the black card and it improves on the cynical fouling I won't be so cynical about it. Intended pun alert!

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 01/09/2014 14:14:27    1646015

For body checking the black card has worked 100%, people seem to forget how common this had become, which shows how effective the black card has been.

It hasn't worked as well for the drag down, due to the fact that this is alot more open to the refs interpretation.

So to answer your question, yes, I do believe the black card played a big part in the standard of the 3 semi finals

jamesjoyce (Derry) - Posts: 126 - 01/09/2014 14:57:53    1646081

Fair point JamesJoyce. But surely the men who fouled for the penalties on Saturday should all be blackarded off the pitch? What's the rule for that case?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 01/09/2014 15:06:04    1646098