Plans to ban water carriers from the pitch during inter-county games have been met with strong opposition from managers. The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) is seeking to keep the maor uisce off the pitch in a bid to reduce the amount of traffic encroaching on the pitch. Until now, three water carriers per team were allowed, leading to the possibility of six extra bodies dashing onto the pitch at any one time. On some occasions, water carriers became involved in incidents with opposing players. If the CCCC's proposal is accepted, players will have to go to the sideline to get water from one of four water carriers. John O'Mahony was among the inter-county managers who attended last Tuesday night's meeting with GAA top brass in Croke Park regarding the experimental playing rules, and claims there was an angry reaction to the proposal. "That was a very contentious issue and there were objections to it," he said. "They were asked to go back to the committee to look at it again. It means your midfielder, full back or whoever would have to run to the sideline to get water. It would be mayhem." Managers are also facing new restrictions, with a proposal to prevent them standing just behind the sideline, as has always been the case. Instead, it's planned to have a second line a metre back from the sideline, behind which the managers would operate. The change is designed to prevent managers from getting in the way of linesmen, who are running the line. Tweet

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