Comer: Diving has always been part of the game

Diving and "buying frees" has always been part of the GAA, according to Galway forward Damien Comer.

A number of high-profile incidents in the league saw a number of players accused of exaggerating impacts from opposing players, leading to calls for the association to tackle the issue before it becomes even more widespread.

Dublin's Dean Rock said the behaviour is "embarrassing", while RTÉ Sport analyst Éamonn Fitzmaurice has said that the yellow card is a weapon that must be readily utilised to clamp down on simulation.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 1 final against Mayo, Comer said it is certainly not a new development, and believes only the brandishing of cards will help address the issue.

"I think it's always been there to be honest, it's been there and you can call it diving or you can call it buying frees whatever you want to do, but it's like if you go back through any generation," he said.

"You can see on Twitter, there's enough people giving out about it who were probably one of the ones who were at it themselves when they were playing so I don't think it's anything new that's crept into the game.

"There's always going to be an element of you look at in every sport, it's there."

Rule 5.4 of the GAA rulebook says that yellow card can be awarded for any "attempt to achieve an advantage by feigning a foul or injury" and Comer says the issuing of cards would have a swift impact.

"It's up to the GAA to this discipline and the black [yellow] card is there for that. If it starts being used for that it will fairly cut it out then."

Of more pressing concern is Galway's first outing at Croke Park since last year’s All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry.

The Tribesmen are looking for a first Division 1 league