Delay on pre-season vote as Central Council approves new rules for Special Congress

The GAA's Central Council have approved the Football Review Committee's new rules to be voted upon at Special Congress next month, but the vote on return of pre-season tournaments in 2025 has been delayed.

The Jim Gavin-led FRC made two small changes to the proposed rules showcased in Croke Park last week, with four points for a goal and two points for a 45 both dropped ahead of today's meeting in Headquarters.

Central Council subsequently, and predictably, waved the rules onwards towards Special Congress on 30 November, when delegates will decide which, if any, of the proposed rule changes will come into effect at the start of the 2025 Allianz League.

It is still to be determined if the league will be the first shop window for the rules after a procedural clarification was sought on today's vote on the pre-season tournaments.

The 49 present at today's meeting will receive an email later to facilitate an electronic vote on whether the McKenna Cup, McGrath Cup, FBD League and O'Byrne Cup will be staged in January.

The Cavan-sponsored motion provoked a week of lobbying from players' body, the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), who rejected suggestions the competitions were needed to allow for further testing of the new playing rules.

"Reversing that decision now would prioritise financial income – as recently articulated by the Connacht Council Secretary - over the health and well-being of our amateur athletes, despite overwhelming evidence of player burnout," a GPA statement said.

"If the pre-season competitions are reintroduced on 2 January, the return-to-training date would need to be moved from 7 December to as early as 16 November."

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