Roscommon manager Davy Burke enthralled by new rules chaos and victorious start

Roscommon manager Davy Burke said a rip-roaring clash with Down was an example of what the new rules in Gaelic football can achieve as his side claimed victory in Allianz Football League Division 2.

The match total of 53 points was the highest of the weekend in a match which had few respites for the scoreboard operators.

The home side emerged with a 3-20 to 1-21 victory to begin their league campaign.

Reacting to the manic nature of the clash, Burke said: "Yeah I was blowing hard myself at the end of it.

"It's frantic and it's absolutely chaotic but I'd be very positive about the new rules and the new game.

"I think we're enroute to a brilliant product. I think there's a few things I’d probably tweak, but I'd be very, very optimistic."

Debate will rage throughout the league on what works efficiently with Burke expressing minor reservations of punishments of up to 50 metres retreat for dissent and the three up breach, yet his overall mood was positive on the evidence today.

That also extended to the outcome of the game, where despite being on the end of six of the new two-points scores in the opening 35 minutes, the Rossies came away smiling.

Pat Havern put the ball over the bar seven times in scoring 0-11, with Burke saying there was a lesson learned for his side on what such classy players can do in this new era, caveated with the fact that they came when Down had the advantage of a hefty breeze.

Burke explained: "Pat Havern is a fair footballer in fairness to him and he killed us, they kicked six two pointers in the first half. You can’t concede that too many more times if you want to win games so we'd be disappointed with that obviously but fair play to Down they were sharp.

"We didn't decide to go down to challenge the game