New rules have added greatly to the enjoyment of the game says Moran

Gaelic football’s new rules are here to stay and it is fair to say they’ve found appreciation from fans and players alike with Shane Moran’s only complaint that they weren’t introduced earlier in his career!

Speaking ahead of next Sunday’s Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final clash with Leitrim Gaels in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, Shane also said he feels the new rules are tough on match officials with so much to administer while also trying to explain to players why decisions are made.

Chatting with the Observer, Shane admitted that the intensity around the middle of the field had gone up with the new playing rules: “Definitely more enjoyable - with the new rules, it's kind of the intensity breaking ball around the middle is the big thing and so we're just going to have to go out for every ball like our lives depend on it.

“It's going to be a tough tough battle but we'll just bring the best we can and focus on ourselves. As a midfielder, I think the new rules are great - I could have done with them the last 10 years and no long kick outs coming out at all. Now this year they're coming out flying when you're past the hill but I'm enjoying them.”

One rule that has had a big impact is the two pointer but Shane sees it is a positive for the game: “Two pointers, as you've seen probably in the drawn semi-final, can be slightly overpowering but if the two pointers weren't there, boys wouldn't be taking those shots so it's probably a small few tweaks that need to be done but overall I think it's a huge positive for football.”

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However, Shane does have sympathy for match officials in dealing with the new rules but was full of praise for their interactions with players: “It's tough on the referees, the amount of new rules, all the lads, not being sure, questioning the referee but I think, in fairness, the last couple of games the refs have been brilliant. 

“The one thing I think was great is the explaining of what that was for and the reason behind it, then lads understand and just say yeah fair enough. There's one or two calls I got wrong out there and Vincent (McMorrow) just corrected me and I was like ‘yeah actually you're right, fair enough’. Overall, I think it is a positive.”