Hurling committee propose squad numbers and substitutions for sent-off players

A hurling review committee headed by former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy has made 15 proposals to help improve the game, including the introduction of squad numbers and the scrapping of the rule whereby two yellow cards result in a player being sent off.

The GAA Hurling 2020 Review Committee’s proposals were released on Tuesday and may be passed in time for the start of this summer’s championship.

Whilst the committee decided that there was no appetite for introducing a black card, they did propose that rather than a player being dismissed for two separate yellow card offences they should in fact be substituted to keep the game at 15-a-side.

The committee also propose that the introduction of squad numbers for intercounty teams will stifle the current trend of “dummy teams” and allow for further marketing of the players, and the game itself.

The eleven person committee which also included former Limerick hurler Ollie Moran, Veronica Curtin and Ollie Canning from Galway, Clare's Frank Lohan and Paul Flynn from Waterford, has already proposed changes to the penalty rules - reducing the number of players allowed on the line for a penalty to just one.

Further to the penalty proposal, for any free from outside of the rectangle they propose that only three players be allowed to join their goalkeeper on the line so as to increase the taker’s goal scoring opportunity.

Other proposals include the removal of a relegation/promotion play off between the Christy Ring Cup winners and the losers of the Leinster round-robin series, allowing for the Christy Ring winners to automatically be promoted. There's also recommendations to increase the number of Maor Uisce's so as to address hydration concerns as well as the standardisation of the sliotar at all levels.

Central council will meet next month with these proposals set for the agenda. You can view the report in full here.