No move likely to alter rule on extra-time replacements

LEINSTER SFC:THE GAA are standing by the provisions which allow teams to replace players sent off in normal time for the duration of extra-time.

The situation came into sharp focus on Sunday when Dublin’s Denis Bastick and Ger Brennan were red-carded during the standard 70 minutes of the Leinster football quarter-final against Wexford, but both were replaced for the 20 minutes of extra-time.

Wexford manager Jason Ryan said the ability of Dublin to put out a full complement had demoralised his team at the start of extra- time.

“Psychologically, it was such a boost for Dublin, getting to extra- time and getting the two men back, and as much as it was a psychological boost for them it was a kick in the stones for us.”

Pat Daly, the GAA’s head of games, says the system creates difficulties because not all matches go to extra-time and that extra-time is viewed as a new match.

“There are all sorts of anomalies, but if you changed the rules on extra-time there would be other anomalies. You had extra- time yesterday but you don’t have it in a semi-final or final, so in one game you can be penalised and in the other a beneficiary.”

Yet it seems unfair a player in Brennan’s case, red-carded at the very end of a match, can be replaced almost immediately when extra-time starts. Dismissals are seen as being for the remainder of the 70 minutes when they take place.

But last February’s All-Ireland club semi-final highlighted another anomaly. St Gall’s player Anto Healy was sent off for a second yellow in normal-time, but once his team was restored in extra-time Corofin’s Gary Sice picked up a second yellow and his side were reduced to 14.

“Extra-time is a new game,” according to Daly. “That’s the principle: once you’re into extra-time you’re into a new game. But there is an obvious anomaly there as well in that yellow cards carry over into extra-time whereas red cards don’t. If you accept that extra-time is a new game, you have to be consistent across that.

“If teams on red cards can bring on a new player, you either cancel any yellow cards that were shown in normal time or allow teams replace the player on a second yellow.”

Daly said he didn’t think there would be a desire to extend the punishment of teams with red cards into extra-time, were proposals brought forward.

“I think what would happen is that if you attempted to address it, it would more likely be addressed in the context of not having extra- time.”

He added there had been no demand for action to be taken to address these anomalies, which are infrequent occurrences.

“There’d have been comments but nothing substantial or indications that this is a major concern. You won’t get a groundswell because it doesn’t happen often enough.”