Despite initial criticism, GAA president Nickey Brennan has vigorously defended the new match regulations agreed by Central Council at the weekend.

He also expressed confidence that they would be adopted after a trial period during the National Leagues and would contribute to an improvement in the problem of indiscipline.

Speaking at a media briefing in Croke Park yesterday the president emphasised he was aware of and concerned about the litany of disorder at club matches this autumn and winter.

"I've been very critical of incidents in some of our games. I've applauded provincial councils and county boards who have stood up to this problem and I would urge all of our units to deal with these matters. It shows the importance of the new match regulations. Greater responsibility and more respect for officialdom are needed. We'll certainly give a lead at national level."

Asked was it not therefore an embarrassment that St Brigid's player Frankie Dolan, who had been involved in an altercation with a Corofin club official during the recent Connacht club final, had received a suspension that didn't require the missing of a single match, Brennan replied: "There's no argument against that but in fairness to the Connacht Council they took the incident seriously but the rule in question didn't have the effect of suspension."

Further questioned whether it was satisfactory that the player had been suspended not under the obvious offence (of interfering with an opposing team official) but rather for discrediting the association, which allowed him to escape a match ban, the president was diplomatic.

"I'm not going into specifics but what's been said is absolutely right," he added.

Nonetheless he felt that the new match regulations would have an impact on the area of discipline and was confident they would be made permanent after the upcoming trial period.

"We need the League to see have we got this completely right but we expect these proposals will go through almost in their entirety. Then we will say to county boards to adopt these as standard for club games. There's been far too many people on the sideline and in some club matches nearly as many on the line as up in the stands and that has contributed to a number of unsavoury incidents."

The new regulations restrict the numbers on the sideline to five personnel: manager, runner, doctor, physio and county official. Other team officials and substitutes will be confined to seating area designated by the committee in charge. A team manager cannot however appoint himself the runner although another selector is allowed fulfil the role.

The new restrictions will be reviewed after the National Leagues and club championships have concluded but already they have attracted a hostile response from some managers.

"We're going with it during the League and there may be a reinterpretation after. Some county grounds might have problems depending on facilities but the CCC (Competitions Control Committee) will check what's practical."

It has been a constant theme of the current presidency's first year that the presentation of big matches has been frequently undermined by the constant intrusion onto the playing area of team officials. The proposed limitations are designed to thin both the numbers on the line and the consequent potential for trouble.

Other elements in the reforms, which go some way to restoring measures introduced during Seán McCague's presidency but relaxed under his successor Seán Kelly, include the designation of warm-up areas and the return of water-carriers under the control of the committee in charge rather than the teams themselves.

"The committee in charge will specify the warm-up area for teams beforehand. It is hoped that this will help avoid hassle and the type of incidents that caused a bit of aggro recently," said Brennan in obvious reference to the Dublin-Mayo squabble over who practised before the match into the Hill.

"The situation concerning water-carriers will switch back (to the responsibility of the organising committee) because it had got completely out of hand in the last 12 months," he added.

GAA Director General Liam Mulvihill expanded on the thinking behind the change.

"One reason for change was that water carriers were too young and didn't take it seriously enough. We don't want the committee in charge appointing children or anyone that might become distracted."