While the GAA hasn't been shy about introducing experimental rule changes over the past number of years, it hasn't been so confident about permanent alterations. The problems in introducing the sin bin have again emphasised how certain aspects of football and hurling - particularly regarding discipline - are naturally resistant to change.
Central Council has often approved quite radical changes, such as the decision several years ago that all 32 counties be drawn from a hat to decide the four divisions of the league.
Yet the last significant change came in 1990, with the free-kick from the hands, and the sideline-kick from the hands. Those changes were also designed to deal with cynical fouling.
Another of the more controversial experiments in the National Football League of recent years was the limiting of the hand-pass - although that too was killed off before it was given much of a chance. In counties where hand-passing was a tribal addiction, the powers that be were accused of deliberately stalling.
Before the start of the National Football League in 1998 the GAA announced experimental rules with an emphasis on high fielding, distance kicking and - once more - a reduction in fouling.
Included was the decision to allow referees carry cards to illustrate bookings - yellow for a caution, red for sendings-off. The games committee who devised those changes were confident that the cards would deter players from engaging in repetitive fouling.
That committee also acknowledged that teams had become over-reliant on the hand-pass. As a result, outfield players were made follow through with the fist, while goalkeepers were restricted to passing with the boot only. The ultimate object of those modifications was to restore a long-passing, high-fetching aspect to the game.
The GAA have also experimented with how they could deal with rule changes. Two years ago a motion from Tyrone was successfully passed at Congress which banned rule changes for a period of 10 years. Last year that was changed back again, so that the GAA could allow rule changes every five years while also experimenting along the way.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Sunday- O'Byrne Cup SF final: Westmeath v Laois, Mullingar, 2.0, B White (Wexford). Walsh Cup SH: Offaly v Down, Birr, 2.0, S Whelan (Wexford). Kehoe Cup SH: (2.0): Longford v Athlone IT, Longford, S Corcoran (Westmeath), Kildare v Mayo, Newbridge, J Owens (Wexford), Louth v DIT, Termonkeckin, M Bartley (Meath); Carlow v Monaghan, Carlow, D Connolly (Kilkenny). McGrath Cup SF semi-finals: Tipperary v Cork IT, Clonmel, 1.30, P Sheehy (Kerry); Tralee IT v Limerick, Gaelic Grounds, 1.30, J Geaney (Cork). Connacht FBD League (2.0): Sligo IT v NUIG, Dangan, D Hunt (Roscommon); Mayo v Roscommon, Ballyhaunis, P Sheoighe (Galway); GMIT v Clare, GMIT, P Carney (Roscommon); Sligo v Leitrim, Coola, F Kinneen (Galway). Knock Airport Hurling League (2.0): Mayo v GMIT, Ballinrobe, A Flaherty (Roscommon); Sligo/Leitrim v Galway, Tourlestrane, J McGrath (Mayo); NUIG v Sligo IT, Dangan, M Bodkin (Galway).
