FRC proposes hooter change but four-point goal can wait

The Football Review Committee have recommended a further change to the hooter rule but have held fire on the re-introduction of a four-point goal for the 2026 inter-county season.

In their final report, published this afternoon, the FRC proposed the permanent adoption of the changes trialled ahead of the 2025 championship season, albeit with further modifications recommended.

Following a controversial ending to a Division 2 game between Westmeath and Meath in Mullingar last March, the FRC introduced a change whereby once the hooter sounded, the half would only end once the ball subsequently went dead.

This amended rule, however, attracted some criticism during the season, with teams nursing possession in the closing minutes of a half to ensure they were afforded the final scoring opportunity after the hooter sounded.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 championship, the FRC are recommending a reversion to the original proposal, with the game ending once the hooter sounds - unless the ball is in flight or a free-kick is being taken, including 45s and line balls.

In general, the FRC stressed that the stop-clock and hooter had proven beneficial, in terms of increased "clarity and transparency in timekeeping" and noting that the average duration of games had increased to 78 minutes and 42 seconds in 2025.

The FRC have also recommended a tweak to the scoring system, allowing a two-pointer to stand in cases where an opponent touches the ball in flight after it is kicked from outside the arc.

The original rule provoked some confusion when Mayo were only awarded a one-point score in the Connacht final, after Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson got a faint touch to the ball as it went over the crossbar. Under the proposed modification, Ryan O'Donoghue's effort would have earned two points.

Having trailed by 8 points at the break, Mayo are level and maybe should be in front after a very tight call on a two-pointer.

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📱 Updates https://t.co/ECmd6Hyidk pic.twitter.com/OajBiIrACi — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 4, 2025

However, the FRC stopped short of calling for the re-introduction of the four-point goal, originally trialled in last year's resurrected inter-provincial series but subsequently ditched ahead of the 2025 Allianz League.

In the report, the FRC acknowledged that survey participants had expressed concern that the two-point score "demeans a goal" and there was support for the four-point goal as "corrective measure."

The FRC expressed the fear that measure could "disrupt game balance" and lead to lop-sided scorelines in mismatched fixtures at lower tier and underage levels. They did concede that the proposal merited further analysis after the 2026 season.

The review commitee have also proposed a new cynical foul offence, where players are denied a goal-scoring opportunity through jersey-pulling, which would would now be penalised by a black card and a penalty.

There is a recommendation that the kickout rule be further tightened, with kickouts now required to go beyond the 20 metre line, to prevent defenders finding a pocket of space in front of the 13 metre line near the sideline.

Further tweaks have been suggested whereby a 13-metre free - or a two-point free from outside the arc - be awarded against a team in cases where a match official is abused by a team official during half-time or before the start of a game.

A free from the halfway line may also be awarded if a player not contesting the throw-in crosses the 45 metre line before play begins, or if the player stationed on the sideline encroaches before the throw-in.

The FRC has also recommended that the solo and go must be taken within four metres of where the foul has occurred or else the play will be brought back, with a traditional free to be taken.

The votes on the retention of the rule changes and the proposed modifications will take place at Special Congress at 4 October.

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