Is it time to do away with the black card?

The black card was introduced by the GAA to deter cynical play but is it being correctly implemented?

There were none handed out in either of the All Ireland quarter-finals at the weekend, despite some instances that should probably have warranted it.

While in the qualifier between Kildare and Armagh Kildare goalkeeper Mark Donnellan appeared to take out Andrew Murnin off the ball.

The rule states that deliberately body-checking another player off the ball warrants a black card, however Donnellan saw yellow for this challenge.

Jim McGuinness highlighted the lack of enforcement of the rule over the weekend in his article for The Irish Times. McGuinness pointed to the incident in the first-half of the Kerry/Galway game, in which Shane Enright barged into Johnny Heaney off the ball.

Like Donnellan Enright was shown yellow. While he also points out a similar incident in the Armagh/Kildare game from the night before.

“We’re living a lie with the pretending that everything’s okay. Everything is not okay because in those two situations – at the business end of the championship – either the officials don’t know the rule or they don’t know how to detect and enforce it. Either way, it’s a very bad situation.

If you look at the Enright foul, Peter Crowley comes over and taps referee David Coldrick on the back, a wee bit of moral support. Enright gets the yellow and he taps the ref on the back because both players knew it was a black card and the referee didn’t? It’s incredible!”

Pat McEnaney was a guest on the We Are Ulster podcast a couple of months ago and spoke about the rule, and was honest about its failures, stating;

“if we don’t get it right, the Association, and fellas like myself, will have to have a wee think about it”.

What players, managers and players alike hate is inconsistency in applying the rules. What we have seen in so many games since the rule’s introduction are a series of baffling decisions and some star players banished from some big games.

As the All-Ireland Football Championship 1/4 finals draw to a close, is it time for a root and branch review of the card, or simply to get rid of it altogether?

Social Sharing

Posted in

Limerick and Tipperary play out thrilling Munster Senior Hurling Championship draw

Limerick got their Munster SHC campaign off to a 2-23 to 2-23 with Tipperary in a pulsating clash ...
Read More

Report: Waterford finish strongly to defeat Limerick Minor hurlers

Waterford 1-20Limerick 0-14Limerick’s Minor hurlers suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Munster Minor Championship, falling to a ...
Read More

Croke Park glory for Limerick footballers after final win over Wexford

Limerick's senior footballers are basking in glory this Saturday evening following a 3-11 to 0-18 win over Wexford ...
Read More

Limerick footballers earn promotion after Waterford blown away in Mick Neville Park

Limerick's senior footballers are back in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League at the first attempt following ...
Read More

Limerick end league with disappointing loss to Wexford

Limerick's hurlers finished their Allianz Hurling League Division 1A season with a defeat to Wexford on a 1-19 ...
Read More

League hopes ended as Cats sink Limerick

Limerick 0-20Kilkenny 0-29A disjointed and under-par Limerick fell to their second defeat in three Allianz League outings, losing ...
Read More

Limerick ease beyond Galway to get back to winning ways in NHL

Limerick 1-27Galway 0-18A hungry Limerick eased beyond 14-man Galway at the TUS Gaelic Grounds. It gets John Kiely's ...
Read More

Wasteful Limerick suffer Clare defeat in NHL

In a fascinating encounter at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, Clare secured their first win of the 2025 season, ...
Read More