Fans complain GAA is turning into basketball as rule changes have negative affect

Some people are not happy

In December, the Central Competitions Control Committee approved the recommendation from the Football Review Committee to end Gaelic football games at the hooter.

This had previously been the rule last season prior to the All-Ireland series, before the law was changed that the match would only end when the ball went dead.

However, this resulted in the games slowing down towards the end of the halves, with the attacking team passing the ball around until a clear opportunity arose, while the defence sat back.

But this weekend, under the intense microscope of Croke Park, the new hooter rule has been heavily criticised.

As well as some feeling that the hooter rule allows team to pass the ball aimlessly to hold the ball for the final shot of the game, as seen in Down's match with Wexford on Saturday in the Division 3 final, there is another element which some fans are finding distasteful.

It seems a key way of getting the ball back if the opposition is waiting for the final play, is to foul them, hope they miss, and regain possession.

Any many feel this isn't what the rule was intended for.