This weekend a proposal will go before the GAA’s Annual Congress to end the role of the Maor Foirne. The motion will see medical staff as the only non-players permitted to enter the field to examine an injured player.
This motion comes after a number of high-profile incidents involving management teams such as Davy Fitz’ altercation with Jason Forde and Greg Cunningham of Dublin catching a TJ Reid free.
When asked about the motion after the Cork game last Sunday, Limerick manager John Kiely dismissed the idea.
Kiely has been high in his praise of Limerick Maor Foirne Paul Kinnerk since his appointment which has seen the duo pick up All-Ireland, Munster and League medals.
As such, Kiely thinks the motion is papering over cracks that could be dealt with in a more efficient and better way, with the role of the Maor Foirne very important.
“Why is it being done? Why has the proposal gone forward to do away with the Maor Foirne? It’s because of another problem, and that problem is people not leaving the field in a designated way that is required of them.
“We see it every weekend where certain individuals are exiting the pitch through a piece of space and in my opinion in that situation, the fourth official should be given the power to give a yellow card, and if it happens again, a red card. Those doing it would then adjust their behaviour and exit in an appropriate fashion. That is the only issue that’s there with the Maor Foirne at the moment.”
Kiely outlined how the Maor Foirne often acts a middleman between the players and management throughout the game, such as when a player goes down injured.
He feels like the current proposal is too reactionary and that there is a better way to deal with the issue.
“The issue is with the behaviour of a small few and they need to be dealt with. There’s been ample opportunities and mechanism to deal with them and it should be dealt with. There is no need to be introducing a daft notion. We need to be able to access the field, for example in the case of an injury. Now the medical team will be there, but they have to stay with the player.
“So, the Maor Foirne can run between the player and the sideline to tell us what the situation is and the correct course of action, that is just one example.
“It’s a vital, vital role on matchday and if we take it away, we are going to create another problem. You will have people encroaching the field who should not be in the first place, so I think we are creating another problem by dealing with it like this.
“It’s very manageable if they put their mind to it.”
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