The Gaelic Athletic Association is set to trial a series of experimental rule changes in hurling, including a ban on consecutive hand-passes and an increase in the number of steps a player may take while in possession, according to the Irish Examiner.
The new rules will be tested during the Fitzgibbon Cup, a third-level competition, as reported by RTÉ. The changes are part of a broader effort to review and potentially adjust the sport's regulations.
Under the proposed amendments, players would be prohibited from passing the ball directly from hand to hand more than once in a row. In a separate change, the number of steps a player is allowed to take while holding the ball would be extended to six, up from the current limit of four.
Other modifications being trialled include the introduction of a two-point score, as detailed by the Irish Independent. The full list of changes has been published by the Irish Times.
The trial rules have drawn comment from within the sport. John Meyler, speaking to Gaa.ie, suggested the package of changes requires only minor adjustments. "It just needs one or two tweaks," he said, according to the official GAA website.
The decision to pilot these experimental rules comes after a period of discussion about the pace and flow of hurling matches. By testing the changes in a competitive setting like the Fitzgibbon Cup, officials will be able to observe how they affect gameplay before deciding on any wider implementation.
The Fitzgibbon Cup trial will provide the first significant data on how the new regulations function in practice. The outcome of these matches is likely to inform whether the rules are refined, adopted, or discarded for senior inter-county competitions.
