Corofin brought on seven substitutes in normal time during their win over Castlebar.
Six of them were normal substitutions.
One of them was a blood sub.
The blood sub was for Kieran Fitzgerald – the first man to come off the field – in the 21st minute. It was only a temporary change which could’ve been reversed at any time. However, it was never reversed.
Cathal Silke came on to replace Fitzgerald in the first half and, although he was only detailed as a temporary sub, there was never any requirement for him to come back off or to be made into a permanent substitution. It never had to be reversed.
GAA rules state that a team is allowed to make six substitutions in normal time and three subs in extra time.
They are also allowed to make temporary substitutions to treat blood injuries.
Rule 2.4
(i) The maximum number of substitutions permitted during the playing of Normal Time shall be Six in Football and Five in Hurling.
(ii) A maximum of three Substitutions shall be allowed during the playing of Extra Time.
(iii) Temporary Substitutions are also permitted during the playing of both Normal Time and Extra Time, as provided for in Rule 1.5(b) Rules of Control – Injuries: Blood.
The problem here is that there is no time limit on those temporary subs so even after Kieran Fitzgerald clashes heads and comes off to get treatment, even if it’s clear he won’t be coming back onto the pitch, Corofin do not have to do anything about that.
The temporary sub can stay on for as long as you want because there are no rules to say otherwise.
Two years ago in the league, Mayo’s Evan Regan was taken to hospital after a nasty fall in a game against Kerry. He was replaced as a blood sub even though he was, of course, never returning. Mayo made six more subs – seven in total – and it was all perfectly legal.
Corofin subs v Castlebar
Normal time:
Temporary: C Silke for Fitzgerald (21 mins)
1. D Burke for Brady (53 mins)
2. J Burke for Martin Farragher (57 mins)
3. D McHugh for Molloy (57 mins)
4. B O’Donovan (0-1) for Lundy (60+2 mins)
5. C Brady for Wall (60+3 mins)
6. K Murphy for McGrath (60+5 mins)
Extra time:
1. K Molloy for Cunninghan (73 mins)
2. Martin Farragher for J Burke (79 mins)
Although seven subs were made in normal time, only six were counted. Had there been more blood injuries, Corofin could’ve made more subs and they would’ve been allowed to.
The rule can be manipulated but it wasn’t in this case. Fitzgerald needed treatment and the Galway champions made five of those subs in the last three minutes of normal time anyway.
It is a rule which needs to be better-defined though but not one which contributed to the losing of this match for Castlebar.
