“I don’t like it, it’s not Gaelic football.”
Meath secured a last-gasp win over neighbours Westmeath in their Division 2 clash in Mullingar on Sunday.
Conor Duke scored with the final kick of the game to hand the Royals a 3-14 to 1-17 victory.
However, there was controversy surrounding the score, as it was unclear whether the ball had gone in before or after the hooter had sounded.
The new rules state that any score after the hooter will not count, although the referee eventually deciding that it would stand.
Despite the decision, Meath manager Robbie Brennan was utterly displeased, while there was further uncertainty over whether the hooter was even in play.
He said: “I don’t know I was giving out to the linesman like I was for most of the half so I didn’t actually see it, all I know is when Dukey rattled the net I was gone off like Jose Mourinho down the line like a mad man.
“Whether it was gone or not I don’t know, but we didn’t know before the game whether the hooter was in, then it wasn’t, then the clock was in, then it wasn’t so it’s all a bit of a mess that thing at the moment you know.”
Brennan had further criticism for the new rules, which has seen the addition of 2-point scores and the 3v3 rule which means teams must have three up and three back at all times.
Brennan said: “My own honest opinion, not with my Meath manager hat (on), is that they’ve lost the run of what we are trying to do.
“The whole idea here was to try protect the game and we’re not doing that – that’s not Gaelic football.
“You check a score at half-time of a game and it’s 17-0 to somebody, it’s a joke to be honest with you, the way it’s gone.
It’s a mix of outdoor basketball with a breeze, soccer style defending with 11 behind the ball in zonal stuff, and a bit of rugby thrown in for a few scrums around the middle. I don’t like it, it’s not Gaelic football.”
On whether change may come and the FRC will take on board the feelings from manager, Brennan was not so sure.
He added: “There are a load emails going around – fill in this form and fill in that form – but I’d say it’s a bit like voting; the decision will be made no matter what.
“God forbid we might have Gaelic football back again instead of a mix of soccer, basketball and rugby. But I doubt the way things are going that they’ll be changing a whole pile, unfortunately.”
