Penalties in Gaelic football: Are spot kicks the fairest way to decide matches?

Bernard Brogan, Peter Canavan and Kieran Donaghy debate whether penalties are the fairest way of deciding Gaelic football matches.

This past weekend, spot kicks were needed to separate Trillick and Killyclogher in the Tyrone Senior Football Championship, while the tie-breaker was also called upon in the Tipperary Hurling Championship.

With fixture-makers operating in narrow windows, there is no room for replays in many cases. And the GAA are looking to produce a 'winner on the day'.

But are penalties the fairest solution?

"The Trillick manager Nigel Seaney came out afterwards and even through they won, he said he's not an advocate, that the game shouldn't be decided that way," noted Peter Canavan, speaking on Inside The Game.

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"The 'Golden Score' for example, it's been much talked about. It's been something that maybe should be implemented that's not as sore on players. But what's to say that if you play the golden score, the game might go on for another 10, 15, 20 minutes before you get that?

"In some cases players might be out on the pitch maybe two hours, which I think is too much to expect. Plus the pressure that would put on referees, where there's a golden score, where they have to give frees.

"I think the penalty shootout adds excitement. Yes, it puts pressure on players, but look every time we go out to play the game, be it a free-taker, look at the pressure that's on him, he hits a kick. Goalkeepers don't seem to mind it either. I still think these games have to be decided on the night, and it's probably still the best way to finish."

'In GAA, it's so far away from our skill-set of the game'

Former Dublin forward Bernard Brogan was in agreement that it's the best solution at present, but stressed its imperfection.

"It's definitely not fair, but it's probably the most natural end," said the Oliver Plunketts club man. "There needs to be a solution on the night, because with the games coming thick and fast, even playing extra, the golden score, would just put too much pressure on players. The game needs to be called.

"I never even liked it in soccer, watching it. In GAA, it's so far away from our skill-set of the game. It's not a true reflection of what happened in the 80 minutes before it. But I don't see very many alternatives. Maybe 45s, it's a nice one to see, more of a natural skillset for GAA. But I think it's working so far."

It's definitely not fair, but it's probably the most natural end.

'You can't have replay after replay'

"I think that's the way it has to go for it to be finished," added Kieran Donaghy.

"What they're trying to do with the club calendar and intercounty calendar, having a split year where there's a defined number of games, you can't have replay after replay. It just puts back the year, nobody can plan properly.

"Bernard is right in a way - it's not a natural skill-set. But it is something that needs to be looked at and talked about. Nothing better when you finish training than an old penalty shootout. We were doing it before there were ever penalty shootouts for the craic!

"I think penalty shootouts at the end of training might be no harm, just to get fellas used to hitting it with a bit of pressure. Obviously nothing can compare to the real thing when you're walking down. I did it last year in a club game. I was not looking forward to walking down, absolutely scared looking at it, standing over it. Not the nicest feeling in the world, but you're just praying to God that it hits the back of the net, and you don't have to deal with the disappointment initially and then getting slagged for a few days afterwards.

"I wouldn't fancy walking into Hill 16 trying to hit a penalty trying to keep Kerry's season alive against the Dubs. That wouldn't be a nice feeling! But maybe it's something we might see later on in the year."

You can watch the full episode of Inside The Game on the Sky Sports YouTube channel.