Connacht secretary John Prenty has criticised proposals of the Hurling 2020 committee to reduce the punishment for a second yellow card in hurling and establish a separate hurling referees' sub-committee at national level.

Writing in his annual report to be delivered to next Thursday’s annual provincial convention in Roscommon, Prenty says that allowing the replacement of a player who has received two yellow cards would be a virtual incentive to foul.

“[The] 2020 Committee propose that a player that receives a second yellow card in hurling shall be replaced by a substitute. If the committee believe that there is no cynicism in hurling then it will not be long until there will be. I think that this proposal will not be a runner.

“The proposal to have a separate hurling referees committee, in my opinion, could be divisive and unnecessary.

Balance

“There has always been a balance in the

National Referees Committee

whose brief, in essence, is to ensure that all referees in football and hurling referee the games in accordance with the rules.

“The fact that the present committee under Pat McEnaney has been strong with referees in ensuring that the rules are applied properly should be a badge of honour not a reason to split the committee in two.

“Referees make mistakes, players make mistakes, managers make mistakes and in my opinion this proposal is a mistake and unnecessary.”

Overload

Prenty also comments on the current debate about the overload on young players at this time of the year, suggesting that those contesting competitions at under-21 and in third-level education – the usefulness of which he questions – be prohibited from senior county panels for the duration of these competitions.

“In my opinion the value of third-level and under-21 level competitions is limited but there still appears to be an appetite in the counties to retain both.

“Maybe a solution to the obvious overuse of players would be to revisit the suggestion that players involved in under-21 and third-level competitions be debarred from any involvement with county senior panels until their teams are finished competition at under-21 and third level.

“It might go some way to solve the obvious problem that we have at present,” he added.