ARMAGH keeper Ethan Rafferty sees the halfway line as his nemesis under football’s new rules.
Goalies can only receive the ball in open play from a team-mate if they cross the halfway line or if they are in their own small rectangle and are given the ball from the big one.
Rafferty loves to roam upfield, even scoring a point in the Orchard’s clinical five-point victory over Dublin in the All-Ireland series at Croke Park a fortnight ago.
Armagh fired five two-pointers to gun down the Sky Blues as the hosts kicked 17 wides.
But Rafferty feels keepers are missing out on all the fun parts of the FRC’s new rules.
The Orchard No 1 said: “I just wish I could get up more in the game. The halfway line is a bit of an enemy for me at the minute. Some people are happy about it but that’s just the rules.”
Dublin were 0-6 to 0-3 up after the opening quarter two weeks ago, but Armagh came roaring back, kicking three two-pointers to take a 0-13 to 0-9 half-time lead.
Rian O’Neill and Rory Grugan nailed a combined five two-pointers in all against Dessie Farrell’s men.
Rafferty explained: “We had a wee bit of a gust in the first half against Dublin, so Rian nailed the first two-pointer. If you get the first one you sort of settle into it.
“We went from maybe three points down and kicked two or three in a row and were a couple of points ahead, but if Dublin kicked a couple of them in the second half, which they’re well capable of doing, the game is different.”
That victory sealed top spot in Group 4 for the All-Ireland holders and a quarter-final berth.
It means they could rest easy ahead of tonight’s clash with Galway — a repeat of last year’s Sam Maguire decider.
Pádraic Joyce’s men will be out of the Championship if they lose and Derry pull off a result against Dublin in Newry.
Rafferty knows Galway will be eyeing revenge but, having lost the Ulster final to Donegal, Armagh want to keep up this winning run in their quest to retain Sam.
He said: “We still have a massive game against Galway.
“I’m sure they would have been seeing us in the group after we beat them in the final last year, so we know it will be a tough match and perfect preparation going into a quarter-final.
“We’re 2024 All-Ireland champions but we’re playing the 2025 Championship, so it’s in the rear-view mirror.
“We have to look forward and that’s just been our thing this year, trying to see where we can improve and get better.
“You will get bumps on the road obviously, like the Ulster final, but we’ll take this challenge against Galway and go head first into it.
“It’s a good challenge for us in our mindset knowing that the game doesn’t matter for us.
“We still have to try and get two points. That’s the challenge.”
