Only a square ball if involved in the play e.g. standing in the square and a point is scored is not a square ball.
Those pics would suggest Clare player in the square but not involved with the play
I know where you're coming from Joe, but that is the case ONLY if from play and not a set play e.g. sideline ball. Also it was not a point so the player "could have" affected play". If that was a ball simply played in from along the sideline while that player was attacking, then the player was quite entitled to be there. Even if a point had have been scored, then that too would have been fine if it was high and out of reach. The fact that Stevie Sheridan touched it from almost beside/behind Brennan proves that. The full definition of the updated rule is:
1. Football Only – “Square Ball”
This has been amended to allow a player enter the small rectangle once the final deliberate play of the ball has been made, i.e as soon as the player kicks, hand-passes, fist passes or deliberately flicks the ball into the small rectangle then the attacking player may enter. The rule is unchanged with regard to “Set Play” i.e. Free Kicks, Line Balls and 45s – in these instances players are not permitted to enter the small rectangle before the ball.
The full text of the new rule is:
Rule 4.9 Official Guide Part 2 – Rules of Foul Play – Rule 4 Technical Fouls:
“For an attacking player to enter opponents’ small rectangle:
(a) During Play (excluding Set Play), before the final play of the ball into the small rectangle
(b) In Set Play, before the ball enters the small rectangle.
Exception:
(i) If an attacking player legally enters the small rectangle, and the ball is played from that area but is returned before the attacking player has time to leave the area, provided he does not play the ball or interfere with the defence, a foul is not committed.
(ii) When a point is scored from outside the small rectangle and the ball is sufficiently high to be out of reach of all players, the score shall be allowed even though an attacking player may have been, otherwise illegally, within the small rectangle before the ball – provided that the player in question does not interfere with the defence.”
This defines that a player cannot for example stand in the square waiting on the ball, but can enter the area as soon as the ball is released or struck in the direction of the scoring zone. It also states an attacking player and not simply an involved player. Logically any player in that area of the field is "involved". If they're not, get them off because they should be. What you're referring to, I'd suggest is more contained in "
Exception (ii)". I'd argue that the player in question DID interfere in any case as he was just inches from touching the ball. If you freeze the action just before the ball arrives the ref is clearly looking straight at the action and where the player is. In almost every single case like this (and we've been on the end of it numerous times) the ref immediately blows his whistle in case of any doubt as he must be certain that all is in order. But look, as I said above, this will change nothing. CCCC will not look at our forum and decide to review the result. We simply shouldn't have been in that position. It was of our own making and we must learn from it.
(not really! I have to work, but feels better to blame someone 
