'Embracing the new rules is the key to Sam Maguire success in 2025' – Kevin Cassidy

Kevin Cassidy believes that the team who breaks away from their traditional systems and adapt the best to the new Football Review Committee’s rules will be the team closest to winning Sam Maguire in 2025.  

The Gaoth Dobhair man insists that Donegal will have taken a lot of learnings from last year’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Galway while at the same time incorporated a system suited to the new game of Gaelic football involving the new FRC rules.  

“I think the one thing that we’ve learned after the Galway game last season is that we’re going to have to develop a style of kicking the ball more with our running game,” Cassidy said.  

“As we know, we’re a tremendous running team, but I think against Galway that caught up with us. They kicked the ball an awful lot more than we did and you could see because of that, our legs probably went in the last 10 minutes.

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“But now, with these new rules, I think coaches are going to have to develop a style where a kicking game is there constantly. Thankfully Donegal has players that can do that, it’s just about tuning the mind to actually go for it.”  

The two-time All-Star winner draws particular attention to the new rule where three players must be kept in the opposition’s half at all times, possibly resulting in faster ball being moved into the inside forward line.  

In focusing on this rule Cassidy believes it creates an edge for the top full-forward lines in the country to take advantage of, something he feels Donegal currently have.  

“The team that will win the All-Ireland next season will have three excellent inside forwards,” he added. “I think the days of just have one top forward where the rest are working around the field, they’re gone.   

“Now you’re going to have to have three natural forwards who can win their own ball, kick their own scores, and be a real threat. I think Michael (Murphy) would be ideal now that he’s back in that role, but you also have the likes of Patrick McBrearty and Oisin Gallen to add to that.  

“So, I think Donegal could be one of the teams that could benefit from the rules if we have everybody available.  

“These new rules are really going to change the dynamic of how we play football. It’s not even just about the forwards, in defence it will bring us back to the old-style ways of defending.  

“Defenders are going to have to get use to not having as much support back to help them, and they will have to get comfortable with that, so it’s going to be interesting in who adapts the best.”  

And regarding where Donegal ranks amongst the best teams in the country, there’s no doubt in Cassidy’s mind that Jim McGuinness’s side are right up there.  

“There’s no doubt that Donegal can use these rules to the best of their ability and kick on next year,” Cassidy admitted. “We all know that they’re not far away. We beat Armagh last season in the Ulster final and Armagh went on to win the All-Ireland.  

“There was very little road between Donegal and Galway in the semi-final last summer too, so the boys are up there with the best, and it’ll be made interesting to see how the teams will cope with these new rules, but even without the new rules, I’m sure Jim and the boys will be confident that they’re not far away.”