Playing field

A Gaelic football pitch is similar in some respects to a rugby pitch but considerably larger. The grass pitch is rectangular, stretching 130–145 metres long and 80–90 metres wide. There are H-shaped goalposts at each end with a net on the bottom section. Lines are marked at distances of 13 m, 20m and 45 m from each end-line. Shorter pitches and smaller goals are used under-12s.

Duration

All football matches last for 60 minutes, divided into two halves of thirty minutes, with the exception of senior inter-county games which last for 70 minutes (two halves of 35 minutes). Draws are decided by replays or by playing 20 minutes of extra time (two halves of 10 minutes). The under 12s have a half of 20 minutes or 25 minutes in some cases.

Teams

Teams consist of fifteen players (a goalkeeper, two corner backs, a full back, three half backs, two mid fielders, three half forwards, two corner forwards and a full forward) plus up to fifteen substitutes, of which five may be used. Each player is numbered 1–15, starting with the goalkeeper, who must wear a different coloured jersey to the other team.

Ball

The game is played with a round leather football, similar to a soccer ball, but heavier, and with horizontal stitching rather than the hexagon and pentagon panels often used on soccer balls, and similar in appearance to a standard volleyball. It may be kicked or hand passed. A hand pass is not a punch but rather a strike of the ball with the side of the closed fist, using the knuckle of the thumb.

The following are considered Technical Fouls ("fouling the ball"):

• Picking the ball directly off the ground (It must be scooped up into the hands by the foot). However, in ladies' Gaelic football, the ball may be picked up directly.
• Throwing the ball (It may be "hand-passed" by striking with the fist or open hand)
• Going four steps without releasing, bouncing or soloing the ball. (Soloing involves kicking the ball into one's own hands)
• Bouncing the ball twice in a row (It may be soloed continuously)
• Hand passing the ball over an opponent's head, then running around him to catch it
• Hand passing a goal (the ball may be punched into the goal from up in the air, however)
• Square ball, an often controversial rule: If, at the moment the ball enters the small rectangle, there is already an attacking player inside the small rectangle, then a free out is awarded.
• Changing hands: Throwing the ball from your right-hand to left or vice-versa.

Scoring

If the ball goes over the crossbar, a point is scored and a white flag is raised by an umpire. If the ball goes below the crossbar, a goal, worth three points, is scored, and a green flag is raised by an umpire. The goal is guarded by a goalkeeper. Scores are recorded in the format {goal total}-{point total}.

Tackling

The level of tackling allowed is more robust than in association football (soccer), but less than rugby. The tackling rule has been criticised for being too vague.

Shoulder-charging and slapping the ball out of an opponent's hand is permitted, but the following are all fouls:

• Using both hands to tackle
• Pushing an opponent
• Striking an opponent
• Pulling an opponent's jersey
• Blocking a shot with the foot
• Sliding tackles
• Tripping
• Touching the goalkeeper when he is inside the small rectangle
• Wrestling the ball from an opponent's hands

Restarting play

• a match begins with the referee throwing the ball up between the four mid fielders.
• After an attacker has put the ball wide of the goals, the goalkeeper may take a kick out from the ground at the edge of the small square. All players must be beyond the 20 m line.
• After an attacker has scored, the goalkeeper may take a kick out from the ground from the 20 m line. All players must be beyond the 20 m line and outside the semicircle.
• After a defender has put the ball wide of the goals, an attacker may take a "45" from the ground on the 45 m line level with where the ball went wide.
• After a player has put the ball over the sideline, the other team may take a sideline kick at the point where the ball left the pitch. It may be kicked from the ground or the hands.
• After a player has committed a foul, the other team may take a free kick at the point where the foul was committed. It may be kicked from the ground or the hands.
• After a defender has committed a foul inside the large rectangle, the other team may take a penalty kick from the ground from the center of the 13 m line. Only the goalkeeper may guard the goals.
• If many players are struggling for the ball and it is not clear who was fouled first, the referee may choose to throw the ball up between two opposing players.