Football Tournament

The official playing rules of the GAA (men's) and the LGFA (ladies'), with the local exceptions below.

Seven minutes a half. Finals are ten minutes a half.

A win gets two points and a draw gets one. If teams finish level on points, score difference decides. If they are still level, the head-to-head result decides, then a coin toss.

They play five minutes of extra time straight through. If it is still level, penalties decide it: goals only, one on one from the halfway line. Five different players take one each. If that is level, sudden death continues until one team has scored one more goal from the same number of kicks. Sudden death does not have to follow the same order of takers.

There is no limit, and more than one player can come on at once. Substitutes enter from their designated area, which the pitch manager marshals, and hand a baton to the player leaving. Do not throw the baton. A player holding a baton is not in the game. You do not need to tell the referee if nobody coming or going plays the ball or interferes. Throwing the baton, or interfering with play, is a free to the opposition.

Take kick-outs from inside the small rectangle, from the hands or off the ground with the ball stationary. The kick-out does not have to travel 13m, but attacking players must be at least 13m from the kicker. After the kick-out you may not pass the ball back to the goalkeeper. There is no mark. You can take frees straight away. Take 45s off the ground from the designated line.

Yes. Once a team brings the ball into the opposition's half, they cannot play it back into their own half. The penalty is a free to the opposition where the ball crossed the line, and that free can be scored from.

A yellow card is a three-minute sin bin, with no replacement for that time. A black card is a sin bin for the rest of the game; a different player may replace them after five minutes. A red card means no replacement, and a suspension of at least one game, depending on what the referee reports.

Before the tournament, register every player and their jersey number, and be able to show that each player is a member of your club. Players wear that number all weekend, unless it is damaged or blood-stained; then register the new number. Games are nine a side. Bring your own footballs. Bibs or a second set of jerseys are encouraged in case of a colour clash. Please leave the dressing rooms clean.