Former Antrim goalkeeper Chris Kerr fears that remarks like those from Pat Spillane criticising ‘sweeper keepers’ could lead to more rule changes.

Speaking to the RTÉ GAA Podcast after Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan was caught off his line for two goals in their Allianz League defeat to Kerry last Sunday, Spillane made his feelings clear that he was not a fan of sweeper keepers.

Kerr, who lined out between the posts for the Saffrons between 2008 and 2017, disagrees with the Kerry legend and believes that roving goalkeepers adds a bit of entertainment to the game.

“Pat (Spillane) is always making statements based on how the game was played in his era - the kick and catch era when everyone stuck to their positions and it was 15 versus 15,” he is quoted saying by BelfastLive.co.uk.

“The goalkeeper stayed in the six-yard box. The game has changed completely from then. Things have changed dramatically in the last five to 10 years and even in last two or three years, the game is constantly evolving.

“Pat makes a lot of statements based on his experience and what he knows of the game.

“It is easy to make statements and comments when things go wrong, like it did at the weekend. Kerry were good at exploiting Monaghan and that is the risk of playing that way.

“I think it has added a bit of entertainment to the game. The only concern would be that the rule-changers would look at it and bring in a rule that goalkeepers can’t move outside the ‘21’.

“If you look at the short kick-outs, you can’t go back to the ’keeper until the second pass. It has happened before with new rules brought in. There have been that many rule changes so who knows?”

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