Much is already being made of just to what extent the new experimental disciplinary rules might impact on the very fibre of gaelic football.

But it is rather too early to draw conclusions given that we have had just two week-ends of action under the new format.

I was enjoying a festive season family holiday in La Manga - I spotted the Dublin squad, their wives and girl-friends there, by the way - so I missed the opening round of matches in the Gaelic Life Dr McKenna Cup.

But I took in the Queen’s v Armagh game on Sunday in Lurgan and I was left with the distinct impression that an element of physicality may now have to be sacrificed following the implemention of the rules.

Obviously we are very much in the honeymoon period but players would appear to be somewhat reluctant to engage in the more robust challenges that are an essential part of the sport.

The referees have been entrusted with the difficult task of policing the introduction of the rules and I think that all judgement should be reserved until the end of the month - at least.

The rules, of course, will carry over into the National League which will be launched with that potentially cracking tie between Dublin and Tyrone under the Croke Park lights at the end of this month.

Perhaps this match, in which there will be quite a lot at stake, will give us rather more of an insight into the real impact of the rules at the top level.

I am aware there are fears abroad that the rules could perhaps be ‘exploited’ to some extent but it would certainly seem that managers will now be under more pressure not only in relation to making tactical substitutions but in gauging the timing of such replacements.

It is expected that the experimental disciplinary rules will figure on the agenda at Congress when a decision will be taken whether or not to persevere with them for the All Ireland Championship campaign.

If the early-season action has created mixed feelings on the rules, it has offered some proof that the university sides have something of a head start on the county teams in terms of fitness and conditioning.

To be fair, though, Armagh did very well to transform a 0-10 to 0-2 half-time deficit against Queen’s on Sunday into a 3-6 to 0-12 victory, helped by those two goals from the enterprising Ryan Henderson.

I was particularly pleased to note the impressive form of Ronan Clarke in that game.

Here is aplayer who has had more than his share of injuries since winning the coveted Young Footballer of the Year title back when Armagh won the All Ireland title in 2002.

On Sunday, Ronan not only proved the architect of much of Armagh’s attacking play but he scored their opening goal and then proceeded to mastermind their revival.

If he can remain injury-free and continue to show the marked appetite which he obviously has for playing, I feel he could become a very important player in the Armagh set-up this year.

Both UUJ and St Mary’s recorded fine wins, though, in the Gaelic Life McKenna Cup to add a further dimension of intrigue to the competition.

That UUJ win over Derry has obviously provided food for thought for new Oak Leaf boss Damian Cassidy while Paddy Tally, the St Mary’s coach, will surely take considerable heart from his team’s fine 1-13 to 1-10 win over Monaghan considering the disappointmemnt he experienced when they fell to Down the previous week.

The county sides literally had forty-eight hours in which to prepare themselves for action - and it has been showing.

But I would expect that by the start of the National League all teams will be much sharper and more focussed.

This is a particularly difficult month for new managers like John Joe Doherty (Donegal), Tommy Carr (Cavan), Liam Bradley (Antrim) and, of course, Damian Cassidy.

They have had to enter a competition without any real preparation, having pulled together panels which are minus university players and perhaps others who are out.

Yet Doherty has made an encouraging start with Donegal and Carr got his first win at Antrim’s expense on Sunday, meaning that Bradley is still waiting to get off the mark with the Saffrons as is the case with Cassidy in Derry.

McKenna Cup holders Down have flashed an early warning that they intend to hold onto their trophy now that they have repeated their Ulster Championship win of last year over Tyrone. But don’t rule the Red Hands out of the semi-final equation completely just yet.

Indeed, the McKenna Cup is likely to hit a higher note tomorrow when Derry meet Donegal and Monaghan play Down in the first series of floodlit games.

These two matches could provide a semi-final pointer while Tyrone get the chance to land a first win when they host St Mary’s and Fermanagh can recover from that setback against Donegal by beating UUJ.

And there will be an interesting clash at Casement Park, too, between Queen’s and Antrim.

It’s certainly all to play for from here on in.