The penalty kick was introduced in 1891 and its invention is attributed to William McGann in Armagh in 1890. William, the son of an Irish linen millionaire, played as a goalkeeper for Milford FC in the first season of the Irish League, but it was as a member of the Irish FA that he was instrumental in the penalty kick becoming law. He proposed the introduction of the kick to penalise the habit, prevalent at the time, of defenders fouling an attacking player to prevent a goal. The idea was submitted to the International Football Association Board in June 1890 and a year later was included in the rules as Rule number 13. The law read;
If any player shall intentionally trip or hold an opposing player, or deliberately handle the ball within twelve yards from his own goal line, the referee shall, on appeal, award the opposing side a penalty kick, to be taken from any point 12 yards from the goal line, under the following conditions: All players, with the exception of the player taking the penalty kick and the goalkeeper, shall stand behind the ball and at least six yards from it; the ball shall be in play when the kick is taken. A goal may be scored from a penalty kick.