That’s Ireland

When the GAA was founded in 1884, they used rectangular soccer-style goals. Whichever team scored the most goals won, and there were no points. It took a quarter of a century for the current scoring system to evolve. >>>

1884

When the GAA was founded, the goal space was rectangular. Football goals were 15 ft wide and 8 ft high; hurling goals were 20 ft wide and 10 ft high. There were no points posts. Whichever team scored the most goals won.

1886

The goal space was still rectangular. The football goals were extended to 21 ft wide (closer to the 24 ft of today’s soccer) and the hurling goals were increased slightly to 21 ft wide by 10.5 ft high.

Points posts were introduced, and positioned 21 ft to either side of the goal (similar to the points posts in Australian football, but with a rectangular goal in the middle).

Whichever team scored the most goals still won. However, if the teams were equal on goals, then whoever had scored the most points won the game.

1895

The scoring system was changed. One goal was now equal to five points, and whoever scored the most points overall won.

1896

The scoring system was again changed. One goal was now equal to three points.

1910

The goal spaces for football and hurling were both made the same: 21 ft wide by 8 ft high. The now-familiar H-shaped goals were introduced (similar to rugby goals), and the zone for scoring points was reduced to the ball going over the bar.