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Replying To Crashingwaves: "Some skills are not practiced at all e.g ground hurling, overhead pulls and much of the terminology and style of play is borrowed from foreign games, particularly rugby. We now hear terms that belong to another sport, rucks, turnovers etc. The emphasis is on bulk and brawn rather than fast skilful wrist work. There are still some wonderful hurlers but most of them are not given any protection in the interest "letting the game flow"." Ground hurling and overheads pulls are not practised because they're out of touch in the modern game. Anyone here could name 30-40 incredibly skilful hurlers currently playing.
Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2195 - 11/06/2025 12:02:09
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Replying To Doylerwex: "The speed of the game now we either need two referees or some sort of var.
There are massive risks with this though." It probably needs a team of propper officials at this stage at intercounty level. Get retired refs to do umpire and have the power to call frees and cards. The refs need help but instead rules are brought in that a lot of time are quite impossible to call.
Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2390 - 11/06/2025 12:04:28
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Replying To Fitzy01: "Ground hurling usually results in a turnover, that is why it is not done regularly. You play to win, when you coach kids now you encourage them to get the ball in their hand. You contest the ball on the ground and you get out of the danger area but in general you get the ball in your hand and take control of the situation.
The emphasis is not on bulk and brawn, You need enforcers and all teams have them and you need the skilful players with vision and creativity and its always been like that.
The skill levels have never been so high. Take Limerick as an example they took all the skills of the game and brought them to a new level. Their stick passing, catching, long ball delivery, soloing, off the ball movement, shooting, hooking and blocking are all far better now than they were 10 years ago. They have players at corner back like Barry Nash who can hurl just as well and with as much skill as your forwards and score points. Adam English is a relatively small and skilful hurler so is Peter Casey. Declan Hannon relied completely on skill and technique for years at centre back rather than brawn, same with Darragh O Donoghue. Cian Lynch is one of the most skilful hurlers in the history of the game. Kyle Hayes and Gearoid Hegarty are as big and strong as they come but they are both well able to hurl and take their scores. That goal he got against KK where he picked the ball with he heel of the hurley and drove it top corner is one of the great AI goals. With Limerick its all about letting things flow and the more it flows the more they like it. Its the same for all top teams.
There is not as much overhead pulls now because you want to give a ball in that favours your team mates rather than it being a 50 50. Limerick go long all the time and Cork go direct in to Brian Hayes constantly, so that element of the game is still there. Scores are far higher now because the balls going in to forwards are of far higher quality." This is absolutely right. Every team needs several players with size and brawn and quite frankly a bit of a b****x in them.
I think the hurling in Leinster is way too respectful and every team bar Kilkenny lacks enough of these players. Teams respect each other to their detriment.
I'm not talking about dirty hits or that because that has no place in the game but you need enforcers in every line of your team.
You need those players who are not going to be pushed around and are happy to give and take it. It takes S&C and coaching but I believe a player either has it or he does not. Its not possible to coach it into a player I don't believe.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1379 - 11/06/2025 12:59:53
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I think the whole issue of refereeing needs an overhaul.
It needs at least 2 referees and for linesmen to be able to call frees beside the sideline.
I don't buy the "one referee refereed it differently", hurling is too arbitary of a game to say that given a referee might give a free for one tackle but not give one for an identical free.
Umpires should be referees, even club referees in the county the referee is from. They would be better than Uncle Tom because the stakes are too big for an Uncle Tom howler.
The handpass needs to be changed to if you receive a handpass you cannot give one. Either that or it has to be off the hurl first. This means players will keep the ball moving rather than take in to contact.
It is too big a job for 1 man now and better decisions come from a 65 yard ball down the pitch with a referee in that half rather than one sprinting from 65 yards away.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1379 - 11/06/2025 13:04:16
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Replying To Claretandblue: "Ground hurling and overheads pulls are not practised because they're out of touch in the modern game. Anyone here could name 30-40 incredibly skilful hurlers currently playing." Out of touch indeed! Of course there are skilful hurlers, aren't they well trained, professionally coached, virtually , by a huge backroom team and well minded by nutritionists, psychologists and others.
Crashingwaves (Galway) - Posts: 207 - 11/06/2025 13:12:12
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So Burns admits penalties not the best way to decide a game. What now? Back to replays and alter the calendar to allow such scenarios? Or if extra time ends in a draw sudden death, next score wins?
Chops (Westmeath) - Posts: 823 - 11/06/2025 13:23:39
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Replying To Chops: "So Burns admits penalties not the best way to decide a game. What now? Back to replays and alter the calendar to allow such scenarios? Or if extra time ends in a draw sudden death, next score wins?" Next score wins would be awful.
Makes it feel like a puc around in the back yard when dinner is nearly ready.....
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3728 - 11/06/2025 14:02:40
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Replying To Ryanteam: "We all get a little whimsical when talking about hurlers of the past, but you're right, the game has moved on, and today's game is definitely superior. Skill levels shown by Cian Lynch for example are unparalleled, how he can catch a ball under severe pressure is amazing, and the sheer battling for possession exemplified by Brian Hayes and Dan Morrissey last Saturday can only be admired. As for sideline cuts, it has only improved and several players now routinely send them over the bar. Goalkeepers are nowadays much better than before, and puck out strategies are now part of a goalie's repertoire! The game is so fast that it's hard for referees to keep up, but hey… we were all enthralled I am sure, last weekend!" Yes despite all are complaining the entertainment has gone up 10 fold. There will always be mis-calls but at least try mitigate as much as possible by bringing the officiating standard up to a level that reflects the present game.
Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3108 - 11/06/2025 14:40:59
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Replying To Doylerwex: "Next score wins would be awful.
Makes it feel like a puc around in the back yard when dinner is nearly ready....." Just replay the game if extra time does not decide it and I'm not sure a final should have extra time even.
Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3108 - 11/06/2025 14:44:27
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Replying To ExiledInWex: "I think the whole issue of refereeing needs an overhaul.
It needs at least 2 referees and for linesmen to be able to call frees beside the sideline.
I don't buy the "one referee refereed it differently", hurling is too arbitary of a game to say that given a referee might give a free for one tackle but not give one for an identical free.
Umpires should be referees, even club referees in the county the referee is from. They would be better than Uncle Tom because the stakes are too big for an Uncle Tom howler.
The handpass needs to be changed to if you receive a handpass you cannot give one. Either that or it has to be off the hurl first. This means players will keep the ball moving rather than take in to contact.
It is too big a job for 1 man now and better decisions come from a 65 yard ball down the pitch with a referee in that half rather than one sprinting from 65 yards away." You nailed it. Some rule changes and an upgraded officiated system. I have started watching football again because the changes have made it better and further tweaking will improve it more.
Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3108 - 11/06/2025 15:01:21
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Replying To Crashingwaves: "Some skills are not practiced at all e.g ground hurling, overhead pulls and much of the terminology and style of play is borrowed from foreign games, particularly rugby. We now hear terms that belong to another sport, rucks, turnovers etc. The emphasis is on bulk and brawn rather than fast skilful wrist work. There are still some wonderful hurlers but most of them are not given any protection in the interest "letting the game flow"." The emphasis now is on both bulk and brawn rather AND fast skillful wrist work. And players are given sufficient protection-far more protected than in the old days, when helmets weren't even required. The game and players have never been better than now. Even the immortal Ring said in his time that the greatest players were the ones yet to come. In every era, you will always have players that will be considered greats and all-time greats of the game. Look at Joachim Kelly, when he was hurling for Offaly in the 1970's, 80's, and into the 90's was he hurling because he thought that he might one day be inducted into the Leinster Hurling Hall of Fame, which I'm glad to see happen? NO! He was hurling first, because he enjoyed it, second for himself, next for his jersey and his team and teammates, his locality and its people, and then for the county and as it happened later for the province. He is rightly considered a great of the game, but that's never the reason a young lad picks up a hurley or laces up a pair of football boots.
Borrowing from other sports can be a blessing or a curse. The hooter seems to be working well in football. Penalties for the Munster final were what they were, and each team knew in advance about their possibility of happening. They were also exciting when happening, but I think a better way could be found. Seventies, or sixty-fives as the young crowd call them, would even be a better option in my opinion, for the game of hurling. But again, as a very last resort, before more feasible options would have been considered.
foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2301 - 11/06/2025 15:02:32
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Replying To foreveryoung: "The emphasis now is on both bulk and brawn rather AND fast skillful wrist work. And players are given sufficient protection-far more protected than in the old days, when helmets weren't even required. The game and players have never been better than now. Even the immortal Ring said in his time that the greatest players were the ones yet to come. In every era, you will always have players that will be considered greats and all-time greats of the game. Look at Joachim Kelly, when he was hurling for Offaly in the 1970's, 80's, and into the 90's was he hurling because he thought that he might one day be inducted into the Leinster Hurling Hall of Fame, which I'm glad to see happen? NO! He was hurling first, because he enjoyed it, second for himself, next for his jersey and his team and teammates, his locality and its people, and then for the county and as it happened later for the province. He is rightly considered a great of the game, but that's never the reason a young lad picks up a hurley or laces up a pair of football boots.
Borrowing from other sports can be a blessing or a curse. The hooter seems to be working well in football. Penalties for the Munster final were what they were, and each team knew in advance about their possibility of happening. They were also exciting when happening, but I think a better way could be found. Seventies, or sixty-fives as the young crowd call them, would even be a better option in my opinion, for the game of hurling. But again, as a very last resort, before more feasible options would have been considered." Surely at this stage it's a no brainer to the powers that be to introduce the hooter system into Hurling.
Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2390 - 11/06/2025 16:38:26
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Replying To Doylerwex: "Next score wins would be awful.
Makes it feel like a puc around in the back yard when dinner is nearly ready....." That is how the old Limerick Hurling Expression 'Come on Ahane, the Spuds are boiling' first emerged
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4506 - 11/06/2025 17:08:30
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Replying To Claretandblue: "Ground hurling and overheads pulls are not practised because they're out of touch in the modern game. Anyone here could name 30-40 incredibly skilful hurlers currently playing." Overhead pulls would likely get you a red card these days. As could pulling on the ball on the ground. It happened to Cian Byrne in the League in Ennis. The red did not get rescinded on appeal either.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16285 - 11/06/2025 17:37:23
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Replying To Doylerwex: "Next score wins would be awful.
Makes it feel like a puc around in the back yard when dinner is nearly ready....." That is how the old Limerick Hurling Expression 'Come on Ahane, the Spuds are boiling' first emerged
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4506 - 11/06/2025 17:49:04
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Take just one type of occurrence. Hitting with the stick. To me three scenarios.
1.Accidental. Player puts up his stick to get the ball and it comes down and clips the opponent.
2. careless use of the stick. A player launching in and swinging like an axe with no regards for the safety of others. Cardable and severity dictates colour.
3. Deliberate striking with the stick red card.
Now it is ridiculous to ask the ref or his helpers to make this call in a split second from 80 meters away. No red cards should be issued without review at this level in an elite sport. I believe if the ref had this option with Bennett he would take it and the correct decision made.
Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3108 - 11/06/2025 19:03:37
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Replying To Oldtourman: "That is how the old Limerick Hurling Expression 'Come on Ahane, the Spuds are boiling' first emerged" Oldtourman there many great expressions. One of our selectors once shouted at me when missing the ball calling my name "you wouldn't hit a bull in the b-lls with a banjo.
Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3108 - 11/06/2025 19:20:47
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Replying To Viking66: "Overhead pulls would likely get you a red card these days. As could pulling on the ball on the ground. It happened to Cian Byrne in the League in Ennis. The red did not get rescinded on appeal either." Stop complaining about refs the whole time viking your undoing all the good posts you put up and comming across as a bit of a whinger.
Tiger1 (Wexford) - Posts: 391 - 11/06/2025 20:11:02
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Replying To Claretandblue: "How anyone can say there's been a deterioration in skill over the past decade is bordering on embarrassing. The skill levels went through the roof in the 2000s and in the past 10-12 years they've increased again. The game may be more physical but the skill levels are outrageously good" The constant overcarrying involved in 'breaking the tackle' is a problem in hurling. It would be a much better game if referees were schooled on enforcing the 4step rule rigorously, and trained rigorously too on spotting and implementing this RULE. The silly scoring rates we see these days would be reduced a bit, and defenders would actually have more of a chance to do their jobs than they do currently. Martin Brehony in today's indo hits on this very scoring topic, highlighting the drastic surge in scoring that the sport has seen at championship level in the last few decades. He thinks it diminishes the game. For once, I'd tend to agree. It is way too easy to score in hurling these days, and the game would be enhanced imo ( for defenders and defending and viewers surely), if the step rule was rigorously enforced at all levels.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4217 - 11/06/2025 20:25:39
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Replying To Tiger1: "Stop complaining about refs the whole time viking your undoing all the good posts you put up and comming across as a bit of a whinger." I'm not complaining about refs there. I'm just pointing out that some of what was allowed years ago isn't now. Wild pulls on the ground or head high shouldn't be allowed now, and probably shouldnt have been back then either. I never said they should be. It's other lads bemoaning the demise of "overhead striking", not me.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16285 - 11/06/2025 22:55:03
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