In light of the tragic news about Aussie Cricketer Phil Hughes. My simple question: Could it happen in a Hurling match?
This picture leaves me hoping it probably won't: http://www.joe.ie/uncategorized/meet-the-man-who-has-been-wearing-personalised-hurling-helmets-including-batman-since-2008/48132
Cricket ball is way heavier, and hurling helmets are enclosed, I'd say no. Much more likely to happen in baseball I'd say.
It most definitely could happen. The Anthony Nash style-frees being banned certainly lessen the chance, but you can never rule out a freak accident happening. In hurling there's always the chance of a player taking a full force pull to the head or neck as well taking the full force of the sliotar. Dublin's Paul Mulhere died in 1985 after taking a sliotar in the face, although obviously face guards are now mandatory and he wasn't wearing one on his helmet - virtually nobody did back then. Wexford's Martin Bergin died in the 1970s after suffering a blow to the head too.
Leitrim's Philly McGuinness died in 2010 after suffering a blow to the head in a club football match and obviously there was the Paul McGirr incident in 1997. Different incidents by their nature but the principle remains the same - a freak accident can always happen. Much as helmets minimise the chances in hurling, they can never give a cast iron 100% guarantee of safety.
The referee in hurling is the one at most risk to be fair nowadays. I've been close to getting hit, ball just whizzing past your ear!!
Quote from: Sidney on November 28, 2014, 01:02:34 AM
It most definitely could happen. The Anthony Nash style-frees being banned certainly lessen the chance, but you can never rule out a freak accident happening. In hurling there's always the chance of a player taking a full force pull to the head or neck as well taking the full force of the sliotar. Dublin's Paul Mulhere died in 1985 after taking a sliotar in the face, although obviously face guards are now mandatory and he wasn't wearing one on his helmet - virtually nobody did back then. Wexford's Martin Bergin died in the 1970s after suffering a blow to the head too.
Leitrim's Philly McGuinness died in 2010 after suffering a blow to the head in a club football match and obviously there was the Paul McGirr incident in 1997. Different incidents by their nature but the principle remains the same - a freak accident can always happen. Much as helmets minimise the chances in hurling, they can never give a cast iron 100% guarantee of safety.
Thanks Sidney, I was asking about the name of that lad in Dublin a while ago. I remember that incident well. I think he got it in the temple? I think the fact that the temple and face are protected, along with the fact that a sliotar is a lot softer than a cricket or baseball mitigates the risk of a ball causing death. In Cricket the 'bouncer' is a well known tactic to intimidate the batsman, the head hunters of the Windies were renowned for it. In baseball you have the 'brushback' pitch, high and inside.
Given the hardness of the ball, and the fact that they are deliberately aiming in that area, and the fact that the helmets are open, I think the risk is a lot greater in those sports. Of course the question was 'could' it happen, and I suppose in that sense, yes it could. I do think it is a lot less likely than in Cricket or Baseball though.
(Obviously I'm not talking about a lad losing the rag and pulling across the head of an opponent. I consider that a different risk).
It's certainly worth a review.
I don't think cricket will be the same.
I read what happened to Phillip Hughes was that big a freak accident that there was only a 100 cases documented in medical history. Vertebral artery dissection I think it was called. Tragic, but as posters above say you cant rule out these things 100% no matter what you do.
I think they'll ban the 'short delivery' from fast bowlers.
The first time I held a cricket ball I wondered how more people weren't badly hurt playing the game.
Quote from: Jinxy on November 28, 2014, 10:18:03 AM
The first time I held a cricket ball I wondered how more people weren't badly hurt playing the game.
Your second thought was 'how can I smuggle this onto a GAA field?'.
Quote from: AZOffaly on November 28, 2014, 10:21:53 AM
Quote from: Jinxy on November 28, 2014, 10:18:03 AM
The first time I held a cricket ball I wondered how more people weren't badly hurt playing the game.
Your second thought was 'how can I smuggle this onto a GAA field?'.
In fairness Jinxy isn't really one for bastardising Gaelic games with foreign ones! ;D
Quote from: AZOffaly on November 28, 2014, 09:17:47 AM
Quote from: Sidney on November 28, 2014, 01:02:34 AM
It most definitely could happen. The Anthony Nash style-frees being banned certainly lessen the chance, but you can never rule out a freak accident happening. In hurling there's always the chance of a player taking a full force pull to the head or neck as well taking the full force of the sliotar. Dublin's Paul Mulhere died in 1985 after taking a sliotar in the face, although obviously face guards are now mandatory and he wasn't wearing one on his helmet - virtually nobody did back then. Wexford's Martin Bergin died in the 1970s after suffering a blow to the head too.
Leitrim's Philly McGuinness died in 2010 after suffering a blow to the head in a club football match and obviously there was the Paul McGirr incident in 1997. Different incidents by their nature but the principle remains the same - a freak accident can always happen. Much as helmets minimise the chances in hurling, they can never give a cast iron 100% guarantee of safety.
Thanks Sidney, I was asking about the name of that lad in Dublin a while ago. I remember that incident well. I think he got it in the temple? I think the fact that the temple and face are protected, along with the fact that a sliotar is a lot softer than a cricket or baseball mitigates the risk of a ball causing death. In Cricket the 'bouncer' is a well known tactic to intimidate the batsman, the head hunters of the Windies were renowned for it. In baseball you have the 'brushback' pitch, high and inside.
Given the hardness of the ball, and the fact that they are deliberately aiming in that area, and the fact that the helmets are open, I think the risk is a lot greater in those sports. Of course the question was 'could' it happen, and I suppose in that sense, yes it could. I do think it is a lot less likely than in Cricket or Baseball though.
(Obviously I'm not talking about a lad losing the rag and pulling across the head of an opponent. I consider that a different risk).
Slight correction to my earlier post in that Paul Mulhere actually got a belt of Pat Critchley's hurley rather than a sliotar - the blow was a pure accident however and there was no malice involved whatsoever.
was that in a national league game years ago?
The Dublin lad was able to walk off the field and later took a turn for the worse in the dugout IIRC? I'm open to correction.
Quote from: johnneycool on November 28, 2014, 01:38:53 PM
was that in a national league game years ago?
The Dublin lad was able to walk off the field and later took a turn for the worse in the dugout IIRC? I'm open to correction.
Yes, November 1985.
Was slightly before my time so don't have first hand recall of it but as far as I know that was indeed the case.
GAA's tribute to Phil Hughes (https://twitter.com/crokepark)
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on November 28, 2014, 07:18:13 AM
The referee in hurling is the one at most risk to be fair nowadays. I've been close to getting hit, ball just whizzing past your ear!!
If the referee got hurt, it would be his own fault .......following on from the recent debate on the Antrim thread :)
Never thought about the Hurling referee!!!
My own thoughts on cricket balls thought more about spectator safety than player safety. Thing is, when the ball is hit to the boundary rope. When it gets there the energy has been discharged or it would hurt the spectator who sometimes even catches it. Though I wouldn't risk letting it hit me intentionally.
Anyway, I am not a doctor but. I have read a book by a Neurosurgeon. Who makes it clear the front of the head is more forgiving than the back. And another on Sky Sports News the other day exhibited how, from what he could see, the ball hit Hughes in such a place that there wasn't even any skull bone to give some protection. Thus, the force with which he was hit went to straight to the brain stem. The brain stem is to a human what a CPU is to a computer system.
R.I.P. Phil Hughes
Fairly low risk in hurling I would have thought with helmets compulsory. Hurls are probably more dangerous especially in mountainous parts of Tipp and the Galway championship.
Rugby concussion is going to be a far bigger issue IMO.
Quote from: seafoid on November 28, 2014, 05:42:46 PM
Rugby concussion is going to be a far bigger issue IMO.
Not just concussion in rugby - was talking to one of the medical staff for one of the Irish provinces and he was saying that the first generation of professional rugby players are going to have an absolute raft of medical issues as they age, given the increased size and strength. He was saying that the difference in terms of strength and the punishment the professional players take compared to the amateur rugby era is years apart and that it's likely to end up being responsible for a litany of medical problems down the line.
He was saying that if they follow the path of NFL players you are looking at seriously shortened lifespans - he had a stat that the current life expectancy for NFL players is almost 20 years less than for the average American male, which when you think about it is just mental.
My Two Pence worth. As a pat in exile from hurling background, I've played but field hockey and cricket competitively.
It Could happened, but so could most things.
Both games are played in very different planes lines. Cricketers face the ball side on, hurler tend to more square with the play. Hurlers tend to be hit the same place because they can control the ball release. Cricketers in this respect have to think a bit quicker.
Cricket ball is heavier and harder. When being bowled at pace (80-95 mph) will do more damage with a hurling ball.
Cricket helmets are more robust (much thicker foam and plastic), however don't provide the same amount of coverage as hurling helmet, generally don't need too.
Hurling helmets have improve lots is since the old coopers and old myrcos. They are very comfortable and light, perfect for running about. However I would question what protection they really provide if directly struck with a stick or ball. The plastic and high density foam (both very thin) don't look like could spread the impact enough, for comparison in a cricket helmet the padding is much thicker.
Hurlers are at greater risk of damage to the head being done by a stick rather than the ball, Player A missing a mid air block and the player B carrying on the swing and the stick making contact with the head, generally front or side.
Umpire killed after getting hit by a ball in Israel.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30260842