Could it happen in Hurling?

Started by 30mog, November 27, 2014, 10:25:12 PM

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30mog

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

AZOffaly

Cricket ball is way heavier, and hurling helmets are enclosed, I'd say no. Much more likely to happen in baseball I'd say.

Sidney

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.

Milltown Row2

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!!
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

AZOffaly

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).

DennistheMenace

It's certainly worth a review.

I don't think cricket will be the same.

HiMucker

#6
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.

AZOffaly

I think they'll ban the 'short delivery' from fast bowlers.

Jinxy

The first time I held a cricket ball I wondered how more people weren't badly hurt playing the game.
If you were any use you'd be playing.

AZOffaly

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?'.

muppet

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
MWWSI 2017

Sidney

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.

johnneycool

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.

Sidney

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.