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https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2026/0801/1586123-mullane-gaa-bosses-need-to-address-hurling-format/


Although I like Mullane, he always always seems to be moaning about something in regards to hurling.


If it's not showing more games on free-to-air tv, then it's the structure. 

Hes from Waterford where some external force is always to blame for their problems

R

Definitely an argument for a rejig to allow 4th place in Munster to get through to some form of play off rather than their year being over. Would imagine Waterford beat most Leinster counties but they're rarely going to get out of the Munster round robin- have they ever?

Am I right in saying that Clare then Tipp didn't get out of Munster after winning All Irelands the last 2 years? Mad how cut throat it is!

Yes its that cut throat. I would hate to see the round robin disbanded as it has largely been very good and sometimes brilliant. The Munster C'ship is always judged by its own high standards.
Would the idea of having the round robin every second year and then having the old fashioned knockout followed by a an-ireland series every alternate year work? At least for a few years anyway to see how that mixes things up a bit...

Most of the Hurling Counties have Football only parishes. Can the reverse be said for most Football counties in the northern half of the country?

Clare got tired last 10 minutes and didnt have much impact off the bench. Hegarty deservedly MOM as Clare coudnt contain him in the send half. Fair play to Clare though for putting up a great battle, this Limerick team are not easily bet.
The Black card rule needs attention for sure.

So its up to the players to hype the media about themselves?

Unlikely Clare or Galway will cause a shock here. And theres every chance that they could both be beaten well.

Thanks Shane Dowling for telling us largely what we know already. He doesnt really offer any soloutions to any of the problems identified. A Load of rubbish!

Hurling has ben in dark places before. 1992 when ulster football was thriving there was 8k at Clare v Waterford in a knock out MHC game. The allireland semis that year had a joint attendance of < 32k. 3 years later and hurling was in the midst of its golden era.

No disrespect to Offaly but they setup with 15 on 15 which for me is fine but some of the old basics like mark up your man was more the problem that not playing a sweeper. A lot of weaker teams are copying nonsense tactics from top teams and forgetting about the basics of the game. Dublin similar on Saturday. I just cant understand tactics that allow Cork and Clare players in acres of space all over the field. Mark your man and win your own ball comes first.

If ever there was an example that changes or tweaks are required it was last sundays Munster Final. A brilliant occasion and a brilliant contest almost ruined by fouling. We cant continue to blame the refs. The 'let the the game flow' rhetoric is short sighted and probably the reason we have a problem. Every game needs applied rules.
Heres hoping the HRC listens to what the supporters have to say on the survey as they now have a voice.

https://app.keysurvey.com/f/41844464/c7e8/

Have your say!

Huge gap between Cork Limerick and the rest. Question is if they end up the same side of the semi final draw who gets to the final and if Cork are there then can they get them on a wobbly day again.

Dont think they can be drawn together again at semis

Was that not a throw ball by Buckley for that Cork goal?

It certainly looked like a throw as did many others, But wait we need Derek McGrtah to zoom in in it to know for sure. Amount of throwing is insane

I think hurling has become impossible to ref properly though. There's so much ball-in-hand with teams playing the possession game. We have players routinely taking 6+ steps and throwing the ball so tackling becomes more about big hits and whatever spare-arm grabbing and grappling you can get away with, rather than the actual skills of hooking, blocking or flicking the ball away. Those skills are often redundant against teams running the ball up the pitch and throwing it to the open man.

I'd love a zero tolerance campaign wrt possession rules like steps and the clear release & definite strike that's required on the handpass (not the freeze-frame "separation" that Donal Óg and Derek McGrath seem determined to redefine as the requirement). If players had to play the ball quickly and legally there'd be far less need for the big (dangerous) hits and more opportunity to dispossess someone skillfully.

If I want to watch big hits (ie. two lads crashing into each other) and people running around with ball-in-hand throwing it to each other, there are other sports that cater for that.
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Couldnt agree more!

Say what you like about Clare but Limerick were awesome. Their ability to find players in space is something to behold . Having the ability to place the perfect pass compliments how the players seem to always know where to run when the ball is moving out from the back. They look as good now as ever in the past..