Hurling 2022

[Scoring Zone]

I am far from an expert in hurling but the last two years in particular have thrown up 2 points that imo need made after todays brilliant spectacle

1) +ve the manilness/integrity/toughness physicality of the players has to be applauded (footballers take note) and celebrated - the aerobic output plus physicality was outstanding (however can't make head nor tail of what's a foul or not - thought Kilkenny in the last 10 where hard done by looking on from the work they needed to do to get a free v Limerick)

2) Does the sliotar design need amending to stop the outrageously long points being taken - I know this is really political and sensitive on some parts as well as appreciating the skill and technique level but there seems in the last 15 mins it was a game of who could find space anywhere and they had the power to try it - it was bit like tennis particularly Hegartys point nearly on his own 40, brilliant score but the question is should he even be thinking of taking a score there?

 

[gallsman]

People have been talking for years about the weight of the sliotar. That's not the issue at all in my opinion, it's the size of the bás on all the hurlers these days. Because of the short passing game, lads are using 33 and 34 inch hurleys with a bás that you'd have only seen on a keeper hurl 15 years ago. They're like shovels.

[Turf]

People have been talking for years about the weight of the sliotar. That's not the issue at all in my opinion, it's the size of the bás on all the hurlers these days. Because of the short passing game, lads are using 33 and 34 inch hurleys with a bás that you'd have only seen on a keeper hurl 15 years ago. They're like shovels.

Hurlers themselves are physically stronger I would have thought also compared to even a decade ago.
Surely that would play a part in being able to puck the ball that much longer.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0815/1069043-hurling-bas/

Michael Duignan, the two-time All-Ireland winner, who will be one of the 1994 Offaly team honoured before tomorrow's game prior to joining Marty Morrissey on RTÉ2 commentary duty. 

"We used to use longer hurls because you needed them to generate more power. They are shorter now, harder to hook.

"The sliotar is lighter and there's a bigger bas. The older bas was hardly the width of a ball sure.

"It's definitely easier to control the ball and the striking is easier, you can see it with scores from all angles.

The shortening of the hurl is detrimental to ground hurling, the shorter the hurl means you can rise it one-handed an awful lot quicker. There is more control with a shorter hurley."

[Milltown Row2]

Ok so we change the size of stick and weight of ball... what is it you are looking to improve on the game? And when the players adopt to these changes and still rack up scores what will we do?

[Jeepers Creepers]

You would have to introduce a medicine ball to stop Gearoid Hegarty pointing from 80 metres!

[Milltown Row2]

Think we should make them wear clown shoes to slow then down, the drunk glasses would also lessen the accuracy

[johnnycool]

People have been talking for years about the weight of the sliotar. That's not the issue at all in my opinion, it's the size of the bás on all the hurlers these days. Because of the short passing game, lads are using 33 and 34 inch hurleys with a bás that you'd have only seen on a keeper hurl 15 years ago. They're like shovels.

Byrnes hurl hasn't got an overly big bás if you look at it.

The hurls likes the Cork lads preferred don't feature so much now as they did,  O'Connor hurls IIRC but they are definitely much shorter and the sliotars, whether it be the materials used or the rims do travel much further than they did in the 90's and 00's.

Kilkenny are not good enough. End of.
2015 is a long time ago now.

Good game but it was lost along the line. Cody got the big calls wrong and his puckout strategy was poor. Limerick will be stronger again next year.

Was like feeding peanuts to a bear first half

In the first half limerick were happy for KK to go long from Murphy as they could funnel men back to win the breaking ball, and when KK did go short it was to Mikey Butler who wasn't overly confident picking a pass through the Limerick attack and went long anyway. TJ done his damnest all the same.

The odd time they did it right, the picked off nice scores, Padraig Walsh drifted into the large space 50/60 metres out and was found with a good ball from Deegan .
The introduction of Wally Walsh gave them a platform in their puckouts for a while before being inevitably being found out and drifting out of the game but credit where its due, he was directly involved in the first KK goal and the second was caused by the panic he brought into the Limerick defence.

Credit where it's due and Kilkenny never wilted, never threw in the towel and kept pummeling away. but Limerick just were able to take the scores to open up the lead time and time again, big Hegarty does love an AI final evidently and gave a masterclass in everything, catching, control in tight confines, shooting from all angles and distances and the goal was a bullet from a pretty tight angle. His partner in crime wasn't far behind, in Hayes who also contributed hugely on the day.

Three in a row and 4 in 5 years is some achievement and they'll be there or there abouts for a while yet.

[didlyi]

Whatever happened to the chipped, weighed ball the Gaa were to introduce this year. It was to have an exact weight and rim dimensions and I thought it was being introduced at U20 level??
Not wanting to take away from the Great final yesterday but not a single thrown ball was blown by the ref. Will O Donoghue for example throws every pass he makes and hes not alone. If the refs start blowing the whistle again in January for this then its farcical.

[Ash Smoker]

A great game in many ways but players are flicking the ball over the bar effortlessly from 100 yards out. It's getting like basketball and a score barely registers with the crowd until the last 10 minutes of a tight game.

[johnnycool]

Whatever happened to the chipped, weighed ball the Gaa were to introduce this year. It was to have an exact weight and rim dimensions and I thought it was being introduced at U20 level??
Not wanting to take away from the Great final yesterday but not a single thrown ball was blown by the ref. Will O Donoghue for example throws every pass he makes and hes not alone. If the refs start blowing the whistle again in January for this then its farcical.

The chipped ball was/is nothing more than the GAA trying to regain control of that revenue stream.

[Milltown Row2]

A great game in many ways but players are flicking the ball over the bar effortlessly from 100 yards out. It's getting like basketball and a score barely registers with the crowd until the last 10 minutes of a tight game.

Flicking it effortlessly over the bar from 100 yards... looks easy, take a dander down to your pitch tonight then tell me how effortless those strikes are

[marty34]

Kilkenny would have won plenty of All-Irelands with that performance yesterday - they were unreal.  I didn't think they would perform as good. Their total score would have won most, if not all, All-Irelands.  You know what you are going to get with them, regardless of ability i.e. heart, passion and a never give up attitude. Whether that's a KK trait or a Cody thing over the years, I don't know. They just seem to hang in there, on the coat tails until the end.

Their subs made a good impact. Wally, Donnelly (who should have got a free near the end) and Hogan etc. all got scores. Blanchfield did well also, caught a great ball and scored a point. Thinking ahead, I'd say Cody has him ear-marked for Hego next year. Get him on a S&C programme over the winter. He was good in the league but young and raw for championship. That's probably Hogan's last game in a KK jersey - what a player. Pity a ball didn't break between him and Finn  near the goals in the last few minutes. Great servant.

All debateable obviously but T.J. for me, is the greatest player ever. How much did he set up yesterday? - unreal. No reason why he can't keep going. Fitness not a problem to him yesterday.

Murphy's puck-out's weren't great - just hit it long basically and a taste of Cody's motto of win your own ball. Even his short ones weren't on the money - a bit high and not to hand. Maybe no movement for him or players not offering for the short option but Wally and T.J. gave that outball in the 2nd half.

Limerick are such a joy to watch.  No sense of panic at all. Just controlled passing in tight spaces. A fantastic performance over the 74 mins. They never focussed on the league, rested certain players and developed Cathal O'Neill and Boylan etc. and it has paid off. Strengthened their panel and gave them game time. With the league and championship so close together, you could see a lot of teams do the same next year - unless the championship is stretched out another two or three weeks.

How good was Hego yesterday? Turns up on the biggest of days, swots lads aside and hits 70m points for fun. The umpire was probably fed up seeing him with the ball in hand. Only thing is he needs a man-marker. Deegan, althought he got two points, he was too loose in his marking. In fairness, Hegarty some man for finding pockets of space. He knows how to do it.  Adrian Mullan very similiar at finding space also. One thing, Hegarty's  pick up for his goal was shockingly good - watch it again. Under pressure his deft touch cutting across the hurl was magic. Never mind the finish.

I could write so much more about this game but it will go down in history. What a game.

Both sets of panels and management are to be commended for giving us a game like this in such stifling heat. No dramatics from the players, give and take a belt and just get on with it. Play the ball and go for the next one.

Well done to all involved.

[trailer]

Hegarty's goal. The skill was unreal but the other Limerick forward flicks it with his foot in Hegarty's direction. Such a clever piece of play that opens up the opportunity for Hegarty. If that doesn't happen the ball rolls on and the lift is infinetly more difficult and probably a KK player comes away with it. A wonderfully clever piece of play.

[Bord na Mona man]

Great game. I reckon Limerick saw it out because they've been so good for so long that they could win All Ireland playing at 70%.
However there is a drop off from their peak last year.
I think Kilkenny and others will be greatly encouraged about the possibility of toppling Limerick next year.