New look for all Hurlers in 2010.

Canalman · November 03, 2009, 09:25:32 AM

Pat Hartigan, one of the best hurlers ever in the game sadly lost his eye while playing hurling. Was it as a result of poor technique?

......... a tosh of an argument. Saw John Leahy on Laochra Gael last week getting burst below the eye underneath the Hogan Stand and he was imo also one of the greatest. An inch higher and he might have been blinded.

A good rule being introduced imo which will not affect any decent hurler come April/May next once they get used to faceguard. Expect though to hear some 30plus players who would have given up anyway (as happens every year) blame the rule for their retirement.

A tip for anyone trying to get used to a faceguard is to start watching tv with it on ( a lad on our senior team did this for a while ) which should help. Might seem daft/odd but he swears by it.

bottlethrower7 · November 03, 2009, 09:40:08 AM

Quote from: Canalman on November 03, 2009, 09:25:32 AM
Saw John Leahy on Laochra Gael last week getting burst below the eye underneath the Hogan Stand and he was imo also one of the greatest. An inch higher and he might have been blinded.

If you're talking about the Rod Guiney incident, wasn't Leahy wearing a helmet?

That was the 97 semi if memory serves - though maybe his helmet was open faced. I remember the interview after the game, Leahy looking like the elephant man.

and maybe that wasn't poor technique. Maybe it was the 'Wexford of the mid-90s' factor. They managed to 'accidently' injure the star player from almost every team they played against. Coincidence though I'm sure.

Last Man · November 03, 2009, 09:47:52 AM

I had my face rearranged by a piece of a hurl broken in a tackle I was standing near to, complete freak accident, never heard of or saw it happen since. I've had my share of stitches and staples prior to this,mainly as aresult of dirty pulls IMO but this one was the final straw and I 've been wearing the helmet ever since. Not an easy transition but you've just got to wear it during all training to give yourself a chance. Packing it in over having to wear a helmet seems drastic.

Reillers · November 04, 2009, 07:20:12 PM

Quote from: theskull1 on November 02, 2009, 05:54:33 PM
Taking that argument to it's logical conclusion AC

All players should wear shin & hand guards as well I take it.

You boys must be talking about a hurling at a very low standard. I've watched Div 1 in Antrim fo years and I'd need to go back 15 years before I can remember the last time anyone has got anything other than a few stitches. I'd say poor technique brings about 95% of head wounds and that most of them would be got in the lower leagues.

This is a sledgehammer to crack a nut solution IMO

Now a days, everythings down to insurance, everythings down to health and safety, "what's best for the players" and while 15 years ago the idea of the rule would have been laughable. Now it's all about safety first.
Sure when there was no games on tv you're greatness could have been measured by how much stitches you had said to have gotten, 20, 30, 50..when really it was only 5, but now, well.

Now though, if there's a chance, no matter how great or small it is, of getting a head injury and there's a logical easy way of preventing that then it's not surprising that the rule has been brought in. Especially seeing as it's been that way in underage for a good while.

I've seen a few share of head injuries in my time, nothing really more then a few cuts, stitches, staples..bruises, a broken nose or two..nothing major. Ironically one of the worst I saw was a lad, who was wearing helmet, got a right smack across the head (purely accidental) but he was out for the count and had a bad enough cut to go along with it.

I played a lot of sports when I was younger, but I never felt as invincible as when I was wearing a helmet in hurling. I couldn't be hurt I thought, whatever about the rest of me, with the helmet on I couldn't get hit in the head, and that made me feel unstoppable.

And I thank God down the years, that players I was marking were wearing helmets, I would have taken an eye or two out had they not been.
I remember when I was like 9/10, playing U12s, challenging for the ball in the air and I caught (they got in the way) the player on me, across the face of the helmet with the hurley, purely accidental, I probably would have blinded the poor lad if they didn't have a helmet on, but he just got up and he was fine. There have been more then that, but that seems to be the incident I always remember.
But again though that was at a young age, a young level, the senior players, arugeably play at a decent standard of hurling, and there aren't that many injuries, not like the GAA are trying to put across.

I myself wear the helmet but I would be in the "take helmet off during match category," I find it easier to breath without it on at times. I tend to be wearing less and less per game for the last while. So like I said, it doesn't matter what level you're at, there are players everywhere that will suffer from it.

It doesn't matter how much of an inconvenience it is to hurlers, especially older ones and keepers, if there's a risk of injury and there's a solution there, the arguement for the players doesn't have a foot to stand on.

It wont be an easy transition, and I can see a lot of frustrated keepers and FBs wanting to f**k the helmet off the wall at times, because it'll have a great impact on their vision obviously. But you can adjust to that, that can be fixed and some head injuries can't be, and that's their arguement I suppose.

It'll be odd seeing players in the summer, the likes of Mullane, Donal Og, Sean Og..etc. wearing helmets. I know that Donal Og and Sean Og both took delivery of their helmets the week after the All Ireland and have been using them ever since in the ball alley. And that's what'll get you there I suppose, just train with them on all the time and you'll get there..eventually.
Keepers will have the biggest problem obviously, 99% of keepers, with the exception of young Nash, will struggle. But like the GAA are saying I'm sure they'll end up making new types of helmets to suit everybody.

I guess it may seem extreme to some, and in a sense it is, but like I said, we can argue till we're blue in the faces, with ifs and buts, at the end of the day, the arguement wont have a foot to stand on because each time the GAA can come back with a better answer.

INDIANA · November 04, 2009, 08:43:42 PM

Check out the eye injuries reillers. Speak to someone who's lost an eye. It will blow your mind.

Reillers · November 04, 2009, 08:50:21 PM

Quote from: INDIANA on November 04, 2009, 08:43:42 PM
Check out the eye injuries reillers. Speak to someone who's lost an eye. It will blow your mind.

Oh I know, and I agree that helmets will do more good then they will damage. Ya in the short term they'll be a pain for players who've never worn helmets, but at the end of the day, in the long term it will have a postitive impact. Sure there are a few fellas I know who've come close, an inch lower, or an inch or so to the left and they'd been in a lot of trouble. There's the one man I know, lost partial vision in his right eye, a freak accident but aren't they all. Thankfully I've never seen someone who's lost an eye from it totally. Fingers yes, eyes no.

bottlethrower7 · November 05, 2009, 08:29:58 AM

Tommy Walsh from Kilkenny (he of the 50s era) lost an eye playing hurling. He was very young at the time too and it brought a very premature end to his inter-county career. A brother of the Coogans (Jimmy and Ken) from Tullaroan likewise. And he normally wore a helmet. Just threw it off for the last few minutes of the game and got a ball in the eye.

AZOffaly · November 07, 2009, 12:53:31 PM

Has anyone seen anything suitable for hurling like I mentioned above? That could cut out the vision issue for older players. Below is an add on shield for the Bauer Hockey Helmets. It includes a polycarbonate, high impact resistant, clear shield.

milltown row · November 07, 2009, 03:56:28 PM

the problem with the shield AZ is that the dam thing will steam up a lot. the older you are the more it will steam

i'm a young man so i've no problem

AZOffaly · November 07, 2009, 06:54:33 PM

These have an 'anti fogging' spray you can get, and vents at the top and bottom apparently. They do some sweating in NHL in fairness

maxpower · November 11, 2009, 01:12:51 PM

I actually nearly lost an eye because of a helmet, went into the tackle and the guy in possession raised the hurl to break the tackle but it went in between the bars of the faceguard, he tried to get free from it and rammed the hurl into the eye to wrestle it free. Anxious wait in the mater hospital to see if the eye would be okay.

Thankfully it was.

In the long term this rule will certainly do more good than harm, but it could have been phased in, most young players are comfortable with a helmet and so it would be expected they would continue to wear one at senior level.

allow the GAA/Suppliers time to manufactor a suitable one for Keepers

INDIANA · November 12, 2009, 06:31:15 PM

Quote from: maxpower on November 11, 2009, 01:12:51 PM
I actually nearly lost an eye because of a helmet, went into the tackle and the guy in possession raised the hurl to break the tackle but it went in between the bars of the faceguard, he tried to get free from it and rammed the hurl into the eye to wrestle it free. Anxious wait in the mater hospital to see if the eye would be okay.

Thankfully it was.

In the long term this rule will certainly do more good than harm, but it could have been phased in, most young players are comfortable with a helmet and so it would be expected they would continue to wear one at senior level.

allow the GAA/Suppliers time to manufactor a suitable one for Keepers

why will it do more harm? Helmets have already cut the incidence of eye injuries

AZOffaly · November 12, 2009, 08:01:13 PM

He said more good than harm

INDIANA · November 12, 2009, 08:11:39 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on November 12, 2009, 08:01:13 PM
He said more good than harm

a visit to the opticians is needed fo myself

orangeman · December 16, 2009, 09:54:59 AM

Waterford star Eoin Kelly has accused the GAA of treating players like children in an extraordinary outburst against the new rules in the game.

Déise man Kelly told hoganstand.com: 'They treat us like kids.

'Next year, it'll be "Get your mammy to put on your helmet for you before you go out and play", or something stupid like you can't wear studded boots.
'That's the way it's going, every year it's something different. They do it for the National League and then they scrap it and go back to normal.

'There are games that fellas are training for for six or seven months, and the game could be changed on a ball given wide or something like that - they're the issues that should be improved on.

Kelly added on the compulsory helmet rule: 'It's going to be hard. The GAA should really look at fellows over 25 who have not worn a helmet for 10 or 15 years.

'I don't know if it is driven by insurance companies or what, but it is going to be wicked hard on Dan Shanahan, Ken McGrath and fellas like that - they have not worn a helmet in 20 years. I have not worn once since I was 11 or 12.

'As John Mullane said, it's grand putting it on in the winter, but when you're going out on a sunny day it is going to be hard. It's like being stuck in a small room. It's very claustrophobic.'