HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

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Is Hurling Now Becoming Boring?

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Replying To facethepuckout: "Come from the small hurling area of Roscommon where it was the only game i played growing up but find myself increasingly drawn to football. There is an increasing touch of rugby league about hurling these days , initially it looks and feels great , all action but gets a bit boring after a while. The scores are coming too easily and it is common to see scores from 65 - 90 m range where the intensity of the marking is not as great as closer to goal. It is getting more sophisticated tactically but theres still a lot of lumping the ball up the field and let the bloody forwards win their 50:50 battles. Good to see the range of AI contenders expanding but realistically the hurling base is still too narrow. Solutions ? - heavier ball , cant score from outside 65m line and cant score from sideline ball ( great skill but the event leading to sideline ball is very random). I am the type of guy who could cheerfully watch a 12- 9 penalties only forwards battle in rugby and be happy. Same goes for all sports i watch. Like a bit of tactical nous." Penalising players who can score from 65 metres and sidelines does not sound like a soloution to me. I wish we had all these players that make it look easy in our club. ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 27/03/2018 22:59:48 2088895 Link
My own county play the most boring hurling. Goals bring excitement to games. For them to score a goal is a major achievement. Team seems to content with picking off long range points. With most teams with the exception of Tipp, lack of an orthodox full forward appears to be a problem. leading to a dearth of goals. Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 28/03/2018 01:40:36 2088914 Link
Replying To Rockies: "My own county play the most boring hurling. Goals bring excitement to games. For them to score a goal is a major achievement. Team seems to content with picking off long range points. With most teams with the exception of Tipp, lack of an orthodox full forward appears to be a problem. leading to a dearth of goals." Cork have been like that for a long time. I've never understood why that attitude is there. The likes of Cadogan has all the ingredients to be a top goal scorer. They seem intent on taking the easy point than working it to the man in the best position. I'm biased but if there's a sniff of a goal on the Tipp forwards will try get it to the lad in the best position. KK at their peak didnt even need a sniff! Having said that Galway failed to score a goal in the last 3 games last year and from memory didnt test the goalie in any of them either and they have big strong naturally gifted forwards too Goals defintely bring huge excitement to all games particualrly the big ones. tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 28/03/2018 08:56:23 2088929 Link
Was thinking about that very point re goals recently, would there be support to increasing it to 4 points? Or would it make it even more defensive? Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 28/03/2018 09:50:36 2088941 Link
Can you define 'boring'? witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 28/03/2018 10:07:09 2088948 Link
Its not just hurling ,a lot of football matches are boring as well ,whether it be the dubs beating the hell out of them poor quality teams up in Leinster ,whether its the defensive style of games like tyrone and some of the northern teams and I must admit even my own galway team adapting to this year ,very few exciting games these days the obvious one of dublin v mayo games in HQ are by far the standout games but its a shame no other game comes close ,hopefully the super8s this year will create a few brilliant games but not holding my breathe on many until it gets to that stage Galwayjoe86 (Galway) - Posts: 258 - 28/03/2018 11:43:04 2088982 Link
Replying To witnof: "Can you define 'boring'?" according to oxford dictionary: "adjective not interesting; tedious." perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 28/03/2018 11:44:14 2088984 Link
Replying To clooney: "Having watched a lot of Intercounty matches recently I cannot but wonder if some of the enjoyment is gone from hurling Strength & Conditioning Gym work perfect diets and overall fitness are leading to players now being able to work a lot harder thereby allowing far less space a lot of rucks and far more physicality that ever before referees give soft frees The ball not lighter can be struck 100 yards over the bar from the sideline this is happening more and more with the puck out now being conceded with no marking. It was refreshing to see Shane Dowling catch a great ball at full forward carry it and lay off for a great goal haven't seen a lot of this for a while. There is a lot more fitness and great fielding and first touch but IMO hurling was more enjoyable in 90s and 00 s" Fair post. I agree there were a lot more enjoyable games to watch during the 1990's and 2000's. Maybe we need more free taking shoot outs! PortInFaithful (Offaly) - Posts: 472 - 28/03/2018 12:03:05 2088997 Link
Replying To perfect10: "according to oxford dictionary: "adjective not interesting; tedious."" Perfecting sums up hurling so.....end of thread witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 28/03/2018 14:19:37 2089049 Link
Replying To PeggyShippen: "It is becoming more boring. The long range shooting is not a novelty anymore. It's not exciting. There is some great fielding and passing which wasn't as strong in the 90s. There is zero ground hurling now or overhead pulling. Kilkenny helped kill that off unfortunately with their traditional game eschewing ground strokes or over head pulls ruling the roost. We all more or less play like Kilkenny now, less of a clash of styles. There will need to be a forum nationally to decide where we want the game to go. Lacrosse is more fun to watch and play at the moment. Iv been following it on espn" Lacrosse!! More fun to watch?? To each their own but a more elitist field game short of Polo you'll not find. It's, in my opinion, a horribly boring game. Field hockey is better. Real hockey is better. Hurling shouldn't even be in the same sentence. Growing up not far from Beantown(Boston), no public schools that I was aware of(maybe a few in the richest towns but not sure of that). Lacrosse can't hold a candle to hurling although I firmly believe hurling needs a heavier sliotar, minimum 5oz as well as two refs as one can not do the job, the game is too fast. Again, whatever you enjoy is the right game and nobody says we can't enjoy more than one. I would suggest to those who are not fans of 110'+ frees/sidelines, too many ducks, etc., to watch Camogie and the best competition, Fitzgibbon Cup hurling. I find Camogie very enjoyable without any of the negatives of the senior IC game. Nothing's perfect but I'm very grateful to have found Hurling thanks to a great friend from TTown / Gowran. Gowran_Yank (Kilkenny) - Posts: 96 - 01/04/2018 20:47:15 2090134 Link
Replying To Galwayjoe86: "Its not just hurling ,a lot of football matches are boring as well ,whether it be the dubs beating the hell out of them poor quality teams up in Leinster ,whether its the defensive style of games like tyrone and some of the northern teams and I must admit even my own galway team adapting to this year ,very few exciting games these days the obvious one of dublin v mayo games in HQ are by far the standout games but its a shame no other game comes close ,hopefully the super8s this year will create a few brilliant games but not holding my breathe on many until it gets to that stage" Football is alot worse than boring. We all know hurling is a great game when played right. Football is a hybrid of a yoke..in no way great PeggyShippen (Limerick) - Posts: 300 - 01/04/2018 22:37:56 2090186 Link
Yes the sliothar is lighter but there are still more high quality hurling games than football games. And I disagree with the comment too that Kilkenny ruined hurling and the way it is now they bought the game to a whole new level and for years everyone else was slow to catch up. Even today you see the likes of Tipp , Kilkenny and Cork playing still more traditional 15 on 15 where the likes of Clare , Wexford and Waterford in more recent years have developed a different brand of hurling. At least with hurling the players use the hurley where as with what is supposed to be football turns into a game of basketball / handball with one kick for every 80 hand passes. WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 02/04/2018 08:08:09 2090229 Link
Replying To WildPundit: "Yes the sliothar is lighter but there are still more high quality hurling games than football games. And I disagree with the comment too that Kilkenny ruined hurling and the way it is now they bought the game to a whole new level and for years everyone else was slow to catch up. Even today you see the likes of Tipp , Kilkenny and Cork playing still more traditional 15 on 15 where the likes of Clare , Wexford and Waterford in more recent years have developed a different brand of hurling. At least with hurling the players use the hurley where as with what is supposed to be football turns into a game of basketball / handball with one kick for every 80 hand passes." At least they hand-pass the ball not throw it as happens 90% of the time in hurling neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 02/04/2018 14:35:37 2090326 Link
A suggestions. - For frees within 30 or 40 yards of the goal, make all the players other than the goalkeeper get out of the way so the free taker can have a shot at goal if he desires. This is to counteract the idea that if giving away a point from a free is better than letting the man run in and potentially getting a goal. If the foul is "black card like" then move the striking spot towards the center and closer in. This way you have more good stats goals, and less bad stats cards. It is interesting to note that when the powers that be dreamed up the rules for hurling super 11s, the penalty for a foul close to the goal was in fact a penalty. Also other stick sports such as Hockey have a special penalty for a foul, even an unintentional one, close to the goal. This is the short corner which is for unintentional fouls close in. Intentional ones get a Penalty Stroke. Two recent matches ended in a gripping finale when late frees were driven in past 5 players to bring games to extra time. Limerick V Clare and Na Piarsaigh v Cuala. Both created great drama. I could see games being transformed towards the end when the team behind goes for goals and not points from frees. shaneShankill (Dublin) - Posts: 42 - 02/04/2018 18:32:31 2090395 Link
Replying To WildPundit: "Yes the sliothar is lighter but there are still more high quality hurling games than football games. And I disagree with the comment too that Kilkenny ruined hurling and the way it is now they bought the game to a whole new level and for years everyone else was slow to catch up. Even today you see the likes of Tipp , Kilkenny and Cork playing still more traditional 15 on 15 where the likes of Clare , Wexford and Waterford in more recent years have developed a different brand of hurling. At least with hurling the players use the hurley where as with what is supposed to be football turns into a game of basketball / handball with one kick for every 80 hand passes." kilkenny were not playing 15 v 15 yesterday? perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 02/04/2018 19:24:52 2090417 Link
there was a game in the munster u 21 hurling last year ,deemed a great game by the hurling isis media the ball was out of play 94 times in the 60 minutes, , scores, wides,frees,sidelines, etc Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2845 - 02/04/2018 20:09:16 2090423 Link
Replying To neverright: "At least they hand-pass the ball not throw it as happens 90% of the time in hurling" Must be Junior B hurling your watching or else your eyes are not used to watching fast games. Are you watching too much Gaelic!!!! WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 02/04/2018 20:11:09 2090424 Link
Replying To perfect10: "kilkenny were not playing 15 v 15 yesterday?" How could they when Wexford played a sweeper and it back fired in the first half when KK half backs were popping over long range points. Thats the beauty of hurling teams can attack and defend where as in football it's all defend first and slow lethargic build up where players are often afraid to shoot at times. Apart the Dubs of course what an awesome team. WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 02/04/2018 20:16:34 2090427 Link
Replying To Stmunnsriver: "there was a game in the munster u 21 hurling last year ,deemed a great game by the hurling isis media the ball was out of play 94 times in the 60 minutes, , scores, wides,frees,sidelines, etc" You seem to have all of the stats there. Can you tell us which game it was? ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 02/04/2018 21:59:33 2090460 Link
Replying To WildPundit: "How could they when Wexford played a sweeper and it back fired in the first half when KK half backs were popping over long range points. Thats the beauty of hurling teams can attack and defend where as in football it's all defend first and slow lethargic build up where players are often afraid to shoot at times. Apart the Dubs of course what an awesome team." but they did not want to,they have changed their game radically throughout the league.the hit and hope game from kilkenny is now gone. they will play a sweeper v tipp on sunday,i can guarantee you that perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 03/04/2018 09:43:12 2090537 Link