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"It's Worrying For Hurling!" - 2 Like(s)
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Hurling needs to get back in the limelight or it will shrink, never mind develop. A problem its being fighting for 100 years.
Some easy solutions:
1. All hurling to be on free to air TV on Friday and Saturday evenings
2. Knock out provincials with a "super 8" All Ireland
3. Move hurling championship to have semis and finals in August - after football is over. Start leagues later too.
4, Change some playing rules:
(a) solo and go / hand back the ball - has been the biggest game changer in football, no reward for fowling now at all
(b) 2 points for a sideline cut over the bar
(c) indirect free for throw ball
(d) reduce size of goalkeeper hurl (no more "half door" hurls)
(e) 4 points for a goal (only at intercounty)
(f) Try out a 4/5 up rule - try to increase space for attackers
(g) Ban short puck out - all must cross 45/halfway/65 depending on age group/level
(h) ban the back pass to the keeper" I'm not so sure on changing the rules, we have some great years with the same rules i don't think they are the problem. We shouldn't make knee jerk responses based on a year where the primary problem was down to lack of close games. Problem number one is the lack of crowds going to Leinster hurling matches. Kilkenny could be playing Galway in Nowlan Park or Salthill in the RR and you might have just over 8000 at it. Problem number two is the number of counties playing hurling and the relatively small number that can realistically compete for the All Ireland. More needs to be done to grow the game and help counties compete. We need the likes of Wexford, Offaly and Dublin challenge for an All Ireland. Changing the rules of hurling is insignificant in relation to these two problems.
1. All hurling to be on free to air TV on Friday and Saturday evenings
All intercounty Hurling needs to be on free to air or put all the games on a GAA channel and charge a flat affordable fee for it that is available on TV. The GAA promotes volunteerism, community and inclusion and putting games behind a paywall only available online seems to contradict their own values.
2. Knock out provincials with a "super 8" All Ireland
Munster hurling is the jewel in the GAA crown. No other provincial championship in hurling or football comes anyway close in terms of games, crowds, colour, tradition and atmosphere. People talk about Ulster football but its about half the size in terms of attendance. Munster championship 2025 average attendance is 29,900 and Ulster football is around 15,000. You lose or dilute Munster you could lose it all. More important to fix Leinster and get crowds going to these matches.
3. Move hurling championship to have semis and finals in August - after football is over. Start leagues later too.
Would love to see the final at least in August regardless of what football is doing. Round robin should start in May and not April.
4, Change some playing rules:
(a) solo and go / hand back the ball - has been the biggest game changer in football, no reward for fouling now at all.
Could be worth trialing. Putting the spare hand in on the tackle to interrupt the player just enough then removing it again probably needs to be tidied up.
(b) 2 points for a sideline cut over the bar.
I'd leave this alone as it could slow down the play as you'd be bringing over your specialist who would have to go through the motions each time before cutting it over. It would just become a bit mundane over time.
(c) indirect free for throw ball
I'd leave the rule alone just enforce it i.e. there should be clear seperation, if there isn't its a free,
(d) reduce size of goalkeeper hurl (no more "half door" hurls)
Fine the way it is imo
(e) 4 points for a goal (only at intercounty)
I would leave this alone as well. You don't want to make the variance between a point and a goal too large. 3 is the perfect middle ground imo.
(f) Try out a 4/5 up rule - try to increase space for attackers
I wouldn't change this either. Hurling teams should be free to exploit space as they see it. Rules would limit this freedom.
(g) Ban short puck out - all must cross 45/halfway/65 depending on age group/level
Wouldn't do this either. If you are a corner back who is comfortable on the ball, why should a rule be put in place that suddenly bans you from looking for the ball. Freedom of choice and variation in play should be encouraged rather than discouraged imo.
(h) ban the back pass to the keeper
I'd leave this alone too. As a coach of young kids its very difficult enough already to find someone to go in goal, saying the keeper now can't get involved in the play would make it harder. Also it is a positive aspect of the game when the keeper gets involved like Billy Nolan does for Waterford for example. Why would you want to change it?
Fitzy01 (National) - 10/08/2026 12:00:57
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Anti GAA Agenda - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Kew: "Seems English rugby league are targeting Irish summers as a new market. Leinster rugby will be hosting 2 rugby league games next year during GAA season. Interesting the are not going to Scotland or Wales they are targeting Ireland" Weekend in Dublin vs weekend in Swansea or Aberdeen....?!
Seanfan (National) - 10/08/2026 11:06:53
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Anti GAA Agenda - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Kew: "Seems English rugby league are targeting Irish summers as a new market. Leinster rugby will be hosting 2 rugby league games next year during GAA season. Interesting the are not going to Scotland or Wales they are targeting Ireland" What's this got to do with the 'Anti GAA' agenda?
Square_B (National) - 10/08/2026 11:32:23
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To dec: "Fair play to Shamrocks for the fight back last night and probably should have won it at the end, a good young side they will be a force over the next few years. They played well in patches, overall i thought it was a poor enough match, Shamrocks were very slow in their buildup, they got turned over a lot of times, Ormsby was good at times at midfield but got turned over to often he needs to keep a hold of that ball, Lomans won more breaking ball, how Shamrocks left Efe on Heslin all match is hard to understand as Heslin was cleaning up. Buckley shoul dbe our new county goalkeeper, a strong keeper who is able to kick 2 pointers, unlucky to see the 45 go wide at the end. Mikey Weir was good for Lomans, Both sides will make the knockouts..." Thought Efe did well; he got a goal. Loamns went route one the majority of the time to Heslin, and Heslin is superb in the air. Any back in the county, bar Drumm, would struggle big time to mark him in the air one-on-one.
TheWagonWheel-N91Y529 (National) - 10/08/2026 12:14:31
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Ayardout: "Downs winning definitely not a foregone conclusion, CK looked far the better side missed an awful lot. The downs missing O sullivan and lynam big loss but they will find it hard to get the big 3 up to championship pace after 3 tough injuries. Top 4 teams fairly even but i CK and a full downs will be 50 50 later in year" Surely we are all mature enough to know after two rounds no team is a foregone conclusion to win a championship, Loman's and The Downs have looked in trouble in previous years but end up there when it matters. I think bar Caulry and Garrycastle any of those teams could reach a final with the right draw which is possible under the new format.
On Multy, I'm not sure how people are surprised they struggle. What evidence is there to suggest they'd get to the knockout stages ahead of the other four teams who I feel are well ahead of them.
Senior section B is very tight and any team could still come out although Tang with two losses are certainly under pressure to beat Moate or you'd imagine they're out.
DelaneyCup2026 (National) - 10/08/2026 13:09:06
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"It's Worrying For Hurling!" - 1 Like(s)
I know it was famous for people being baffled about what was even going on, but the time travel trick from the film Tenet seems to be the answer to hurling's problems.
We keep the championship as is, but start it in late July and play it backwards, with the provincial finals in late May and the All Ireland final in April.
That way everyone is happy; the games all have meaning, the championship is completed in a reasonable timeframe, and everyone gets to experience the magical June&July hurling even if they lose every game.
Technically you'd already know who has won before the championship even started, but we'll live with that.
CastleBravo (National) - 10/08/2026 14:31:49
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Monaghan GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Farneyarmy2013: "All these lads on C teams are training with senior teams exposed to a better standard of football and better all round training. Like these lads will all be on specialist programmes for S&C and nutrition. All of these teams taking in Div 1 minor teams each year which is a big help.
Toome Blackhill have no juveniles. Rockorry Kileevan Seans Currin Oram & Drumhowan all have teams but all playing in lower divisions with the bare minimum of players. All these teams need a big influx of players at the same time or else its no good." You need to fact check your information. Your correct about toome juvenile woes. But the following is
Blackhill are fielding two teams at u12, amalagmated with doohamlet at u14, with a even split of represenation. They have won the u14 div 3 league and are now 3 of 3 unbeaten in div 2 championship. Their u16s and minors are again amalgmated with doohamlet. Currin u14 are div 2 on their own. U16s div 2 amalgmated with eire og and minors in div 2 league final amalgated with eire og. Killeevan u14s are in div 1 and 2. U16 and minors operating in div 2. Oram fielding on their own at u14 beat in div 3 league final. U16 div 2 shield winners. Rockcorry have amalaged at all under age levels.
latefortraining (National) - 10/08/2026 15:30:00
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Donegal GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Hi lads, in case anyone missed it and is wondering, I'm away for the next week or so. So there won't be any scores totted up for last weekend's games just yet.
I'll post this weekend's fixtures later in the week. Then when I'm home, I'll do the scores for both weeks and a leaderboard.
Yiamas!
Lockjaw (National) - 10/08/2026 16:06:04
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To yew_tree: "Got knocked out last year with a last second kick v Donegal. I wouldn't say Mayo came from "nowhere"
If it's nowhere than a lot of teams are nowhere! Like a lot of things it's very as bad as it seems or as good on the other end. Mayo will need to evolve again next year and I think management know that." I agree with that in saying that I think the cards falls kindly for ye in a year where a lot
Of the big guns came a cropper early on -a tr final v cork and a semi final v Louth gave ye huge momentum and one think no mayo team
Lacked Over the years is belief that coupled with hunger and hurt made ye an unstoppable force in the final
Congrats and well done not
Sure yell back it up next year but having got
Over the line wouldn't be one bit surprised to
See ye win a couple
Over
The next few years !
rossy15 (National) - 10/08/2026 18:49:25
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Wexford Club Hurling 2026 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To ElGranSenor: "What three Wexford clubs did you beat?" Probably wouldn't good etiquette to mention specific teams as no doubt parents be on this board so keeping it positive I was really impressed by blackwater u11s and Gorey u12s
WEXILE (National) - 10/08/2026 19:31:00
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Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Greenandgold1994: "Ya they have a great chance. I see they have a local derby this weekend against Leitrim geals. If they win this one ya never know what they will do." Leitrim will be tough,should beat Aughawillan and manor could go either way ,manor will fancy there chances this weekend
Redlad6 (National) - 10/08/2026 21:39:07
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Westmeath Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To mul: "The change to the structure this year is such a terrible decision for so many reasons. It was perfect the way it was.
Whoever initiated it needs to swallow their pride and go back to the way it was next year." It's far from a perfect structure and that's been well commented on here but what has been very noticeable in the opening two rounds has been the intensity and championship type tempo of the games. Teams know that losing one match could have a huge effect on qualifying so there's far greater urgency in the games. Caulry vs Garrycastle on Friday night was virtually a knockout game with both sides having lost their opening match and with tough games to come. The game was played at a great level of intensity with Caulry very unlucky. In Section A a side that could reach a county final will be eliminated, three draws out of six matches played suggests teams realise the importance of not losing early on, structure likely to be tweaked again next year but doubtful if scenario of four teams qualifying out of six will be reintroduced. Teams qualifying with one win out of five games hardly what supporters wish to see.
Claretandblue (National) - 10/08/2026 21:47:40
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