National Forum

National Hurling League 2026

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Kildare went a good way to ensuring survival today.

Should beat Down and difficult to see either Antrim or Down beat anyone other than each other.

Went from scoring 2 from play last week to 3 - 15! Great potential to be real force over next while."
Great result for Kildare.

twbm (Clare) - Posts: 56 - 08/02/2026 20:56:29    2655560

Link

Replying To twbm:  "They sure aren't.. full strength team out again Down.."
Its kind of the farewell tour for the old band that won the AI together. Hopefully they get at least a Munster this year. Next year there will be a few new faces Id be guessing.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18322 - 08/02/2026 22:28:38    2655567

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Its kind of the farewell tour for the old band that won the AI together. Hopefully they get at least a Munster this year. Next year there will be a few new faces Id be guessing."
Will they play Dancing at the Crossroads, I wonder?

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4548 - 08/02/2026 23:24:09    2655576

Link

Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Will they play Dancing at the Crossroads, I wonder?"
The only time you hear that anymore is at relegation games unfortunately

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 13 - 09/02/2026 09:34:17    2655593

Link

Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Will they play Dancing at the Crossroads, I wonder?"
Wouldn't say so :-D

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18322 - 09/02/2026 09:39:09    2655595

Link

Some big games left and it will be interesting to see if teams still go for it.
Huge win for Kildare.could this be the end of Davy as an inter county manager?

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2648 - 09/02/2026 10:47:30    2655611

Link

Replying To CTGAA10:  "Some big games left and it will be interesting to see if teams still go for it.
Huge win for Kildare.could this be the end of Davy as an inter county manager?"
Depending on the timing I'd probably take him back in Wexford for 2 years to be honest.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4223 - 09/02/2026 11:23:25    2655621

Link

Replying To CTGAA10:  "Some big games left and it will be interesting to see if teams still go for it.
Huge win for Kildare.could this be the end of Davy as an inter county manager?"
If he does go for another job, I doubt he'll be putting Antrim down as a reference on his CV!!

It could be a very expensive double relegation for them

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 13 - 09/02/2026 11:24:25    2655622

Link

Tough day for Down but the Davids of the hurling need to take on Goliaths and learn from the experience. Waterford in 1A and Kildare in 1B have added spice to the relegation battles. Kerry then are in the promotion mix from D2 but Laois away next will obviously be tough.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9425 - 09/02/2026 11:25:10    2655623

Link

Replying To CTGAA10:  "Some big games left and it will be interesting to see if teams still go for it.
Huge win for Kildare.could this be the end of Davy as an inter county manager?"
He looked almost disinterested.

One thing going back to when God was a boy that you got from Antrim was a bit of a skelping. He seems even to have coached the bit of badness out of them.

One less rival for Dublin who had some often no holds barred battles with them going back 50 years. No love lost but sad to see them on verge of possible demotion to lower tiers in league and championship.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4002 - 09/02/2026 11:27:27    2655624

Link

Replying To BarneyGrant:  "He looked almost disinterested.

One thing going back to when God was a boy that you got from Antrim was a bit of a skelping. He seems even to have coached the bit of badness out of them.

One less rival for Dublin who had some often no holds barred battles with them going back 50 years. No love lost but sad to see them on verge of possible demotion to lower tiers in league and championship."
Leinster hurling needs all it can get. I actually watched the 2003 aiqf yesterday between ourselves and Antrim. They had some really good players then. I hope they recover. Hurling needs all of us.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4223 - 09/02/2026 11:51:57    2655630

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "Depending on the timing I'd probably take him back in Wexford for 2 years to be honest."
We need to develop players and keep developing them. We can't afford any more gap years in development.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18322 - 09/02/2026 12:10:53    2655638

Link

Ben O'Connor is going to light up the media this year.
I agree with him but referees are more likely to be asked why they didn't book or send off somebody than why they did.
But here is the thing. I think hurling needs a "bunker review" like rugby. Let the game on, somebody to the sin bin and let a TMO help the referee where he can.
Not VAR which is ruining football but if there is serious foul play or an off the ball incident it needs to be dealt with.
But players are conning referees, pretending they are hurt, diving for frees, etc. Its not doing the game any good.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1553 - 09/02/2026 12:22:51    2655643

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "Depending on the timing I'd probably take him back in Wexford for 2 years to be honest."
I think he's finished tbh

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 868 - 09/02/2026 12:57:01    2655649

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Ben O'Connor is going to light up the media this year.
I agree with him but referees are more likely to be asked why they didn't book or send off somebody than why they did.
But here is the thing. I think hurling needs a "bunker review" like rugby. Let the game on, somebody to the sin bin and let a TMO help the referee where he can.
Not VAR which is ruining football but if there is serious foul play or an off the ball incident it needs to be dealt with.
But players are conning referees, pretending they are hurt, diving for frees, etc. Its not doing the game any good."
These hurling managers will soon want no Refs at all.
A game that seriously needs a revamp

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 360 - 09/02/2026 15:27:11    2655685

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "Depending on the timing I'd probably take him back in Wexford for 2 years to be honest."
You cant be serious

twbm (Clare) - Posts: 56 - 09/02/2026 17:58:08    2655705

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Ben O'Connor is going to light up the media this year.
I agree with him but referees are more likely to be asked why they didn't book or send off somebody than why they did.
But here is the thing. I think hurling needs a "bunker review" like rugby. Let the game on, somebody to the sin bin and let a TMO help the referee where he can.
Not VAR which is ruining football but if there is serious foul play or an off the ball incident it needs to be dealt with.
But players are conning referees, pretending they are hurt, diving for frees, etc. Its not doing the game any good."
I was talking to a fella a few years ago who played both codes, Gaelic and Rugby. Which did you prefer, I asked. Rugby, he said. When you have the ball you're tackled and that's it. With Gaelic there are fellas pulling and dragging you from start to finish, constantly mouthing, you don't get a moment's peace.

Crashingwaves (Galway) - Posts: 286 - 09/02/2026 18:26:59    2655711

Link

Replying To Seanfan:  "These hurling managers will soon want no Refs at all.
A game that seriously needs a revamp"
Great that you are starting to show an interest!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18322 - 09/02/2026 19:50:23    2655723

Link

Hurling people all have a hear no evil vibe. The game is perfect, leave it alone.
But its gone boring to watch. A free or line ball every 20 seconds.
No defined tackle, charging is never blown and a defender can't defend.
Players trip themselves and cod the referee.
They all lose their footing at the edge of the square if there is a defender close.
Supporters think every player hitting the ground is a free.
Players going down like they have been shot after a player standing tall or trying to flick a ball away and barely taps the helmet.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1954 - 09/02/2026 21:26:10    2655730

Link

Replying To StoreysTash:  "Hurling people all have a hear no evil vibe. The game is perfect, leave it alone.
But its gone boring to watch. A free or line ball every 20 seconds.
No defined tackle, charging is never blown and a defender can't defend.
Players trip themselves and cod the referee.
They all lose their footing at the edge of the square if there is a defender close.
Supporters think every player hitting the ground is a free.
Players going down like they have been shot after a player standing tall or trying to flick a ball away and barely taps the helmet."
Alot of that is down to the referee, and how he interprets the rules. The Munster Final last year was nearly like two different games due to the two referees interpreting the rules differently.
On your last paragraph I think a rule change should happen whereby "simulation" is punished with a red card and ban if detected by the referee. And if any conclusive video evidence of simulation is found on video, and there are cameras and camera phones everywhere these days, then the ban should be enforced retrospectively.
Hopefully that would act as a deterrent.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18322 - 09/02/2026 22:21:19    2655735

Link