HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

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Ball And Bas

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Two very competitive semis. However I have to admit I found tonight's game to be a bit of a bore at times, because so little of the play was within the 45 of the opposing goal. I think hurling has a serious issue with the modern bas and ball. A free in your own half back line should never be a scoring opportunity, nor should a sideline from midfield. I bought a hurl and a regulation size 5 sliotar a few weeks back, to have a pick around with the wee man. No matter what way you strike it the ball travels an obscene distance. I had to double check that I didnt buy a keepers hurl the bas is that big. It's great fun for mugs like me messing about but I think it's taking something away from the game at the top level. Daith (Kildare) - Posts: 1172 - 29/11/2020 20:35:38 2316653 Link
The ball is far to light. Also the amount of players throwing the ball is a joke. May aswell just let lads thow it and be done with it. daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 29/11/2020 21:40:20 2316682 Link
Replying To daytona11: "The ball is far to light. Also the amount of players throwing the ball is a joke. May aswell just let lads thow it and be done with it." Does any evidence exist to prove that the ball is any lighter now when compared with 10/15 years ago? Or is it just a rumour someone started. Lads are stronger, hurls are better, players practice more. Simple as. Onfor15 (Wexford) - Posts: 533 - 29/11/2020 21:54:00 2316688 Link
Replying To daytona11: "The ball is far to light. Also the amount of players throwing the ball is a joke. May aswell just let lads thow it and be done with it." I would go the other way. Call them all if there is not separation between the ball and hand with the elbow visually moving back. It is what a legal hand pass is supposed to be. This will eliminate a lot of them and get more stick work because they will get turned over. It may also help with the bottling up of players by reducing the necessity to do it with blocking down increased. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3062 - 29/11/2020 22:01:03 2316693 Link
Tell me how many scores in today's game were scored from outside the 65? (They were able to score from there in Christy rings time!). Lots of interplay and most scores now from inside the 65. I think we re spoiled with the quality of play and scoring nowadays. We gush at a footballer (even a forward) who can score from 30 metres. You d think it was never seen before! Rem what was said of Clifford's score from the 21 v cork?? One of the greatest scores ever??!! Ah jayus! Hurling is now played by bigger men at intercounty level. Look at the condition of time. Therefore combined with the skill level it means for great scoring. Sidelines - a great skill and more about the striker not the ball etc. Otherwise every team would score them regularly. Oldyellar (Carlow) - Posts: 42 - 29/11/2020 22:16:55 2316698 Link
Replying To Onfor15: "Does any evidence exist to prove that the ball is any lighter now when compared with 10/15 years ago? Or is it just a rumour someone started. Lads are stronger, hurls are better, players practice more. Simple as." Ah yeh im involved meself with teams for a long while now and the ball simply doesnt absorb any moisture etc either. But they are manufactured lighter for sure. daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 29/11/2020 23:27:18 2316719 Link
Replying To Onfor15: "Does any evidence exist to prove that the ball is any lighter now when compared with 10/15 years ago? Or is it just a rumour someone started. Lads are stronger, hurls are better, players practice more. Simple as." Exactly just look at the skill of the players they rairly spill posession and their touch is in brillent. A side line cut might look easy but it's not. ecad123 (Galway) - Posts: 272 - 30/11/2020 01:26:27 2316734 Link
Replying To Onfor15: "Does any evidence exist to prove that the ball is any lighter now when compared with 10/15 years ago? Or is it just a rumour someone started. Lads are stronger, hurls are better, players practice more. Simple as." The ref can't possibly see instances of Ho a player moves the ball from his hand. Classic case in point: Noel McGrath picked the ball off the ground while lying on his side .. he then stood up could most likely tel that the ref's view was at least partially blocked so he threw the ball to a team mate who scored a goal.,Two fouls committed which should have been 2 frees for Limerick.. furthers the case for either 2 refs or VAR. I favor VAR.. PatOLogical (Limerick) - Posts: 1377 - 30/11/2020 04:38:21 2316737 Link
Replying To Onfor15: "Does any evidence exist to prove that the ball is any lighter now when compared with 10/15 years ago? Or is it just a rumour someone started. Lads are stronger, hurls are better, players practice more. Simple as." It's a rumour as it's actually heavier than it was in years gone by tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 30/11/2020 04:41:08 2316738 Link
there are way too many frees now.players are playing for them all the time. i am not proposing going back to players only getting a free for legs being amputated but the game is now desparately stop-start. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 30/11/2020 09:05:48 2316758 Link
An awful lot of it too it the sheer work and practise that's going into striking nowadays. You watch any of the old GAA Gold hurling matches, a fella just throws the ball in the ground in front of him to take a 65, roll lifts it as fast as he can and just wallops it. Little or no precision in it, just hit and hope. Lads stand over frees forever now and take their time lifting it. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2336 - 30/11/2020 09:53:25 2316771 Link
Too many players are being left unmarked in space. Galway were way too loose around the fringes of the middle third and let Limerick shoot from all over the place. Ive always said that score from 70 yards under pressure are brilliant but If you leave players unmarked expect long range scores. As for the handpass or the throw or whatever it is, is getting out of hand, quite literally. ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 708 - 30/11/2020 09:58:43 2316776 Link
Watching games and been involved and played and there is no doubt that the ball is going further than ever before... watched the 1985 All Ireland hurling final the other night with Pete Finnerty blowing his.man away and the late and great Tony Keady and Paudie Delaney from Offaly as well as Eugene Coughlan at number 3 and Padraig Horan at full forward and don't tell me that they were not strong men and they did not hit one ball in the 70 min as far as players over the weekend. The ball today is definitely smaller.... its very hard to see or feel the difference between a size 5 and size 4 ball. And what about the rim... to all intents and purposes it's gone as it's so.small. As a result the ball is travelling a lot further and due to little or no rim its now rare that a player does not trap the ball perfectly. Watch Limerick... they are masters at it. Just look at the clearance that half backs are getting with their shots over the bar ... they are often over the height of the goal posts !!! This scenario has totally and looks like irrevocably changed the game and it needs to be discussed. Equipment has changed and yeah hurls are better but the ball is the most significant factor and not the physique of players... Frank Cummins... Joe Cooney... Jimmy Barry Barry Murphy... Joe Hennessey.. Noel Skehan... All strong men... none of the pucked the ball as far as players today....its a chat that is badly needed. carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1877 - 30/11/2020 10:58:31 2316804 Link
The players at the top level make it look easy. They practice striking (left & right), catching & control like professionals, in their own time as well as at training. The sliothar was probably the same weight years ago except when it was wet it absorbed the water. Hurls/hurleys are better made & players are much choosier about what they use. Plus they all use good grips. In other words, everything is more refined which leads to longer striking. keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 30/11/2020 14:38:38 2316954 Link
Replying To ZUL10: "Too many players are being left unmarked in space. Galway were way too loose around the fringes of the middle third and let Limerick shoot from all over the place. Ive always said that score from 70 yards under pressure are brilliant but If you leave players unmarked expect long range scores. As for the handpass or the throw or whatever it is, is getting out of hand, quite literally." I do think the handpass needs to be addressed all right. most are being thrown they just shake the hand really quickly and it looks ok but they are not showing a clear striking action. I'm not really a fan of the handpass now and I think it's being overused. ecad123 (Galway) - Posts: 272 - 30/11/2020 15:15:15 2316973 Link
Replying To keeper7: "The players at the top level make it look easy. They practice striking (left & right), catching & control like professionals, in their own time as well as at training. The sliothar was probably the same weight years ago except when it was wet it absorbed the water. Hurls/hurleys are better made & players are much choosier about what they use. Plus they all use good grips. In other words, everything is more refined which leads to longer striking." I take what you say as true but if you have an old sliotar from 10 or more years ago and compare it to today's ones , there is a noticeable difference.. . The ball today is smaller and the rim is a lot smaller than the O Neill of 10 years ago... the result is that it travels further and is easier to control. I have one o Neills from 20 years ago and there is a huge difference with the O Neills of today and reports I have had from county players is that the yellow dliotar goes further again. Now, is that the way we want our game to be... where corner backs will soon be able to realistically take a point from their 20m line ? carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1877 - 30/11/2020 18:41:40 2317088 Link
Replying To daytona11: "Ah yeh im involved meself with teams for a long while now and the ball simply doesnt absorb any moisture etc either. But they are manufactured lighter for sure." I quit hurling at 14 because the pain of hitting a wet sliotar would send up the hurl and I could never really strike it sweet. It was like concrete. There is some difference now. It's either the game has got easier with lighter balls and bigger sweet spots on the hurls, or i have developed talent at the age of 38 after no hurling in nearly quarter of a century . Daith (Kildare) - Posts: 1172 - 30/11/2020 21:11:45 2317154 Link
Replying To Daith: "I quit hurling at 14 because the pain of hitting a wet sliotar would send up the hurl and I could never really strike it sweet. It was like concrete. There is some difference now. It's either the game has got easier with lighter balls and bigger sweet spots on the hurls, or i have developed talent at the age of 38 after no hurling in nearly quarter of a century ." Maybe you're just a late developer ;-) keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 30/11/2020 21:47:49 2317163 Link
Replying To carlowman: "I take what you say as true but if you have an old sliotar from 10 or more years ago and compare it to today's ones , there is a noticeable difference.. . The ball today is smaller and the rim is a lot smaller than the O Neill of 10 years ago... the result is that it travels further and is easier to control. I have one o Neills from 20 years ago and there is a huge difference with the O Neills of today and reports I have had from county players is that the yellow dliotar goes further again. Now, is that the way we want our game to be... where corner backs will soon be able to realistically take a point from their 20m line ?" I remember the thick rims :-) keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 30/11/2020 21:48:41 2317164 Link
Replying To Daith: "I quit hurling at 14 because the pain of hitting a wet sliotar would send up the hurl and I could never really strike it sweet. It was like concrete. There is some difference now. It's either the game has got easier with lighter balls and bigger sweet spots on the hurls, or i have developed talent at the age of 38 after no hurling in nearly quarter of a century ." The ball still absorbs water and becomes heavy and spongy so I don't know of any sliotar that does not absorb water. County teams have the funds to have new sliotars at each training because if you are not used to new sliotars they are very hard to control compared to used ones. ecad123 (Galway) - Posts: 272 - 30/11/2020 22:06:54 2317170 Link