National Forum

Winter Hurling

(Oldest Posts First)

I sat and watched the three matches on TV over the week-end. Crokes v Ballacolla, Midleton V Kilmallock and Ballygunner v Loughmore. The best way to describe all three was that they "were a shambles". This was not due to the players and they have to be admired for giving their all. Four factors contributed to this 1. The time of year 2. Playing under lights 3. Awful refereeing decisions and 4. The stupidity of the suits in Croker of whom half never struck or kicked a ball in their life. Players are going to be seriously injured if something is not done about it.

AwbegRover (Cork) - Posts: 136 - 13/12/2021 12:35:12    2392660

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Replying To AwbegRover:  "I sat and watched the three matches on TV over the week-end. Crokes v Ballacolla, Midleton V Kilmallock and Ballygunner v Loughmore. The best way to describe all three was that they "were a shambles". This was not due to the players and they have to be admired for giving their all. Four factors contributed to this 1. The time of year 2. Playing under lights 3. Awful refereeing decisions and 4. The stupidity of the suits in Croker of whom half never struck or kicked a ball in their life. Players are going to be seriously injured if something is not done about it."
Ballygunner and Loughmore should have never been played at Fraher Field - dump of a pitch for hurling. The All-Ireland senior hurling and football finals will be played in July next year all going well so there should be no more winter hurling.

summerof09 (Meath) - Posts: 315 - 13/12/2021 12:52:02    2392664

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Replying To AwbegRover:  "I sat and watched the three matches on TV over the week-end. Crokes v Ballacolla, Midleton V Kilmallock and Ballygunner v Loughmore. The best way to describe all three was that they "were a shambles". This was not due to the players and they have to be admired for giving their all. Four factors contributed to this 1. The time of year 2. Playing under lights 3. Awful refereeing decisions and 4. The stupidity of the suits in Croker of whom half never struck or kicked a ball in their life. Players are going to be seriously injured if something is not done about it."
Don't understand how moving the All Irelands helped club hurling when they are still playing in the winter. You are 100% correct bad enough they are playing in December but under lights also. Someone will get seriously hurt.

gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 13/12/2021 13:02:57    2392665

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It can be farcical at times but I have to say I enjoyed the 3 live games over the weekend.
That said there's no way in hell any games should be played under lights though this time of year. Should be on at sensible times during the day instead.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1909 - 13/12/2021 13:18:12    2392669

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Replying To AwbegRover:  "I sat and watched the three matches on TV over the week-end. Crokes v Ballacolla, Midleton V Kilmallock and Ballygunner v Loughmore. The best way to describe all three was that they "were a shambles". This was not due to the players and they have to be admired for giving their all. Four factors contributed to this 1. The time of year 2. Playing under lights 3. Awful refereeing decisions and 4. The stupidity of the suits in Croker of whom half never struck or kicked a ball in their life. Players are going to be seriously injured if something is not done about it."
On point 3 what has got to do with playing in winter? the red card on Noel McGrath was just poor referring doesn't matter weather its June or December.

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 13/12/2021 14:11:50    2392680

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Replying To summerof09:  "Ballygunner and Loughmore should have never been played at Fraher Field - dump of a pitch for hurling. The All-Ireland senior hurling and football finals will be played in July next year all going well so there should be no more winter hurling."
It was clearly moved to suit TV camera's every Ballygunner home game I remember in Munster was in Walsh park which has no lights.

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 13/12/2021 14:12:58    2392681

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Replying To Bon:  "It can be farcical at times but I have to say I enjoyed the 3 live games over the weekend.
That said there's no way in hell any games should be played under lights though this time of year. Should be on at sensible times during the day instead."
Agreed Bon hurling under lights would only work if you have the same "daylight" standard lights that there are in some of the top international sporting arenas around the world. Sadly we dont have them at most floodlit grounds around the country. There were all these problems when cricket was first played under lights too. When you have a hard ball travelling at the speeds they travel at it's very dangerous for the players. Baseball the same. I think floodlit football works well enough on the other hand. Bigger ball that moves slower. As regards the pitches even at local level down here the standard of these varies wildly. Even in the summer some would be fairly muddy and would be completely unplayable at this time of year.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11864 - 13/12/2021 14:38:38    2392689

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Replying To gatha:  "Don't understand how moving the All Irelands helped club hurling when they are still playing in the winter. You are 100% correct bad enough they are playing in December but under lights also. Someone will get seriously hurt."
To be fair. The Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship 2021 started on the 15th June, and besides a break between the 3rd August and 4th September, it was played near enough continuously until the county final on the 7th November. All this before the start of the Leinster Club Championship on the 4th December.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2466 - 13/12/2021 14:48:51    2392691

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I know there were a couple of crazy ref decisions at the weekend but TBf to them its getting impossible to ref the games these days and weather like this is not helping either. Once the ball goes to ground the game turns into a rugby like frenzy.

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 13/12/2021 14:58:59    2392699

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I remember specifically saying after watching the second of the two televised games that the matches weren't like typical winter hurling games due to the quality of the pitches. The last game should never have been played in a pitch like that at this time of the year. However I'd mostly disagree with you. The ball was generally hopping up nicely in the other games

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 13/12/2021 15:20:25    2392702

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Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "To be fair. The Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship 2021 started on the 15th June, and besides a break between the 3rd August and 4th September, it was played near enough continuously until the county final on the 7th November. All this before the start of the Leinster Club Championship on the 4th December."
Some counties club championships were over months ago. I believe Wexford and Waterford were 2 of the 1st counties to finish their club season. What was the point they wound up with a long break before the Munter and Leinster championships started and they wind up still playing the week before Christmas. Now they are going to have the All Irelands finish in July. I will bet we will still be watching the club players next December.

gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 13/12/2021 16:01:46    2392707

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Think all would agree that December doesn't exactly bring ideal conditions for hurling. But at what other time could you play the provincial club championships, unless you drastically shorten the time available for county championships?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 13/12/2021 16:03:20    2392708

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Replying To AwbegRover:  "I sat and watched the three matches on TV over the week-end. Crokes v Ballacolla, Midleton V Kilmallock and Ballygunner v Loughmore. The best way to describe all three was that they "were a shambles". This was not due to the players and they have to be admired for giving their all. Four factors contributed to this 1. The time of year 2. Playing under lights 3. Awful refereeing decisions and 4. The stupidity of the suits in Croker of whom half never struck or kicked a ball in their life. Players are going to be seriously injured if something is not done about it."
Could not agree more. Changing playing season round for the welfare of Players is a smoke screen. Tyrone club games finally finished yesterday games with mucky fields, ball sliding all over the place, spectators standing out on grass verges foundered. Could have seen through it it they had have moved the All Ireland to October or November where they play on better pitches, better facilities for spectators and so on. But no, they need Croke Park free for singalongs.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2014 - 13/12/2021 16:43:03    2392720

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With the AI Club Champioships to be completed in the calendar year its likely we will have winter hurling for the forseeable future.

ONdeDITCH (Limerick) - Posts: 873 - 13/12/2021 17:59:17    2392726

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There would have been no problem yesterday if matches in munster were played other way round..there are lights in Gaelic grounds..it was a shame for both clubs playing in dungarvan when Walsh park was empty..unless there is work taking place as part of the development..can someone explain why some counties are only finished in past couple of weeks??i give out about our county board but even after getting to all Ireland final,all county final winners were decided 6 weeks ago...

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2217 - 13/12/2021 18:02:23    2392727

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Replying To summerof09:  "Ballygunner and Loughmore should have never been played at Fraher Field - dump of a pitch for hurling. The All-Ireland senior hurling and football finals will be played in July next year all going well so there should be no more winter hurling."
Its an awful pitch. You could see the state of the pitch before the ball was even thrown in. It was like a ploughed field. That's a game that should have been played in Thurlus.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1909 - 13/12/2021 19:00:50    2392736

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Everyone knows that the lights in Fraher field are bad and the pitch does not take rain well. In spite of its short comings Walsh Park is one of the best playing surfaces. I am sure either team would not have objected to playing at 12 a.m. It was unfair to both teams.
There are some options. Stagger the club championship. In other words the 2022 winners play in 2023. Every county champions still get a chance to play provincial. With the timing of the All-Irelands and only two teams (and more done sooner) left by early July, show case the provincial club championships before the start of the county games. A nice drop from one high level to another. You might have to pivot if All -Ireland finalists have players involved but most of the games could be played. All activity could be concluded by the end of October or at most the first week of November.
If you want to persist with playing our game in winter then set up to do so. There are fabulous outdoor stadiums. Croke Park, Parc Ui Caoimh, Thurles and a some others for summer. Build some domes with retractable roof that can take about 18,000 fans. Waterford an example. There is millions going be spent on Walsh Park why don't the GAA go the extra bit and do this. Or go out to the W.I.T. complex that is near the cut off toll bridge for access and start a new. They will never need a bigger stadium roof open or closed. Put one in Galway and may be eventually the middle of the country. You could throw a stone across the country when it comes to travel. Show the games with pay for view at least until the stadiums are paid. The only problem with this may be getting a closed season and time off for players.
The GAA have too many old die- hards and their democracy often holds up progress. Hurling counties stifling football and football stifling hurling. Like Kerry vetoing Waterford playing games in Nowlan Park when they had no skin in the game.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2660 - 19/12/2021 18:45:42    2393279

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