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National Hurling League 2025

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Replying To CorkLiamMcCarthy24:  "Clare tried to bully Cork physically on their home patch and it backfired spectacularly.

Cork stood up to them and they had no answer to Cork's power and pace

Cork effectively relegated Clare yesterday who were practically at full strength.

It's a bad sign when a manager like Lohan complains about refereeing decisions.

Of course it's early in the season but Cork will take massive confidence from this performance

CORK ABU"
He wasn't complaining about the sending off decisions merely that at a referees meeting on Thursday that there was a change of attitude from last week that was not communicated to County Managers seems a fair point to me.
We have no complaints Cork were well superior yesterday your interpretation of who started & finished the bullying very different to mine

clooney (Clare) - Posts: 974 - 10/03/2025 16:10:31    2595796

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Replying To CorkLiamMcCarthy24:  "Clare tried to bully Cork physically on their home patch and it backfired spectacularly.

Cork stood up to them and they had no answer to Cork's power and pace

Cork effectively relegated Clare yesterday who were practically at full strength.

It's a bad sign when a manager like Lohan complains about refereeing decisions.

Of course it's early in the season but Cork will take massive confidence from this performance

CORK ABU"
As long as you don't tip to Cork to win the All-Ireland, they have a right good shot at it.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2264 - 10/03/2025 16:51:30    2595808

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I would agree with Liam Cahill s post match interview where he stated that the refs are coming under huge pressure now .

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 30 - 10/03/2025 17:51:17    2595822

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Replying To clooney:  "He wasn't complaining about the sending off decisions merely that at a referees meeting on Thursday that there was a change of attitude from last week that was not communicated to County Managers seems a fair point to me.
We have no complaints Cork were well superior yesterday your interpretation of who started & finished the bullying very different to mine"
So he could say to his players - look lads, if your going to hit a lad a slap across the head or a dig in the boll** you will likely get sent off - so don't do it? is that not what he should be saying every week? Is coaching not about ensuring that your players don't give the referee a decision to make.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1935 - 11/03/2025 05:33:55    2595884

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Replying To brayballer:  "I would agree with Liam Cahill s post match interview where he stated that the refs are coming under huge pressure now ."
Doesn't help the refs when the linesmen and umpires see nothing either, he's on his own.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2227 - 11/03/2025 09:45:09    2595896

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I'm coming to the conclusion that a Limerick player needs to be actually de capitated before a straight red card is shown to an opposition player

Southsham (Limerick) - Posts: 752 - 11/03/2025 10:37:45    2595905

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seems like none of the four sides left with a chance of winning the league care that much about winning it
Priorities are blooding new players, getting regulars back to fitness, and staying up. Winning it not a big deal

With all four - Galway, Cork, Limerick and Tipp - out with big provincial games 2 weeks after the final I am sure they are not too bothered. I'd say most would prefer not to get to a final as losing is a downer and winning a distraction, and you lose a week of rest and prep

Solution seems obvious - no final, winners are team that tops the table. you free up a week, and teams are not calculating whats to their benefit - get to a final or not?
Most teams would be happy to win a league if it didn't mean an extra game. Games between top teams in latter stages would be more competitive not less

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 87 - 11/03/2025 19:42:28    2595995

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Replying To Bon:  "Doesn't help the refs when the linesmen and umpires see nothing either, he's on his own."
What utter nonsense.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2091 - 11/03/2025 20:56:35    2596005

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Replying To Yadse:  "seems like none of the four sides left with a chance of winning the league care that much about winning it
Priorities are blooding new players, getting regulars back to fitness, and staying up. Winning it not a big deal

With all four - Galway, Cork, Limerick and Tipp - out with big provincial games 2 weeks after the final I am sure they are not too bothered. I'd say most would prefer not to get to a final as losing is a downer and winning a distraction, and you lose a week of rest and prep

Solution seems obvious - no final, winners are team that tops the table. you free up a week, and teams are not calculating whats to their benefit - get to a final or not?
Most teams would be happy to win a league if it didn't mean an extra game. Games between top teams in latter stages would be more competitive not less"
Your analysis is probably on the mark with regard to Cork, Limerick, and Tipp but I dont think so on this occasion in relation to Galway. Getting to a league final and be in with a chance of winning it would be a significant milestone to us in a year where signs of improvement and progress in our development may be more noted by their absence.

But I will be surprised if that comes to pass unless Cork are completely disinterested next week....which may of course be signalled by the team they select to play against us.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1997 - 12/03/2025 00:28:05    2596026

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Replying To Bon:  "Doesn't help the refs when the linesmen and umpires see nothing either, he's on his own."
I'll say it again. No straight red cards should be issued without review. Hits to the head can be a player ducking down. Contact with the shoulder first then the impact can cause secondary head contact. Certainly a red for this offence if proved. The video ref can have it done instantly before the ref contacts or call down. If it serious enough to send a player off then it demands the time to get it right. I think two yellows is different as the ref can make the decision himself on persistent fouling.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2992 - 12/03/2025 23:19:30    2596169

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Replying To Canuck:  "I'll say it again. No straight red cards should be issued without review. Hits to the head can be a player ducking down. Contact with the shoulder first then the impact can cause secondary head contact. Certainly a red for this offence if proved. The video ref can have it done instantly before the ref contacts or call down. If it serious enough to send a player off then it demands the time to get it right. I think two yellows is different as the ref can make the decision himself on persistent fouling."
And straight reds for a player diving and cheating.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2227 - 13/03/2025 13:14:21    2596239

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Replying To Bon:  "And straight reds for a player diving and cheating."
Yes. Call it bringing the game into disrepute.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2992 - 13/03/2025 14:07:49    2596250

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Replying To Bon:  "And straight reds for a player diving and cheating."
In fact in the interest of not too many reviews I would review these after the game and red card for the next game. During the game either give the free the opposite way or throw it in. At all times doing your utmost to avoid wrong calls.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2992 - 13/03/2025 14:49:50    2596261

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The biggest joke last week was managers and analysts complaining that the teams were not notified about the rules been called. Just because players were getting way with a dangerous foul they should be notified when they won't ? Just hi-lights the cheaters. What next because you got away with tripping in a few games you need to be told it is going to be watched ? Or when they do decide to deal with diving and faking they need to give a heads up ? I am all in favour of more consistency in refereeing but having to tell the rule breakers what you will be watching for is a bit of a stretch.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2992 - 15/03/2025 20:23:57    2596583

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Replying To Canuck:  "The biggest joke last week was managers and analysts complaining that the teams were not notified about the rules been called. Just because players were getting way with a dangerous foul they should be notified when they won't ? Just hi-lights the cheaters. What next because you got away with tripping in a few games you need to be told it is going to be watched ? Or when they do decide to deal with diving and faking they need to give a heads up ? I am all in favour of more consistency in refereeing but having to tell the rule breakers what you will be watching for is a bit of a stretch."
If the goal is to eliminate foul play then the best way to do that is first clearly communicate to managers and players what the priorities are ahead of time
If the goal is to send off a lot of players then, fine, keep it quiet and catch them, then wait for the outrage as games are "ruined"
In a perfect world sure rules are rules but in the real world there is always more emphasis on some rules over others

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 87 - 16/03/2025 20:01:19    2596791

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Replying To Yadse:  "If the goal is to eliminate foul play then the best way to do that is first clearly communicate to managers and players what the priorities are ahead of time
If the goal is to send off a lot of players then, fine, keep it quiet and catch them, then wait for the outrage as games are "ruined"
In a perfect world sure rules are rules but in the real world there is always more emphasis on some rules over others"
The best way to eliminate foul play is to stop coaching it, doing it and defending it. Of course there will always be foul play but take ownership for it and blaming the rules that you know exist when you lose.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2992 - 17/03/2025 13:19:16    2596893

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One of the most frustrating things I have noticed throughout league matches this year is the inconsistencies in refereeing decisions not only among different referees, but often with the same referee in different parts of the field. A foul should still be a foul regardless of where in the field it occurs or whether the team committing the offense is 4 points up or 3 points down

I appreciate that the referee only has a split second to make a decision and that his view of the offenses could be different each time. I also suspect the atmosphere and the vein the game is played in , can impact the referees decisions.

When April comes what is deemed an acceptable tackle will likely change again, especially in the Munster Championship when the stadiums will be heaving and the crowds will be on the Referees back's. Hard hits we be classified as "Physicality", while pure Dirt, will be considered to be "bringing an edge" to the game.

What was a foul in the league, may not be a foul in April in the Munster bear pit so I can understand why the managers get a bit upset.

LimerickandProud (Limerick) - Posts: 121 - 19/03/2025 10:11:42    2597205

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Replying To LimerickandProud:  "One of the most frustrating things I have noticed throughout league matches this year is the inconsistencies in refereeing decisions not only among different referees, but often with the same referee in different parts of the field. A foul should still be a foul regardless of where in the field it occurs or whether the team committing the offense is 4 points up or 3 points down

I appreciate that the referee only has a split second to make a decision and that his view of the offenses could be different each time. I also suspect the atmosphere and the vein the game is played in , can impact the referees decisions.

When April comes what is deemed an acceptable tackle will likely change again, especially in the Munster Championship when the stadiums will be heaving and the crowds will be on the Referees back's. Hard hits we be classified as "Physicality", while pure Dirt, will be considered to be "bringing an edge" to the game.

What was a foul in the league, may not be a foul in April in the Munster bear pit so I can understand why the managers get a bit upset."
I would have a lot of sympathy for refs
Hurling is:
too fast and has sped up considerably in the past decade
no video replays (not saying there should be but fact is they are not able to review incidents)
No clearly defined tackle
Speed at which ball is thrown/handpassed (and I dont agree that all handpasses are now thrown, when camera slows down you often see handpass motion) but whether you are for it or against it fact is its hard for refs to call
Speed make its very hard to call the three steps rule (this is been the case since time immemorial)
No clarity on advantage rule (playing advantage is great but I think its too much now up to the ref)
Role of umpires unclear (is it to call wides/scores or are they expected to advise ref, and if its the latter are they trained to do so)
Inconsistency in application of rules (and here I think its Croke Park that is most at fault, as its clear refs are following instructions in terms of rules applications, and those instructions change all the time)
Culture clash between the desire to "let them play" versus applying the rules - rare is the ref that can balance that out

I dont think there are easy answers but I think the roles of umpires and linesmen (who often are refs but dont seem to be as empowered to clearly communicate to refs). I think if the 3 step rule was focused on maybe some of the tackling issues would clear up, i.e. if onus is on the man with the ball to play the ball rather than carry into traffic game would speed up and there would be fewer "tackles
My own pet peeve is lads going around crashing into their opponents off the ball - after scoring, after coming on, before thrown ins, after winning a free, after conceding a free. I think it contributes to an air of indiscipline. It always happened but it just seems to be all the time now and refs ignore it. I think its related to the epidemic of pulling and dragging that goes on off the ball.

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 87 - 19/03/2025 13:11:01    2597260

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Replying To Yadse:  "I would have a lot of sympathy for refs
Hurling is:
too fast and has sped up considerably in the past decade
no video replays (not saying there should be but fact is they are not able to review incidents)
No clearly defined tackle
Speed at which ball is thrown/handpassed (and I dont agree that all handpasses are now thrown, when camera slows down you often see handpass motion) but whether you are for it or against it fact is its hard for refs to call
Speed make its very hard to call the three steps rule (this is been the case since time immemorial)
No clarity on advantage rule (playing advantage is great but I think its too much now up to the ref)
Role of umpires unclear (is it to call wides/scores or are they expected to advise ref, and if its the latter are they trained to do so)
Inconsistency in application of rules (and here I think its Croke Park that is most at fault, as its clear refs are following instructions in terms of rules applications, and those instructions change all the time)
Culture clash between the desire to "let them play" versus applying the rules - rare is the ref that can balance that out

I dont think there are easy answers but I think the roles of umpires and linesmen (who often are refs but dont seem to be as empowered to clearly communicate to refs). I think if the 3 step rule was focused on maybe some of the tackling issues would clear up, i.e. if onus is on the man with the ball to play the ball rather than carry into traffic game would speed up and there would be fewer "tackles
My own pet peeve is lads going around crashing into their opponents off the ball - after scoring, after coming on, before thrown ins, after winning a free, after conceding a free. I think it contributes to an air of indiscipline. It always happened but it just seems to be all the time now and refs ignore it. I think its related to the epidemic of pulling and dragging that goes on off the ball."
It is time for a sin bin for all fouls. Three minutes would deter a lot of the b.s. If the player does not move in 20 seconds a yellow and if he continues to remonstrate a red. The game is great but time to deal with the nonsense. Tugging guys hand, bumping players when no play, softening up substitutions, faking fouls etc. These things add nothing to the game but people only want them called on the other team.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2992 - 19/03/2025 17:06:50    2597321

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So 12 games with TV coverage this weekend
And we should be thankful that 2 of the 12 are hurling
I know most of the hurling games are dead rubbers but that's not the point
Nothing against football, I would watch it now and again but only if I had nothing better to do

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 87 - 22/03/2025 14:24:23    2597798

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