PS

I love Hurling. Played and coached it

I just think that hurling snobs stink.

One of the worst things about the GAA.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 20/08/2012 13:46:04    1248493

Slayer, see I know what your saying but essentially, reading between the lines of your post your saying that Football is a game for athletes and hurling is a game for artists....This notion that hurling is somehow more skillful, to me, is absolute rubbish. Its out there, its almost a "given" and the hurling fraternity love to pat themselves on the back and remind everyone AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE that hurling is "the greatest field game in the world" etc
Its not, its just not!

They are totally different disciplines. I've played & being involved in preparing both. In hurling, if you miss training for 2 weeks, you often see our first touch go. In football if you miss training for 2 weeks as long as your fitness is ok, then you can still play the game.

What I highlight as being the key difference is many teams are not using the real skills of Gaelic football. The football hand pass is probably the easiest skill out of all the skills in both sports. Your hand covers about 1/3 of the size of the ball's hemisphere so giving the ball away with a hand-pass is criminal. The real skills which are long range kicking & taking points from tight angles don't happen any more. I saw Stephen O'Neill score a point in 2005 V Dublin on the right wing with his right foot. I saw Muiris Gavin do the same for Limerick v Clare in 2003. In recent years you don't see this - coaches are all about keeping the ball and working the ball into a position in front of the goal 40 yards out so anyone can score.

In hurling the basic skills are encouraged not discouraged. TJ Reid's monster point yesterday, Shefflin's lobbed goal v Limerick, or Aidan Fogarty's goal yesterday - all supremely skilful efforts but you don't see those in football any more. Long range points in football are disappearing and with Kerry's demise in recent years I expect them to disappear even more. Football is all about working the ball into the 40 and getting the ball right in front of goal.

It's the coaching of the game that lets football down. In hurling if you get the ball with a split second to spare anywhere in your opponents half, you can have a go. Not so in football. It's a pity really as long range points often make for a great game of football.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6603 - 20/08/2012 13:47:58    1248497

I'm probably a bit of a snob. I hate to see football getting in the way of hurling. Right now, in Cork, I think football is taking over. It's getting in the way of hurling at a lot of clubs. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that guys will play what they want to play. That's up to them. But I can't help what I feel.

Jimbob also has a good point about football under the microscope. Hurling people are so protective of the game that they now tolerate thugishness and blatent breaches of the rules. They call it 'letting the game flow.' To be honest I think yesterdays mionor game was better because it lacked this so called 'physicality.' Mark my words, there's going to be a very serious injury at an inter-county hurling match. This 'letting the game flow' must stop. The rules are there for a reason. Football refs enforce them - so should hurling refs.

Culchie (Cork) - Posts: 799 - 20/08/2012 14:01:22    1248507

Yep there is alot of snobbery re hurling, and for life of me i can't understand it. Hurling is boorish. Football is not even when it's 15behind ball. I don't look down on hurling just cause football is my game same should be in return

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 20/08/2012 14:07:32    1248510

slayer
County: Limerick
Posts: 4482

1248480 Was there a player hit in the stomach with a piece of wood and then kicked on the ground and sneered at...?

Jimbo,

who carries pieces of wood in Gaelic football? If you know of any you should report them.
______

We did it at Ballymun Kickhams all the time... ;)

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 20/08/2012 14:10:17    1248512

Listen I like hurling, I watch it and enjoy it. But the lads who "comment on it" on tv drive me mad with their attitude. It stinks. Arrogant, Condescending and superior.

For the record, I would exclude Cyril from that. He often talks football and I have a lot of time for him as a result of it. The others I have the problem with and it is clear they have an elitist attitude.

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 20/08/2012 14:16:56    1248521

jimbodub

I do take the point about that incident in 2011, it was pretty unsavory. The thing is ye won the game so it was probably forgotten.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6603 - 20/08/2012 14:17:05    1248522

This label of snobbery is used by people with a massive chip on their shoulder who have never played the game or did play it and were no use at it.

The problem with football is that its always compared to hurling - Its 2 entirely different games . Due to the nature and speed of football compared to hurling its a lot more difficult to let the game flow from a refs standpoint.

Finsceal (None) - Posts: 559 - 20/08/2012 14:20:12    1248525

I agree with the point that if some of the stuff that went on yesterday were replicated in a football match there would be a huge reaction. A hurl is a potentially lethal weapon, yet I seen it lashed blindly at an opponent twice yesterday and it resulted in 1 yellow card. If a footballer done the same with only his fist, nevermind a hurl, he would be gone, and totally blasted afterwards for being so unsporting and downright violent.
I also disagree with this notion that hurling is a far more skillful game, it isnt.At the highest level, it is far easier to puck a ball over from 50 yards than to do the same with a football. Furthermore if the amount of hoofing up the field that goes on in hurling went on in football, the team doing it wouldnt see the quarter finals. Think of the amount of times you hear the phrase 'draw on the ball' in hurling, compared to football. If a fella was doing that in a football match he would be ran! Also, the tackling in hurling is far less of a skill than it is just brute force and intensity. This is mainly down to the ball being so small that all an opponent can really do is just block the man. You see far more of fellas just smashing into eachother in hurling.
I dont dislike hurling, it has its own merits and I enjoy a good game as much as anyone. But these claims that are put forward about hurling, which usually are at the expense of football, do not hold any water as far as im concerned. Personally I find football to be a far more measured game, it doesnt mean I have to hate hurling

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 20/08/2012 14:21:57    1248527

I would consider myself a "hurling man" and consider it by far the better game. However I also never miss a football match of either club or county. Hurling is treated with complete disrespect in many counties though (as is football in some counties) This is wrong and the GAA need to do something now.

doyoumrjones (Meath) - Posts: 31 - 20/08/2012 14:25:56    1248532

the reality of the situation is that hurling snobbery is down to an inferiority complex. Its the minority sport within the organistion and does not generate the same national interest as football. The All Ireland Football final dwarfs its hurling cousin both at home and abroad. Also not one team north of the Shannon has ever won the All Ireland hurling title.
In terms of skill, yes it is high but try and win dirty ball taking hits from men on average a stone heavier and twisting to take a score kicking a heavy size 5 O'Neills!

Also another observation I have come across over the years is how "dual" players prosper more at hurling than football (Brian Corcoran, Sean Og, Cadogan, Alan Kearns, Conal Keaney, Dotzy O'Callaghan etc etc. The can have a prolonged career in hurling also.

One final point is that Kilkenny would not dominate football as a county if they choose football. The tactical development in football is light years ahead of hurling.

sportsfan14 (USA) - Posts: 281 - 20/08/2012 14:28:08    1248534

Lads can ye seriously not grasp the fact that its WAYYY easier to score a long range point in hurling than in football??? Seriously now, think about it for a minute.
Anyone saying hurling is better due to the long range score taking needs to re-asses and ask why is it easier to score long range points in hurling than in football.....it wont take you long to work it out!!
Hurlers have accessories that increase the ability of the individual so long as they can atually hurl, footballers have nothing except maybe a mikasa glove with the black grip dots long gone off it!



On a side note, Slayer do u remember S Kellys point in Croker in the Div 2 League final 4 or 5 years ago literally from the end line?
Stephen O'Neill eat your heart out :)

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 20/08/2012 14:29:36    1248536

I cant understand why some football people think something is wrong with hurling because the refs are apparently more lenient. I would think that this is because there is an inherant flaw in the rules of football that needs to be sorted instead of blaming hurling. I love hurling but like football there is too much handpassing these days and no ground hurling. The handpassing has simply ruined football for me as a spectacle and my interest is now merely to monitor the competition as opposed to the game.

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 708 - 20/08/2012 14:29:51    1248537

Jimbo, you're from Kickhams. Why didn't you say so :-)

You have some cheek slagging people for being hurling snobs given the history of your own club in relation to people in it who wanted to play hurling. And indeed to snobbery in general. Hence that great working class hurling only club Setanta :-)

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 20/08/2012 14:30:41    1248538

with a football. Furthermore if the amount of hoofing up the field that goes on in hurling went on in football, the team doing it wouldnt see the quarter finals. Think of the amount of times you hear the phrase 'draw on the ball' in hurling, compared to football. If a fella was doing that in a football match he would be ran! Also, the tackling in hurling is far less of a skill than it is just brute force and intensity. This is mainly down to the ball being so small that all an opponent can really do is just block the man. You see far more of fellas just smashing into eachother in hurling.
I dont dislike hurling, it has its own merits and I enjoy a good game as much as anyone. But these claims that are put forward about hurling, which usually are at the expense of football, do not hold any water as far as im concerned. Personally I find football to be a far more measured game, it doesnt mean I have to hate hurling
TheMaster , 20/08/2012 at 14:21

You obviously know nothing about hurling. Zilch!

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 20/08/2012 14:31:35    1248539

slayer
County: Limerick
Posts: 4483

1248522 jimbodub

I do take the point about that incident in 2011, it was pretty unsavory. The thing is ye won the game so it was probably forgotten.
____________

Fair play

There may be an element of truth in that...

But I think it also shows that the antics that go on in hurling, just doesn't get the exposure that it would in football... Thus making this type of behaviour seem almost acceptable

It's like hurling is protected somewhat from legitimate constructive criticism... which is completely warranted in certain cases and is in fact needed.

Unsavoury is the word for it. Nasty stuff… and these are the men that are supposed to be setting the example. When such actions go almost unpunished and are forgotten about… is not the way to go.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 20/08/2012 14:38:50    1248547

I think the word "snobbery" is probably a bit strong.

I do however agree with some of the points on here... so called "letting the game flow" is in some instances another word for allowing thuggery to prevail... All that off the ball nonsense yesterday was a joke.. If it was a football match there would have been at least 1 red card.. That swing on TJ reid could have done serious damage.. if a fist is thrown in football its a red and justifiably... but swing a hurl which is far more dangerous and u get a yellow

I do also agree that the football analysts are very quick to criticise standards of football and seem to lavish praise only on their own county/province - Spillane with Kerry and Brolly with the top northern teams are prime examples.. Colm O Rourke is a notable exception

I have rarely seen Mulcahy or any of the other boys say "well that was a poor game" despite all the mis-matches that occur in the hurling championship up to and sometimes including some of the 1/4 finals...

unclegerry (Mayo) - Posts: 1223 - 20/08/2012 14:38:51    1248548

Lads can ye seriously not grasp the fact that its WAYYY easier to score a long range point in hurling than in football??? Seriously now, think about it for a minute.

I agree totally. Diarmuid O'Sullivan scored 2 points V Limerick in 2001 & 2002 both from almost 100 yards.

The thing is if a footballer gets a ball 50 yards out many are encouraged to play it in deeper. In football there is this massive fear of losing the ball and the opposition just creating an overlap on you. In hurling that is less as you can fend off your opponent with the extra reach of the stick.

I really prefer hurling, but I won more in football. I don't know whether to laugh or cry about that especially given as I was only a pure mullocker in both.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6603 - 20/08/2012 14:38:59    1248549

hurlingdub
County: Dublin
Posts: 4085

Gerrr outta datt..

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 20/08/2012 14:45:08    1248552

It's simple really: You could take anyone with an ounce of athletic ability and put him through a few days of good training under the eyes of a knowledgable coach and at the end of it you could easily produce someone to rival the Brogans and Mulligans of this world.

On the otherhand; only the creator could produce someone like Joe Canning.

Don't bother lads. I was leaving anyway ;)

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3152 - 20/08/2012 14:59:30    1248559