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===12th century===
===12th century===


The tale of the ''[[Táin Bó Cuailgne]]'' (drawing on earlier legends) describes the hero [[Cúchulainn]] playing hurling at [[Emain Macha]].
''Meallbreatha'' describes


''Meallbreatha'' describes punishments for injuring a player in several games, most of which resemble hurling.
Hurling was first mentioned in a [[9th century]] description of the Battle of Maigh Tura where the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] defeated the [[Fir Bolg]] in a brutal match and, later, in a battle. Hurling has also been mentioned in several other old Irish sources since and the game has enjoyed popularity through the ages.


The ''Seanchás Mór'' commentaries on the Brehon Law state that the son of a ''rí'' (local king) could have his hurley hooped in [[bronze]], while others could only use [[copper]]. It was illegal to confiscate a hurley.
Since [[1884]], hurling has been governed by the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA). The most important match is the GAA All-Ireland Intercounty Championship which takes place annually in a modified knock-out format. The final matches are played at [[Croke Park]] and regularly attract attendances of up to 83,000 people.


===13th century===
Hurling remains an entirely amateur sport.

Statute of [[Kilkenny]] forbids hurling due to excessive violence.

===14th century===

===15th century===

===16th century===

'''1527''': Statue recorded in [[Galway City]]: "At no time to use ne occupy ye hurling of ye litill balle with the hookie sticks or staves, nor use no hand balle to play without the walls, but only the great foot balle."

'''1587''': Lord CHancellor William Gerrarde complains that English settlers of the [[Plantations_of_Ireland#The_Munster_Plantation|Munster Plantation]] are speaking [[Irish language|Irish]] and playing hurling.

===17th century===

===18th century===

===19th century===

===20th century===

===21st century===


== National and international ==
== National and international ==

Revision as of 18:20, 6 June 2006

For the Cornish sport, see Hurling the Silver Ball.
Irish postage stamp which portrays hurling
Irish postage stamp which portrays hurling

Hurling (Irish, Iomáint) is an outdoor team sport of Celtic origin, played with sticks and a ball. The game, played primarily in Ireland, is arguably the world's fastest field team sport in terms of game play (however the ball travels faster in other field games such as hockey). It resembles the games of shinty that is played primarily in Scotland, cammag on the Isle of Man and bandy that was played formerly in England and Wales. Hurling played by women is also known as camogie. Hurling is one of Ireland's native sports.

Game

Hurley and sliotar (hurling stick and ball)

The objective of this field game is for one of two teams to score more goals and points, during a match, than the other. A team comprises 15 players.

The stick, which is known as a hurley or camán, is made traditionally from the root of the Ash tree and is generally 25–38 inches (64–97 cm) in length with a flat face opposite its handle called a bas. The ball, which is known as a sliotar, is made of leather and is 2.55 inches (65 mm) in diameter. The goalkeeper's hurley has a bas twice the size of other players' hurleys to provide some advantage for the fast moving sliotar. A good strike with a stick can propel the ball up to 93 mph (150 km per hour) in speed and 262 feet (80 m) in distance.

During a match, players attack their opposing goal and protect their own. When the ball is on the ground, it must be played by striking or lifting it off the ground with the hurley into the air where it may be struck again or placed into the hand for four seconds or four steps, whichever comes first. If the ball is caught, the catching player may not throw it or carry it for the shorter of four paces or four seconds, but is allowed to strike the ball with a stick or hand, or by kicking. The hurley's bas may be used to carry the ball while a player controls it.

Accidental collisions between players and equipment do occur and so a plastic protective helmet with faceguard is recommended (mandatory for players under 18 years of age).

Rules

Playing Field

The pitch is of grass and rectangular, stretching 130-150 metres long and 80–90 metres wide. There are H-shaped goalposts at each end with a net on the bottom section. The same pitch is used for Gaelic football; the GAA, which organises both sports, decided this to facilitate dual usage. Lines are marked at 13 m, 20 m and 65 m from each end-line. Shorter pitches and smaller goals are used by under-13s and younger.

Teams

Teams consist of fifteen players (a goalkeeper, two corner backs, a full back, three half backs, two midfielders, three half forwards, two corner forwards and a full forward) plus up to fifteen substitutes, of which five may be used. Each player is numbered 1-15, starting with the goalkeeper, who must wear a different coloured jersey.

Timekeeping

Senior inter-county matches last 70 minutes (35 minutes a half). All other matches last 60 minutes (30 minutes a half). For age groups of under-13 or lower, games may be shortened to 50 minutes. Timekeeping is at the discretion of the referee who adds on stoppage time at the end of each half.

If a knockout game finishes in a draw, a replay is played. If a replay finishes in a draw, 20 minutes (10 minutes a side) extra time is played. If the game is still tied, another replay is played.

In club competitions replays are increasingly not used due to the fixture backlogs caused. Instead, extra time is played after a draw, and if the game is still level after that it will go to a replay. Some club competitions have used penalty shoot-outs also.

Technical Fouls

The following are considered technical fouls ("fouling the ball"):

  • Picking the ball directly off the ground
  • Throwing the ball
  • Going five steps with the ball in the hand. It may be bounced or carried on the hurley though.
  • Catching the ball three times in a row without it touching the ground (touching the hurley does not count)
  • Putting the ball from one hand to the other
  • Handpassing a goal or point
  • Dropping or throwing the hurley
  • Square ball, an often controversial rule: If, at the moment the ball enters the small rectangle, there is already an attacking player inside the small rectangle, a free out is awarded.

Scoring

Scoring is achieved by sending the sliotar (ball) between the opposition's goal posts. The posts, which are at each end of the field, are "H" posts as in rugby football but with a net under the crossbar as in soccer. The posts are seven yards (6.37 m) apart and the crossbar is seven feet (2.12 m) above the ground.

If the ball goes over the crossbar, a point is scored and a white flag is raised by an umpire. If the ball goes below the crossbar, a goal, worth three points, is scored, and a green flag is raised by an umpire. The goal is guarded by a goalkeeper. Scores are recorded in the format {goal total} - {point total}. For example, the 1995 All-Ireland final finished: Clare 1-13 Offaly 2-8. Thus Clare won "one thirteen to two eight" (16 to 14). 0-11 is referred to as "eleven points", never "zero eleven". 2-0 is referred to as "two goals", never "two zero". 0-0 is said "no score".

Tackling

Players may be tackled but not struck with a stick. Jersey-pulling, wrestling, pushing and tripping are all forbidden. There are several forms of acceptable tackling, the most popular being:

  • the block, where one player attempts to smother an opposing players strike by trapping the ball between his hurley and the opponent's swinging hurley;
  • the hook, where a player approaches another player from a rear angle and attempts to catch the opponent's hurley with his own at the top of the swing; and
  • the side pull, where two players running together for the sliotar will collide at the shoulders and swing together to win the tackle.

Restarting play

  • The match begins with the referee throwing the sliotar in between the four midfielders on the halfway line.
  • After an attacker has scored or put the ball wide of the goals, the goalkeeper may take a puckout from the hand at the edge of the small square. All players must be beyond the 20 m line.
  • After a defender has put the ball wide of the goals, an attacker may take a "65" from the the 65 m line level with where the ball went wide. It must be taken by lifting and striking.
  • After a player has put the ball over the sideline, the other team may take a sideline puck at the point where the ball left the pitch. It must be taken from the ground.
  • After a player has committed a foul, the other team may take a free at the point where the foul was committed. It must be taken by lifting and striking.
  • After a defender has committed a foul inside the large rectangle, the other team may take a penalty from the ground from the centre of the 20 m line. Only the goalkeeper and two defenders may guard the goals. It must be taken by lifting and striking.
  • If many players are struggling for the ball and it is not clear who was fouled first, the referee may choose to throw the ball in between two opposing players.

Officials

A hurling match is watched over by 8 officials:

  • The referee
  • Two linesmen
  • Sideline Official/Standby Linesman (inter-county games only)
  • Four umpires (two at each end)

The referee is responsible for starting and stopping play, recording the score, awarding frees and booking and sending off players.
Linesmen are responsible for indicating the direction of line balls to the referee.
The fourth official is responsible for overseeing substitutions, and also indicating the amount of stoppage time (signalled to him by the referee) and the players substituted using an electronic board.
The umpires are responsible for judging the scoring. They indicate to the referee whether a shot was: wide (spread both arms), a 65 m puck (raise one arm), a point (wave white flag), or a goal (wave green flag).
All officials are also supposed to indicate to the referee anything he may have missed, although this is a rare occurrence. The referee can over-rule any decision by a linesman or umpire.

History

Fragments of law predating the Brehon Laws refer to hurling and may have been written before AD 400.

12th century

The tale of the Táin Bó Cuailgne (drawing on earlier legends) describes the hero Cúchulainn playing hurling at Emain Macha.

Meallbreatha describes punishments for injuring a player in several games, most of which resemble hurling.

The Seanchás Mór commentaries on the Brehon Law state that the son of a rí (local king) could have his hurley hooped in bronze, while others could only use copper. It was illegal to confiscate a hurley.

13th century

Statute of Kilkenny forbids hurling due to excessive violence.

14th century

15th century

16th century

1527: Statue recorded in Galway City: "At no time to use ne occupy ye hurling of ye litill balle with the hookie sticks or staves, nor use no hand balle to play without the walls, but only the great foot balle."

1587: Lord CHancellor William Gerrarde complains that English settlers of the Munster Plantation are speaking Irish and playing hurling.

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

National and international

Although many hurling clubs exist worldwide, only Ireland has a national team. It and the Scotland shinty team have played for many years with modified match rules. The match is the only such international competition. However, competition at club level is growing in Europe with teams in several countries.

In North America there are leagues in many cities; the largest of these is the Milwaukee Hurling Club. The sport is promoted by the North American Gaelic Athletic Association.

Major hurling competitions

Famous players

External links


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