Inter county hurling season 2021

Sunny Disposition

An average enough year overall I’d say, some good games and definitely great to have the championship played in the summer with supporters present.

Limerick are unquestionably the best team, like Kilkenny around 15 years ago. Sure they fell asleep for a while against Tipp, but I think complacency was a big factor in that. They are an incredible team, great hurlers and hugely physical.

Unfortunately I felt there was a sense of inevitability around the season as a whole, Limerick were such hot favourites, doubt any other team believed they would win the AI. Something was wrong with Galway who almost caught them last year, it was really obvious against Dublin.

KIlkenny versus Cork was probably the best game, very entertaining. Wexford v Kilkenny was also quite good.

Unfortunately, overall inter county hurling if not still getting worse, is certainly not getting better either. 58 scores today, plus wides, frees, and line balls, must have meant around 100 stoppages. Thats not unusual anymore, inter county matches are totally stop-start. Changes to the ball and the size of hurleys have been very negative for the game. Cork centre back pointed a free from his own 45 today.

Another disappointment was the penalty/black card rule. Used in a mad way during Tipp v Clare, ignored today when Gillane was almost through. Poorly thought out change that has not worked.

All the problems that have been apparent in recent years were still present this year, with that penalty/black card issue thrown in. Hurling isn’t really a game you can’t take Your eyes off anymore, it’s more comparable to basketball/tennis now with near constant scores. You still do get some very enjoyable games, but a lot of once-important aspects of the sport (energetic midfield play, ground hurling, man marking) have almost disappeared, and the game is certainly poorer than it once was.

Of course this shouldn’t bother Limerick in the slightest, they’re an incredible team. Disappointing day for Cork, really they were lucky to be there, and it should be an important moment for the county, they will surely realise the style of hurling they’ve favoured for a long time has to change.

Butson

Something has to be done about the hand passing, or lack of it. Clear throws across the game today.