National Hurling Leagues 2026

In my opinion the standard of hurling last few years is unreal stuff.
let’s not get hung up on the throw ball as personally I would allow throwing of the ball. If you are going to ref the hand pass strictly you will end up with a game that is even more physical and pulling and dragging. I get why people don’t like the throw, I don’t, but the throw means players can get just get rid of the ball quickly and avoid being swamped.

I was at the tipp Limerick game and as a tipp supporter I have no problem staying the quality of points Limerick got that night was brilliant.
the quality of hurling in general has never been as good.

Dont see the contradiction, life aint that black and white.

As a spectacle I think the game is by and large better than ever to watch.

why - skills are better than ever in my view. Speed is faster than ever and hits are bigger. I love all that. My kids teams are trained to a higher skills standard than we ever were - where the emphasis was drive it long and dont be holding on ball.

I think some rules need to change as its not possible to ref them. But I would call for stricter enforcement of steps. On handpass / throws - if you killed it I reckon we'd have more rucks not fewer.

I get that you and several dont like how game has evolved, but most fans I know going to county and club game disagree. But that's. good, we dont all need the same view

I know Carlow won't beat Dublin but the fact Kildare are still technically in with a chance of promotion is very promising.

To explain the contradiction another way for you so… I love watching formula 1, but it'd be a much faster and possibly more exciting spectacle if they just allowed the drivers to go straight through chicanes wouldn't it?... But what would be the point.

Same point applies to modern possession dominated hurling... people saying it is a better spectacle nowadays, when the blight of steps and throwing are worse than ever, can't really claim to truly understand the game/rules IMO.

I absolutely love the modern game. I would pay a big premium, if I had to, for any of the munster championship games, I could attend, not just the Clare games. The interest in hurling in munster is incredible at the moment. It's not Munsters problem that the standard of hurling in Leinster is dire.

I just looked at the Leinster Championship scheduling and Kildare play Wexford in the first round in Newbridge, provided Kildare have no major injuries that to me looks like a very tricky assignment indeed for Wexford

Ffs is there not another thread for all this round and round and round tedious throw ball sht. Some people here don't actually want to talk about the games on this weekend at all.

Leinster always plan their championship games and have put Kildare vs Offaly on last day as a relegation battle.

It probably will be because of head to head but I reckon by then Kkldare will be hot favourites to stay up.

You can get rid of the ball quickly with a handpass too, it takes a millisecond more to do it properly. If we take this attitude to every rule then it becomes a free for all.

Refs won't give frees as its pretty much handing that team a score. In my opinion they need to change the steps rule. 4 is unworkable once in any sort of contact. Extend it to 6 but be strict on enforcement. All technical fouls should be indirect frees. Only give direct frees for physical fouls. 65s that go over the line outside the box indirect, those that cross the endline in the box could be direct. More time with ball in play. Reduce the influence of the free taker.

Get strict on slapping a lads elbow, shoulder or hand. If you can't reach the ball you shouldn't be slapping with the hurl. Same with slapping over the shoulder, its a clear downward strike or chop and its never pulled up.

Has everyone forgotten about Cody's teams he was the man who perfected all this strong arm stuff. To accuse one team of being the only practitioner of these Dark Arts is plain silly every game you watch these days you have players buying cheap frees and using the hurley liberally. I can see the GAA clamping down on it eventually because its getting worse year by year . For years Cork were mocked for being soft now that they are giving it back in spades they are being castigated from all sides, you can't win

I'm a bit surprised they are 2/1 to win Leinster.

We shouldn't read too much into Saturday nights result. Galway haven't won Leinster in nearly 8 years. On multiple occasions, with a stronger squad than they have today, they embarrassed themselves against Kilkenny in Croke park later in the year.

Kilkenny will canter to their usual Leinster title this year and subsequent AI semi final appearance at least

Kilkenny just suffered their heaviest defeat since the 1950s, are missing probably their most important player and also their most inform forward of last year for the year, their remaining higher profile players are struggling for form, as a team they don't seem to playing with any common purpose, and its not as if they have loads of lads to come back and strengthen things. I think its safe to say things aren't good Noreside and I don't think previous years are indicative of how Kilkenny will go this year. I'd have them behind Galway and Dublin