Club Notes: 17th September 2018

Post date: Sep 18, 2018 3:56:3 PM

Notaí CLG Tulach an Iarainn sponsored by McGrath's chemist.

Tallow GAA lotto sponsored by Kearney's Restaurant Tallow:

the lotto numbers will be drawn tomorrow night and so will be in with next week’s notes.

Our weekly lotto tickets are available to purchase from any of the promoters or any businesses around town.

Deise Draw

Could all outstanding monies be handed in to any of the promoters.

A hurlers perspective on the modern game by David O Brien (Fada)

I watched the All Ireland hurling final a few weeks back and noticed two announcements by the commentator Marty Morrissey. On two occasions in the game Dara O'Donovan and Cian Lynch both pulled on the ball and Marty declared on both occasions " It's great to see , why don't we see it more often?". So is ground hurling an obsolete skill in modern hurling?

In the current era of congested midfields, where space is at a premium and bringing the ball into contact is the norm, why aren’t more teams moving the ball quicker with the ground stroke? “Rucks” is a new hurling term because they are so common and as a spectacle they are hideous to watch. Ground hurling could solve all this especially in the middle third area. A fast ground ball into the forwards would cut out all these defenders. Percentage play is a modern term for possession. Teams are afraid to hit a 50/50 ball for fear of losing it and affecting their stats.

The GAA's National Hurling Development manager Martin Fogarty said it's a worrying trend when you see a guy over six foot with a 33' or 34' hurley. They can't reach the ground and miss countless hooks and blocks because their hurley is too small for them. Nowadays a lot of teams have people who can hit sideline cuts as easily as a free. We have Jordan Henley , Mark O'Brien and Tommy Ryan who can launch sidelines on fifty yard trajorities. One of these has a smaller hurley that Martin Fogarty speaks of. The sideline is often the only ground stroke seen in a match so has it’s importance grown through the demise of the “pull”.

Our own Paul O'Brien scored a double on the ground pull goal against Tipperary in 2004 and we all basked in the glory that it was a skill engrained in him by Ned Power. Evan Sheehan also scored a great ground stroke against Ballyduff in Lismore a few years back on the stroke of half time which ultimately proved the decisive score in a Senior Hurling championship match. Gone however are the days in training of a man in the middle doubling on the ball. Too many sliotars lost I’d imagine. Along with the sweet satisfaction a player gets when he connects just right and watches the ball fly over his teammates head into the ditch surrounding the pitch.

The other exponent missing is the pull on the ball in the air. It was everywhere before with half forwards pulling and either connecting on the ball or leaving it through. You'd rarely see it nowadays .The last time I saw it executed was when Shane Walsh pulled on the great ball against Cork in a Munster League game in Ballyduff back in 2011. As a far more difficult skill to master it is as good as any when executed correctly. Henry Shefflin connected with a ball against Cork in the All Ireland of 2004, Donal Og made a great save on it. It was Shefflin's connection that was so impressive and a skill set that had him in such high regard with his peers at the time. Tommy Guilfoyle scored two great goals against Tipperary in the Munster Championship of 1994 courtesy of the same skill.

Hurling has many facets and skills, and it's up to coaches or individuals to teach the game the way they like it to be played. The question to ponder though is whether these are skills that no longer have a place in the modern game or skills that are no longer coached?

New Arrival

Huge congrats to Aidan and Marie Kearney on the birth of a bouncing baby boy.

Waterford Senior Hurling

We wish to congratulate James Murray on his recent appointment as Waterford senior hurling selector. We wish him all the best in his new role. We look forward with anticipation to the year ahead.

Wedding Bells

Wishing Shaun O Sullivan and Jackie Sheehan best wishes as they get married this weekend. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.