Hurling is a fast-paced Irish stick sport played on a field. It is the fastest field sport in the world, with the ball being hit at speeds up to 112 mph. Hurling is the national sport of Ireland, and it is played all over the world. In North America, there are 190+ hurling clubs.
The women's version is called camogie that’s similar to hurling, with slight differences in the rules and equipment.
A hurling match is played between two teams, with 15 players either side, in two 35 minute halves. The objective of the game is to progress the ball up the field to score one of two ways through an H-shaped goal post: in the net for 1 goal (worth 3 points) or through the upright posts for 1 point.
Unlike soccer and basketball, players take their positions on both sides of the halfway mark. Hurling players line out on the field on both sides of the halfway mark in a 3-3-2-3-3 formation: 1 goalkeeper, 3 backs, 3 half-backs, 2 midfielders, 3 half-forwards, and 3 forwards.
A hurling match begins with a throw-in where two sets of two players from either team compete shoulder-to-shoulder for the sliotar which is thrown in at ground level by the referee at the halfway mark.
During a match, you can:
✅ Hit the ball out of your hand
✅ Strike the ball on the ground
✅ Chip the ball for a sideline cut
✅ Solo run
✅ Hand pass
You cannot:
❌ Directly hit another player
❌ Check sticks
❌ Pick the ball off the ground with your hand
You can score one of two ways through an H-shaped goal post: through the upright posts for 1 point, or in the net for 1 goal, which is worth 3 points. At the end of a game, the team who collects the most overall goals and points is the winning team.
The stick used in hurling is called a hurl or a hurley. The ball, called a sliotar (pronounced “slit-er”), is hard with stitched leather, similar to the shape of an American baseball.
If you play hockey, baseball, lacrosse, football, tennis, or any other sport, you have the skills required to play hurling.
Get started on: playhurling.com
Have a question about hurling? Get answers to all your hurling-related questions here: playhurling.com/faq/
Photo/Video Sources:
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Ben's Toy Reviews (KZread: benstoyreviews4336)
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Big Ten Network (KZread)
Premier Lacrosse League (KZread)
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