Top 4 All Ireland hurling finals

This years final was not a great game

It was a great spectacle for a finish but far from a great game quality wise

I know Joe.

1980

There was an infamous Five Nations match at Murrayfield in 1963 when an under pressure Wales captain Clive Rowlands got his wish and the Welsh pack was stacked with beanpoles to secure line out possession. Wales kicked everything to touch, there were 111 line outs in the match with the ball barely in play for more than a few seconds at a time. Wales won 6-0. The IRB changed the rules shortly afterward that you could only kick directly to touch from your own 22. An innovative change that greatly improved the spectacle of rugby union.

The ball rarely been in play for any prolonged period of time in a hurling match now rather oddly seems to have been embraced by most people as a positive development.

You can still kick to touch from outside your own 22, it just has to bounce first.

The IRB didn’t exist in 1963 and they don’t exist now.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) was founded in 1886. In Dublin as well, I think.

1 Like

That was the IRFB. The IRB only came into being in 1998 and was replaced by World Rugby in 2014.

The IRB did not exist in 1963 in the same way Manchester United did not exist in 1886 and Newton Heath did not exist in 1963.

There was an IRB which was in existence in Dublin in 1886, but I don’t think that’s what you’re referring to.

I stand corrected on that point of order. My substantive point still stands though. The law makers in rugby union took decisive and successful action in the mid 1960’s to counteract the evolution of the sport to a stage where the ball was rarely in play.

Hurling is evolving that way now and seems to be just a never ending sequence of puck outs.

On the plus side, Gaelic football has evolved into an attractive, methodical, possession-based game with a much increased ball in play time, thanks to the tactical innovations of coaches like Mickey Harte and Jim McGuinness.

That’s to be welcomed.

Hurling and its bang bang shootouts are far less attractive in comparison.

1 Like

Yes Clare Cork 2013 kicked it off

1 Like

‘Tippy Tappy’ ? Lazy term for fellas who just want hurleys broke at every opportunity.

Skill level gone through the roof in recent years & high scoring games. Give me that any day of the week. Game is still physical as ever, in fact it’s even more physical with the conditioning of players in the present day,

4 Likes

It was the 1st match that KK were reffed properly in anyway. Normal service was resumed for the replay with celebrity referee biffo Gavin.

1 Like

Tipperary left 2014 draw behind them. I reckon they’d have beaten Kilkenny in 2015 if they’d remembered they had to beat Galway first.

Agree

I agree jeff, Tipp had completely focused on beating KK that year.

89
91
06
10
16

09 was an incredible game. Especially with Kilkenny having looked so invincible for nearly 4 years on the trot. Only downer was the farcical penalty that gifted Kilkenny the upper hand on the home stretch.

99 was a poor final. Terribly dull game.

Between 98 and 09 there were very few good finals. We finally hit rock bottom in 08 and have had a number of classics since.

86
90
06
08
09
14 drawn game