Gaelic sports
Hurling
A stick-and-ball game played at great speed, on a grass pitch.
130-145 mPitch length
6.5 × 2.5 mH-shaped goals
≈ 10 teamsActive in Europe (2021)
The pitch
Hurling, like camogie (its women’s version), is played on a rectangular grass pitch larger than a football or rugby pitch. It measures 130 to 145 metres long by 80 to 90 metres wide. In continental Europe we play on standard football or rugby pitches, except for the 15-a-side game.
The goals are H-shaped. They are 6.5 m wide and 2.5 m high, with posts rising 7 m above them.
The same pitch is used for men’s and ladies Gaelic football, the GAA’s (Gaelic Athletic Association) other flagship sport, whose rules are similar to hurling’s.
The lines marked on the pitch correspond to 13 m, 20 m and 65 m respectively.
Equipment
The hurley
The hurley is a wooden stick used to strike the ball. Also called a hurl, hurley stick or hurling stick, or camán in Irish, it measures between 45 and 96 cm (18 to 38 inches). Nearly 400,000 hurleys are sold every year.
What a hurley is made of
Hurleys are made from ash, prized for its strength and flexibility. The base of the tree, near the roots, is preferred for shaping the wood. Metal bands are also used to reinforce the bottom of the hurley, the flat, curved part (the bas).
Although the material is often of good quality, it is not unusual to see hurleys break. This often happens after a clash with another hurley or with part of an opponent’s body. Two hurleys colliding is popularly known as “the clash of the ash”.
How to choose a hurley
A hurley is chosen to suit the height of the player. Generally, you measure the distance from the ground to the player’s wrist (arm hanging by the side). Over time, players have started using smaller hurleys than their counterparts of the 1960s and 70s. This makes the stick easier to manoeuvre and reduces the time and space available to strike the ball. This change in equipment has greatly speeded up the game, allowing more points to be scored.
The ball
The hurling ball is called a sliotar in Irish (pronounced “shlit-er”). It is 7 cm in diameter and weighs 110 g. The sliotar has a cork core and is covered in leather. It looks a lot like a baseball, but its stitching is much thicker.
The weight and size of the ball vary by age group. Young beginners usually start with a plastic ball.
A ball can easily reach a speed of 150 km/h, travelling around 110 metres.
The helmet
Compulsory since the new rules of 1 January 2010, helmets are now an integral part of hurling.
They must have a faceguard that fully protects the face.
Only six brands may make hurling helmets:
– Atak Sports
– Azzurri
– Cooper
– Marc Sports
– Mycro
– O’Neills
Scoring in hurling
Goal
Putting the ball into the goal is worth 3 points. You can do this either by striking the sliotar into the net, or by running into the goal with the ball on your hurley (solo). It is forbidden, however, to score with the hand.
The goal is defended by a goalkeeper whose hurley has a bas twice as wide.
Point
To score a point, the ball simply has to go over the crossbar and between the posts (as in rugby).
A player can score from open play or from a set piece (a free, a 65 or a sideline cut).
Reading a score
A match score is written:
Team 1: number of goals – number of points
Team 2: number of goals – number of points
For example, the 2018 All-Ireland final finished:
Galway 2-18 (24) – (25) 3-16 Limerick
This means Galway scored 2 goals and 18 points, a total of 24 points.
Limerick scored 3 goals and 16 points, a total of 25 points.
Limerick win the match because they scored 25 points to Galway’s 24. In the event of a draw, the match is replayed. The number of goals scored gives no particular advantage and has no bearing on the final score.
Running with the ball
You may run with the ball on the hurley for as long as you like until you shoot or pass. The sliotar may be held in the hand for a maximum of 4 consecutive steps (called a solo) or the equivalent in time. Beyond that, it is a foul (over-carrying).
When the ball is on the hurley, you may pick it up into your hand, run 4 steps and then put it back on the hurley. This can be repeated a maximum of 2 times.
Winning possession
In the air
When the ball is in the air, it can be caught directly by hand or with the hurley.
On the ground
If the sliotar is in contact with the ground, it is forbidden to pick it up or touch it with the hand.
To regain possession of the ball, you can use the hurley to:
Lift it and catch it in the hand (lift)
Pass it with a sharp flick (flick)
Roll it (roll)
Strike it (jab)
Technical fouls
Hurling has a great many rules. There are different ways to commit a foul, ranging from a simple warning to a permanent sending-off.
Fouls that give a simple free
- Taking more than 4 steps while holding the ball in the hand (over-carry), or holding the ball for longer than it would take to make 4 steps (over-hold).
- Throwing the ball.
- Lifting the ball with the knees.
- Lying on the ball.
- Touching the ball on the ground with the hand (or hands), except for a player who falls, or is made to fall, with the ball in hand.
- Picking the ball up by hand more than 2 times before releasing it.
- Throwing the ball with the hand and catching it again without it having been touched by the hurley.
- Throwing the hurley intentionally, or throwing it away in a way that does not endanger another player.
- Pulling down an opponent’s hurley when it is raised, or deflecting it with your own hurley or feet in order to hinder control of the ball.
- For an attacker, entering the small rectangle before the ball does, during a phase of play.
How a match is played
A match lasts 70 minutes (two periods of 35 min) for senior inter-county matches. All matches in other competitions last 60 minutes (2 x 30 minutes). Stoppage time may also be added at the referee’s discretion.
If the scores are level, the match is replayed at a later date. If the two teams again finish level, 2 periods of 10 minutes are played. If neither team can separate the sides, another replay is scheduled.
In club competitions (that is, outside the county game), extra time is added as soon as the first match ends level.
Sanctions
Cards, frees, sin bin: sanctions in hurling differ from those in many other sports. Here is a guide to it all.
The cards
The sanction system in hurling is fairly simple, with escalating sanctions in the following order: noting, yellow card and red card.
Hurling and camogie in France
Some clubs in France (first and foremost Paris Gaels GAA) take part in a few tournaments of the European hurling championship. In 2021 there were around ten active teams in Europe, all meeting at 3 to 4 European tournaments a year.
In France, one date each year is set aside for hurling. In Brittany, clubs regularly hold introductory sessions where you can learn a little more about this sport, which is still too little known.
Come and help the Federation grow, and start a hurling or camogie team! For more information, please get in touch.
Calendar
Upcoming dates
The season’s next dates, updated whenever the Federation’s calendar is imported.
- Sainte-Geneviève Cup (Paris v the rest of France)Saturday 7 November 2026Hurling / CamogieAdd to my calendar
Fancy giving it a go?
A club near you will welcome you to a first session, with no equipment or experience needed.