Goals in Hurling

I have a quick, and probably simple question for this Hurling community.

Why don't Hurling players try to score more goals than they do during a game. At first glance it seems to me that goals would be easy to score considering the size of the net compared to the size of the ball. I realise there must be a reason why more goals are not attempted, but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why.

Thanks

Donnchadh wrote:I have a quick, and probably simple question for this Hurling community.

Why don't Hurling players try to score more goals than they do during a game. At first glance it seems to me that goals would be easy to score considering the size of the net compared to the size of the ball. I realise there must be a reason why more goals are not attempted, but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why.

Thanks

It's a good question Donnchadh. You'd think that the percentages woud favour the attacked no matter what given the size of the sliothar and the size of the goal. The hurl does mean of course that the keeper can "cover" a very large area so perhaps that has an influence. Also, it's quite hard to get that close to the goal. A lot of hurling happends between the 2 half lines.

it is harder than you think to get into a good goalscoring position. Players tend to refrain from shooting from long distances as it gives a relatively simple save for the goalkeeper. It is easier and more effective to score points from this range.

Goalscoring is not an easy task - hence the phrase "goals change games" because they definitely do.

'Why don't Hurling players try to score more goals than they do during a game?'

Short answer is that its not as easy as it looks. It is difficult to get any kind of clean ball in and around a congested goal area and the movement of the ball is at such speed that it takes extraordinary skill to be able to create the opportunity to have a decent strike, Canning, D.J., Dan the man(one time anyway) are examples of players who excel at this, Eddie Brennan is a great poacher who pounces on the smallest opening that comes his way, and this is how many goals are scored in hurling ie, a forward taking full advantage of a ball that breaks his way.
You can run at speed on goal as well a la Corbett, D Hayes, but if your out from goal the percentage call is always to take your points. Its an old cliche to 'take your points and the goals will come' and true as it is the really great hurling forwards never bought into it.

Mainly because I used to be a goalkeeper.


Really though, it is difficult as a good keeper will stop nearly anything hit from beyond twenty metres.

The defenders as well can pull off a save, so it is not as easy as you think.

Take a look at last years hurtling final if you don't believe me.

Thanks for the answers folks...they're more or less what I expected, but, never having played the game, I didn't really have any good information to work with.

How's life in Canada Donnchadh? Spent a bit of time in Ottawa myself a few years ago. Loved the place.

You'll hear no complaints about Canadian life from me. Might be because I live on the West Coast in Victoria though. We haven't had the temperature drop much below -10 this year.