Hurling

Hurling (in Irish, iománaíocht or iomáint) is an Irish outdoor team sport that is similar to hockey and is played by two teams of 15 people.

The object of the game is for players to use a wooden axe-shaped stick, called a hurley (in Irish a "camán", pronounced kam-awn) or a hurl, to hit a small ball, called a sliotar (pronounced slith-er), between the opponents' goalposts either over the crossbar for one point, or under the crossbar into a net guarded by a goalkeeper for one goal, which is equivalent to three points.

The ball may be caught in the hand and carried for not more than four steps, struck in the air, or struck on the ground with the stick. It may be kicked or slapped with an open hand (the hand pass) for short-range passing. A player who wants to carry the ball for more than three steps must bounce or balance the ball on the end of the stick, and the ball may be handled only twice while in the player's possession.

 Statistics 

 A team has 15 players, or "hurlers."
 The hurley or hurl (hurl), or camán, is generally 70–100 cm (32–36 inches) long.
 The goalkeeper's hurley usually has a bás (the flattened, curved end) twice the size of other players' hurleys to provide some advantage against the fast moving sliotar.
 The ball, known as a sliotar, has a cork center and a leather cover; it is between 23 and 25 cm in circumference and has a mass between 100 and 130 g.
 A good strike with a hurley can propel the ball up to 150 km/h (93 mph) and 100 m (305 ft) .
 A ball hit over the bar is worth one point. A ball that is hit under the bar is worth three points, which is called a goal.

 Playing field 

Related pages
 Shinty

 Other websites 

 Rules 
 Official website of the Gaelic Athletic Association
 'An Fear Rua - The GAA Unplugged!' 
 Video introductions to hurling: Part One , Part Two , Part Three . 
 The Continental Youth Championships 
 A Brief History of the Argentine Hurling Club 
 Hurling in Australia and New Zealand 
 Gaelic Football, Hurling are Irish Passions, National Geographic News
 The First Hurling Match in the United States 
 Sliotar Hurling & Camogie Magazine 
 Selection of hurling photos 
 Seamus J. King, author website
 What is Hurling, youtube