How to grip and swing a hurl — ie hurling skill

Factual Questions
#1

I’ve got my hurley and sliotar, and I’ve been swinging similarly to a baseball bat. But I found a site with some instruction & video, and I’m wondering if I’m confused.

It looks like the dominant hand holds the base of the hadle and the weak hand is closer to the boss. For a strong side swing, one swings on the side opposite one’s dominant hand, with the dominant hand crossing the body—basically, the opposite of how one would swing a baseball bat. However, at other times, it seems like the swing is on the same side as the dominant hand, with the weak hand crossing the body—similar to a baseball bat swing, but with the hands reversed—or is that just the weak side swing?

I’ve googled for some time now and have found nothing better for explaining the grip and swing.

Please advise,

js_how do I hold this thing?_africanus

#2

Right, lets imagine you’re in croke park playing. First thing you need to do is get the sliotar.
So, its coming to you through the air: NEVER swing the hurley at it! Catch it with one hand. If you can do this while jumping at full strecth, its much cooler.
Now, you have the sliotar. What do you want to do?

1: Run. Hold the hurley by the base (Narrow end) in one hand, like a frying pan. Balance the sliotar on the broad end, and run like fuck up the field, bouncing the sliotar as you go. You can’t just hold the ball and run, thats a foul. Bounce it on the hurley and you can run all day. Bear in mind that some fuckers gonna take you down real soon, so it might be a good idea to:

2: Pass. Holding the base of the hurley in your weak hand, and the sliotar in the other, toss the sliotar in the air. Then switch your grip to both hands at the base, like a baseball bat, and swing like fuck. Try and aim for the ball to go to a team-mate. This motion can also be used to try to score. If a team-mate is close at hand, you can just toss the ball up and pat it with your free hand to him. If the ball is intercepted by an opponent, then it’s time to:

3: Tackle. There is no real pointers for this. He has the ball. You want it. You have a stick in your hand. You’ll think of something. However, if he strikes for goal, you may have to:

4: Intercept. The ball is heading for goal. You have to stop it. You can use the hurley in a tennis-racket style to stop the sliotars path, but men have been known to catch the ball right after it leaves the opponents hurley. All the more incredible when you consider that a sliotar can leave a hurley at up to two hundred mph. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: tough motherfuckers. Who, in the course of the game, will probably foul you. So, its time to take a:

5: Free shot. This is probably what you want to learn, its really cool. Ball on ground, ok? Hold the hurley weak hand at base, dominant hand towards the front. Put the flat, broad head of the hurley on the sliotar on the ground. In one motion

a) Roll the sliotar back until the hurley slips to the ground.
b) Sharply move the hurley forward, rolling the sliotar onto it.
c) Give a sharp jerk up, sending the sliotar straight up in front of you.
d) Position yourself, hurley held like a bat.
e) When the ball reaches the right height, swing like fuck.

Just think; scoop into air, wallop real hard. With a bit of luck, this is the winning score! You’ve won!!
Thats the basics for hurling.
Seems a lot of things in this game are done “Like Fuck”

#3

So hey, what’s up?

Whatcha talkin’ about?

(Cricket, I hope. I had to LOL at js’s post as from my POV it looked like it was in a different language!)

#4

Warning: the link below is a huge photo, but it seems perfect for the question I’m asking.

Nope, hurling. My problem is that I’m left-handed, so when I read instructions and see photos, I often get things mixed up because right-hand-only instructions are not always explicitly stated or rigorously followed.

Cool. So some of the photos I’ve seen have been weak-side swings (or blocks, or hooks, &c.)

So, one always catches or blocks an incoming ball. That’s good to know, because I’d probably try hitting it on the fly.

Thanks for the post; very helpful.

#5

And get a gumshield, and practice saying things like “I’m gonna bite your fuckin’ ears off if you catch this ball”, like my friend would always say to his opponents during games. He rarely got tackled.

#6

And get a gumshield, and practice saying things like “I’m gonna bite your fuckin’ ears off if you catch this ball”, like my friend would always say to his opponents during games. He rarely got tackled.
Well, I translated that from what he actually said; “Amma chaw d’fuckin lugs’a you, cunt”.

Its a beautiful language.

#7

Pure poetry.