"It Looks Like There's No Rules Involved Here" The Lovely Game Of Irish Hurling

 Ever watch an Irish Hurling match? 

Spoiler: It does not involve the morning after (or the evening of) a night of drinking.

Irish Hurling is an ancient sport (3,000 years old, give or take) played on a rectangular pitch measuring 90 meters by 145 meters (translation: a rectangular field measuring 100 yards wide by 160 yards long).

There are "H" shaped goals on either end where both points and goals are scored (explanation: a sliotar passed over the top of the crossbar scores 1 "point" and a sliotar passed below the crossbar into the net scores a "goal" worth three points. There is a goalie in front of the net, not so above, hence the scoring difference.

Note: The "sliotar" is the ball, which resembles a slightly enlarged hacky-sack.

The game is played by madmen athletes 15 to a side, and it is played fast - the sliotar can travel from one side of the pitch to the other in 2 to 3 seconds (translation: really fast) and cannot be kept in the possession of any one player for more than four steps without either being bounced off the pitch or balanced at the end of the hurley.

The hurley is a stick shaped like an axe made of solid ash - every player carries one as they run around the pitch trying to get to the sliotar. The goalie's hurley has an axe end (which is known as the Bas) twice as large as the ones being carried by the players on the pitch for obvious reasons.

Points and goals are scored by swinging the hurley like a baseball bat at the sliotar and either sending it over or under the crossbar.

Basically, Irish Hurling is a mash-up of Lacrosse, Baseball, Hockey and insanity running - lots of running.

However it may look, the action is not entirely uncontrolled mayhem. There are rules that must be adhered to, and there are fouls, both technical and "aggressive".

The "aggressive" fouls are as follows:

1) Pulling an opposition player down to the pitch

2) Swinging the stick (the hurl) in an uncontrolled or wild/reckless manner

3) Tripping

4) Trash talking - abusive or threatening language directed at an opponent, official or even a teammate is strictly forbidden

5) Throwing the stick (Hurling the hurl?) in an aggressive/dangerous manner

6) Striking (or even making an attempt to strike) an opposing player or official with the stick (hurl) or the fist, elbow, head, or especially with a kick

7) Spitting at another player

8) Any form or racial, sectarian, or homophobic abuse (Note: for those not aware sectarian refers to religious differences)

The players wear a basic uniform consisting of shoes, shorts and jerseys, and since 2010, helmets. No pads of any sort.

Which of course means the game is rife with injuries - one of the most common being "blunt scrotal trauma"

That last bit really makes you want to join in the fun, eh?

There are a lot of Hurling highlights on the ol' Youtube. If you are looking for some adrenalin pumping entertainment, I strongly recommend spending a few hours watching a few.