Eimear Ryan: Hurling no longer governable in any consistent manner

Hurling is no longer governable in any practical or consistent manner; getting away with as much as possible has become the default approach for many teams

Aaron Fitzgerald of Clare falls after a clash with Gearóid Hegarty. Hegarty is one of many players who admit they play on the edge. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

I did something stupid during a match recently. I was being marked tightly by a defender as we waited for a sideline to be struck. I shuffled left and right, trying to find space; she was in front of me, mirroring my movements exactly, almost as if we were doing a complicated dance routine. 

I became frustrated and decided I would step across her, let her know I was there. However, I mistimed my jostle and ended up hitting her in the back and knocking her to the ground. Their manager protested, but the referee didn’t see it. I regretted it almost immediately.