Brian Gavin: Five ways to improve (yes, improve) hurling

A heavier sliotar, puckouts having to travel beyond the 45m line, and one-v-one throw-ins are among the rules former inter-county referee Brian Gavin would like to see trialed during the 2027 National Hurling League

Hurling has never been as skilful as it is now but scores have never come cheaper because of the sliotar’s weight. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

It’s a fear of mine that the fussier referees, those who tend to make the game about themselves at times, are going to make hay with the new 20-metre free rule for dissent from the sidelines. On Sunday in Thurles, Seán Stack followed it by booking a remonstrating Liam Cahill and bringing the ball forward but the Hurling Development Committee (HDC) really overcooked the rule by awarding such a heavy punishment for something as simple as a manager asking why a free was given.

A placed ball from a little further out the field would have been a more sensible option. It would have struck more of a balance between the bit of animation that should be allowed on the sideline and stamping out dissent and protecting the authority of the referee.