Paudie Butler would change the hurling ball and rebrand camogie

Former national hurling coordinator Paudie Butler believes top inter-county players can now puck the ball too far.

He insists hurling has never been in better health, but does feel a tweak to the sliotar would create an even better spectacle.

“The one change I’d make is to reduce the flight of the ball by about 20 percent. The ball is often going 100 metres now. If it could go only 80 that would make for a lot more play.

“I wouldn’t make it heavier; at the moment the player is remarkably good at catching a ball because the shape and size is right. But I’d reduce the buoyancy of the ball. With technology that could easily be done.”

Butler was speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Kieran Shannon about the state of the game, which will appear in Saturday’s Examiner Sport.

He praised the work of the 2020 Hurling Committee and welcomes the new penalty.

“They did well. They were politically astute, communicated well and recognised how healthy the game is and that only a few tweaks were needed.

"The one-v-one penalty is super. It suits the gladiatorial nature of hurling."

But Butler shared one concern about camogie.

“It should be called hurling. I hope that’s not taken as a slight on women. They could take offence and rightly so because of our traditional neglect and over-dominance.

"They’ve had to protect themselves and their identity. But sometimes in protecting yourself you can actually prevent yourself from being equal.

The term ‘camogie’ can be restrictive in the wrong head. ‘We won’t take that seriously.’ And I think girls should hurl with boys up to 11 or 12.

“Already it happens in some rural primary schools. It’s the natural way. I taught sixth class for most of my adult life and the girl at that age is a good bit ahead of the boy physically. She’s taller, stronger and she’s more socially alert, so she’d bring a lot more subtle skills to it.

“Everyone would benefit. The girls would improve their technique and speed. The boys would have to be more skilful and less crude. In some parishes, crudeness is still acceptable. Slow and tough is still the model being presented, which is hopeless. It’s a game of skill and speed now.”