Tuesday Tactics: Free-ridden gaelic football in the shade as hurling hits an all-time high

On a weekend when some were proclaiming the ‘death of gaelic football’ on social media, Kilkenny and Clare produced the type of fare which proves that hurling is in rude health.

The contrast between the dire Saturday night encounter between Dublin and Derry in the Allianz Football League and the wonderful fare on offer in Nowlan Park on Sunday could not have been greater.

As an illustration of the difference between both codes at present, the free count in the Kilkenny-Clare game compared to the Kerry-Monaghan football game tells its own story. There were 58 frees awarded in Austin Stack Park while in contrast there were only four frees awarded in the first half between Clare and Kilkenny — and just 12 in total.