Hurling must bite down hard on mandatory gumshield rule 

The GAA’s annual report for 2020, released last week, references 46 ‘Teeth’ injuries in adult hurling and a further 14 among youths. The 2019 figures were similar; 51 and 19. That’s 130 dental injuries in two years

Seamus Callanan, Tipperary, clashes with Limerick goalkeeper Barry Hennessy, after which Callanan left the pitch for a blood injury before returning late in the game. Picture: Brendan Moran

If you’ve ever tried and failed to convince your child, or any young hurler or camogie player, to wear a mouthguard then we feel your pain. They’ll argue until the cows come home that they’re already wearing a protective helmet, so why bother?

They’ll have city hall on their side too because whilst mouthguards have been mandatory in gaelic football since 2014, they’re not in hurling.