GAA chiefs seek uniformity in sliotar sizes

The changes to the sliotar dimensions include: the maximum mass of the sliotar reduced from 120 grams to 116g, the maximum rim height cut from 2.8 millimetres to 2.6mm and minimum height dropping from 2mm to 1.8mm.

As well as allowing Central Council to adopt a single core to be used by approved manufacturer/suppliers, their motion going to Congress on Saturday week gives Ard Chomhairle the power to green light the use of a smart chip in sliotars for authentication purposes in certain games.

Reducing the maximum mass and rim height of sliotars is being done so that the GAA rulebook reflects the type of ball that is widely being used, says sliotar workgroup chairman Ned Quinn.

As well as allowing Central Council to adopt a single core to be used by approved manufacturer/suppliers, their motion going to Congress on Saturday week gives Ard Chomhairle the power to green light the use of a smart chip in sliotars for authentication purposes in certain games.

Those matches this year will be in the U20 All-Ireland hurling championship where it will be trialled with a mind to it being introduced in senior inter-county hurling in 2023.

Prohibitive costs are expected to see it not being extended to the club scene for a number of years.

Regarding the changes to the sliotar dimensions — the maximum mass of the sliotar reduced from 120 grams to 116g, the maximum rim height cut from 2.8 millimetres to 2.6mm and minimum height dropping from 2mm to 1.8mm, Quinn said the recommended new dimensions reflect the preferred sliotars that are out there.

“Essentially, what we’re doing is bringing the rulebook in line with the ball that is in play at the moment by revising the minimum and maximum mass and rim height, and also regarding the leather because — while the rule says chrome leather — the majority of hurling balls are synthetic.

“The ball of the 1970s and 80s was a bigger ball with bigger rims so with the size and drag it obviously didn’t go as far.

“We put in a new minimum height for the rim, which some balls currently don’t meet, and they’re going to have to.”

The former Kilkenny chairman and secretary led a committee that met 22 times to make a number of changes to Rule 4.4 (i) of the rules of hurling.

Seven county and seven club players tested balls from 11 suppliers.

Following exhaustive work by GAA director of organisational culture, planning, and development, Pat Daly, the smart sliotar is almost a reality.

He was part of the Quinn-led group, which also featured the likes of ex-Cork chairman Bob Ryan and former Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins. All suppliers will be able to apply for licensing providing their product falls within the new parameters set.

Quinn concluded: “We want to identify that it is an approved sliotar. As the majority of people know, 99% of sliotars are now produced outside of Ireland so we need control of that situation and that a sliotar is a sliotar.”