New national hurling director position being considered by development commitee

Meanwhile, the average number of handpasses in the All-Ireland SFC has increased by 45% since 2011

The hurling development committee are going about creating a toolkit to assist in the creation of new clubs but a figurehead role is also being discussed

A new national hurling director position is believed to be among the considerations for the body charged with developing the sport.

The hurling development committee are going about creating a toolkit to assist in the creation of new clubs but a figurehead role is also being discussed.

Former Kilkenny selector Martin Fogarty, a member of the group alongside his old the county’s 11-time All-Ireland SHC winning manager Brian Cody, was national hurling development manager between 2016 and ’21.

Prior to Fogarty, Tipperary Paudie Butler was the national hurling coordinator between 2006 and ’11. The committee have arranged a press briefing for next Wednesday where they are to give an update on their plans.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng appears to be on the lookout for a new strength and conditioning coach as well as two selectors. Michael Comerford has been the S&C coach since 2019 and he along with Peter Barry and Conor Phelan are expected to be replaced for the 2025 season.

Lyng will lead The Cats for a third season and there is speculation his old team-mate Michael Kavanagh and Tommy Shefflin could be joining his management team.

It's reported by the Irish Independent that former Waterford star Tony Browne has left the Tipperary backroom team. Mount Sion's Browne has assisted Liam Cahill the past three seasons, 2022 with his native Déise and the last couple of years in Tipperary.

Cahill’s long-time coach Mikey Bevans is expected to be part of the set-up in 2025. The outgoing selectors are Declan Laffan and TJ Ryan. Pádraic Maher stepped away after last season.

Elsewhere, the average number of handpasses in the All-Ireland SFC has increased by 45% since 2011. Data compiled by Gaelic Stats for the Football Review Committee found there were 251 handpasses per game 13 years ago in contrast to 450 this season.

Foot-passes (131) are similar enough to 2011 when the figure was 126 having suffered a decline between 2016 and ’19. The average number of advanced marks per game continues to hover around the three mark with an average of 1.3 scored per match.

Uncontested kick-outs now represent almost three-quarters of restarts when in 2019 they were 56%. Across the 2023 and ’24 championships, 80% of kick-outs were not pressed.

Although it doesn’t suggest a positive development per se, the ball was in play for 62% of the game on average in 2024, which is a strong increase from 45% in 2011.