Darragh O'Donovan hopes new rules don't take physicality out of hurling

Darragh O'Donovan believes two points for a sideline cut struck over the bar should be restricted to those convert from long range. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Darragh O’Donovan is intrigued by the experimental hurling rules but hopes they don’t impinge on the physical nature of the game.

In July, the six-time All-Ireland winning midfielder said the hurling expert review group “need to be careful” as “there’s nothing wrong with the game”.

The Doon man is looking forward to seeing the changes in operation and trusts they don’t turn out to be attempts to fix what isn’t broken. He was speaking in relation to the proposal to prohibit tackling with the arm.

“I watched the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final there a couple of weeks ago. Kilkenny and Tipperary. Just ferocious tackling. I actually met (former Kilkenny defender) Paul Murphy the week after and said there's no way that players nowadays would be able to play like that because of the intensity, the ferocity of it, ball movement the whole time.

“Look, the game is physical. We have to leave the game physical. What are we going to do? Table tennis? You know what I mean? I think we need to keep the physicality going.” 

O’Donovan gets why there is a focus on limiting the number of hand-passes. Successive transfers of the ball via the hand will be banned in the trial games. “I saw something about 40% of all passes in matches are probably hand-passes. So look, these lads have put a lot of work into it. I just hope that the data they're comparing it with is relevant.

“Hurling’s in a good place. It is a great game. Just because the last two All-Ireland finals haven't been great doesn't mean that the game is not in a good place. From 2018 up until 2024, every final was fantastic. Brilliant games.

“I'm all for seeing different things to improve the game, get more lads playing. We need more teams playing the game, more lads playing. Keep promoting the game of hurling” 

As for increasing the number of steps with ball in hand from four to six, O’Donovan sees it suiting taller players. “You have a fella 6ft7in, in six steps, he could do 30 yards. A fella like me, I'm trying to get rid of the ball straight away anyway. It'll be interesting.

“It's exciting. Rugby and soccer, they're changing their rules, adapting them year on year. I don't think there's any reason why we can't bring in one or two (new rules). I’m all for seeing what happens. I’m going to go to a couple of the Fitzgibbon league games and see what they’re like.” 

In Sunday’s Limerick SHC quarter-final, O’Donovan broke a hurley taking a sideline cut. The recommendation to double the value of a pointed one should be restricted to the long-range version, he argues.

“I think two-point sidelines maybe from the 45 to 65 (metre lines), not from the 45 to 21. I think that's probably a bit obvious because everyone will be going for them, it could slow the play down.” 

He points out more teams have been disinclined to convert sideline cuts because it facilitates quick puck-outs for opponents. The new rule insists goalkeepers must wait for the referee’s whistle to restart the game may alter their thinking on top of the double incentive, O’Donovan suggests.

“I know from ourselves, we've been trying to work the possession, hold onto the ball because if it does go wide, the puck can go really fast. So that's kind of why teams have stopped going for them. You do that against a team like Cork or Galway, they'll have a runner out on the far side straight away and the goal will pick him. So, in terms of every puck-out on the whistle, that might facilitate the two-point sideline.” 

Doon sparked back to life with a handsome win over Adare on Sunday. “It was another day to get our style of play going, working the ball, trying to get other lads back in game-time,” said the 31-year-old. “Eddie Stokes has been out for nine months, he's a fierce, important player to us. We've other lads that are just coming back into it with two lads U20s there, Aidan (O’Connell) and Eamonn (Richardson).” 

Doon will go into next month’s semi-final against keen rivals and champions Na Piarsaigh as underdogs, which will suit them, says O’Donovan. “I think we're better in the hunt mentality and we're chasing down teams, trying to chase down the likes of Na Piarsaigh. They're probably a couple of points better than every team in Limerick for the last 10-15 years. We just want to get to where their level is consistently.

“Every game, every training session, we're trying to push and push. Derek (McGrath) has been really strong on that too as well. We're lucky to have an inter-county manager to do that kind of stuff for us.”