Cork Hurling: How the new rules impacted the players and ref in trial game

For a first viewing of hurling's trial rule changes, Thursday evening’s UCC-MTU derby merely showed the difficulties in assessing them.

Between weather warnings, constant rain, crossfield wind, and patchwork teams due to restricted player availability, these were far from ideal conditions to make judgements on proposals which must be finalised by November 23 and voted on at February's annual congress.

In one snapshot of the greasy conditions, Paudie O’Sullivan’s hurley slipped from his grasp in taking a puck-out. The sliotar reached the opposite 65. His hurley landed beyond the 21.

Disruptive

The weather and rule changes created an expectation of disrupted play and frees. That was the case as Simon Stokes called 33 fouls across the hour.

Of those, 12 were for handpasses which were not struck with a 'clear and obvious' motion. 

Only two were for consecutive handpasses, both of which were blown in the opening 12 minutes as the players adapted to the new constraints.

The handpass itself took longer to smooth out. Shortly after half-time, Stokes called his 20th foul and 10th for a handpass.

His mime demonstrated the exaggerated movement required to avoid sanction. There was frustration in the crowd over some of those calls which would've been perfectly valid passes under the old rules. 

On rewatching the match, it would be hard to quibble with Stokes on any individual decision.

Ronan Walsh would've been particularly frustrated at being pinged for a pass while standing all on his own. 

A couple more were called against players who had been knocked to their knees or onto their back. Richie McEvoy and Rob Troy assists for Liam O'Riordan and Brendan Lehane points were also chalked off.

A preponderance of ‘Brick flicks’ took hold. They didn't add much of note to the game, but, in fairness, a 10th-minute goal chance did show the prospects for such attacks. 

O'Riordan and Dara Ferland gave scoop passes under pressure before Troy lobbed over the advancing keeper and the crossbar.

O'Riordan gave an early example of the rule’s limitations as, under pressure after rising the sliotar and with the natural handpassing option precluded, he went to turn back and lost possession.

If the aim was to speed up the game or cause fewer rucks, there wasn't any evidence of that in sodden conditions, which featured plenty of broken play.

If the transfer of possession becomes more challenging, will it lead to more long balls or will it really mean more rucks? 

Only time will tell.

There were, at least, some hints of innovation. Ryan Deasy would be well advised to follow 'Brick' Walsh's lead and get his name attached to the overhand flick. 

Twice in the early exchanges, the Ballymartle hurler produced quick-witted passes to escape trouble, including one to assist a Mikey Finn point.

At different stages, Barry Walsh took to handpassing off the hurley or indeed handpassing straight out of a roll lift to assist an Aaron McEvoy point that began the MTU resistance against a 10-point deficit.

Of the two consecutive handpass infringements, the call against Deasy seemed particularly punitive as he'd just soloed 50 metres up the field. 

The other such call appeared to be picked up after a brief delay, a positive example of the new powers of greater intervention granted to linesmen.

Later, the line official appeared to be hampered by another change, restricting them to one half of the field. What appeared a sideline cut and two-point attempt for UCC was instead given the other way.

The linesman’s line of vision seemed impacted by management standing between him and the play, while the referee was on the blind side of the ruck of players.

Too harsh

While we wonder about the two-point sideline, which could see good defensive play punished with an orange-flag effort, Finn’s fine conversion in the second half did get the crowd going.

It struck us late on as MTU trailed by two that they could do worse than try to manufacture another sideline cut.

The one-on-one throw-in offered some entertainment.  Neither player made a substantial connection with the sliotar, but Lehane got to show his pace for an instant opener.

The increase from four steps being permitted to six looked a success as it allowed players to break the tackle, although most still seemed to be operating on the basis of four steps. 

As such, no overcarrying calls were made.

The puck-out changes seemed to have little effect, for now, given few would be sent short in such rain. There was only one 65, which Finn sent wide from the new, longer distance.

In terms of the game, Kilkenny starlet Ruarc Sweeney provided the biggest highlights.  He showed there’s some football on Noreside with a delicate kick to loft the sliotar into Ferland's hand for the opening goal.

Then, an exceptional run saw Sweeney juggle the sliotar on the hurley above his head to evade a flick before a deft lob. 

It missed the far post, robbing the game of a stunning highlight-reel goal.