At any organised level?

ie Senior, Intermediate, Junior, Inter-firm etc?

Just wondering as sometimes I think people who don't play can think the skills of the game are pretty easy to master. When a big name star makes a mistake it's easy to slate them (examples Steven Lucey missing a routine catch V Tipp last year that bounced through to Eoin Kelly who buried it, or the Dubs mistake for Meath's 5th goal last week) but if you play it sort of gives you an understanding of how fast the game moves etc.

Also interested to know how many people play both, hurling only, or Gaelic football only.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6484 - 01/07/2010 17:22:49    693536

Live in scotland. Play a bit of shinty up here, they're tough lads let me tell you.

Whenever I go home I play a bit of junior hurling. Played to a high level until i turned 21 or 22. I'd go back in the morning and play to as high a level as i could if I managed to get a job back in the old turf...
Never really played gaelic but I'd give it a go i suppose. astro soccer, rugby etc never did anything for me. Only other sport that gave me near as much a buzz and intensity was squash.

good thread slayer.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 01/07/2010 17:45:54    693577

I've played both but for the last number of years I've been concentrating on the hurling. Still play about 4/5 football games a year though.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13833 - 01/07/2010 18:07:14    693606

I started this year, hope to break into the starting line up next year.....with the u10s

zamora (Cavan) - Posts: 200 - 01/07/2010 18:34:08    693635

Play u15 right up to junior camogie. Never played football much.

Royal_Girl2k9 (Meath) - Posts: 2107 - 01/07/2010 18:34:23    693637

play football competitively

nok02 (USA) - Posts: 534 - 01/07/2010 18:35:29    693638

played senior hurling and junior football in my hayday, lined out in goals for the juniors last year was great craic

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4653 - 01/07/2010 18:59:23    693653

played football at every underage level and now play senior. Never tried hurling.

Scruffy2Donut (Cavan) - Posts: 1112 - 01/07/2010 19:19:56    693675

Now at the end of my playing days. Played football all the way at every level and hurling up to colleges level. never really fancied the hurling though, I suppose being from monaghan - it's what you're born into !

PearseBro (Monaghan) - Posts: 459 - 01/07/2010 21:54:50    693862

Just about hanging on in junior hurling. Like the Rock, the helmet is tipping the balance in favour of a dignified retirement :-) Used to enjoy playing football when I was younger and fitter but found it to be hard going as fitness declined and gave up years ago.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 02/07/2010 08:17:06    693884

have been playing football since 1st or 2nd class now going into 3rd year and at u-16.
never went camoige training but i would have a puck around in the back garden anyway... football has kinda taken over recently though.....

rebelsrock (Cork) - Posts: 550 - 02/07/2010 09:42:44    693919

Started playing both codes when I was about 8 or 9. Enjoyed the hurling but was better at the football so at minor level dropped the hurling as I was playing for the school team, home Minor and Senior team and county minor. Continued to play Senior football for the home team and also played county U-21, few games for County Seniors and also played for the University first team. Stopped playing when I moved to Dublin to work but up home again and played my first game last night in 9 years for our reserves and God doesn't my body know there was something alien done to it last night!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 02/07/2010 10:33:03    693963

Got to 18, hit the beer, game over!

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 02/07/2010 10:37:40    693969

Got to 18, hit the beer, game over!

Happens to so many of us. I'd love to say to any young player playing camogie/ladies fotoball/hurling/Gaelic football that in order to play you need to be in good physical shape and cutting back on the good life is a must. I've seen so many young players give up after minor or U21, or say 'I'm taking a year off' and that normally means they never come back.

Of course you only realise these things when it is too late. Sadly I've seen so much talent wasted in & around my locality, players who could have played for Limerick but never did as other things took priority. But one of the big reasons I started this thread is often the people you hear at games who are mouthpieces are very often those who have not played at any level. I always think having played at any level it makes you more tuned into the sacrifices and mistakes that players at the top can make. It's never nice to hear supprters slagging off players, even their own when they themselves can't do the things they slag players off for.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6484 - 02/07/2010 10:45:22    693978

Played hurling with the county underage....not much of an achievement in longford tho! Play football with an intermediate club, played county underage aswell. Love both sports.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 02/07/2010 10:47:54    693982

I play both. A lot better at the football though. We get hammered in most hurling games so it's hard to keep going :)

omahonys_man (Meath) - Posts: 229 - 02/07/2010 10:52:26    693988

Only back playing football this year after a 10 year injury (car accident when I was 19). It's only playing junior football for a club in Dublin but I'll tell you what, it's great to be back on the field again!

whitenred (Tyrone) - Posts: 156 - 02/07/2010 10:59:39    693994

I have played since u-10's. Senior club player. Played county minor and U-21s.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9869 - 02/07/2010 11:01:10    693998

Excellent point Slayer regarding the 'hurlers on the ditch.' I think anyone who has ever played any sport at any level appreciates what is involved, and you rarely hear people like that slagging off other players on a nasty level. As a mediocre hurler I would never have the temerity to slag off anyone who plays in the blue jersey, or indeed in any other jersey. Other (and this is only exception) that they engage in downright nastiness or cheating. In which case they are not entitled to my respect anymore.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 02/07/2010 11:04:03    694004

Played football through all the underage groups and now at senior level. Also a small bit of underage with the county. Never played the big stick game.

men_of_49 (Meath) - Posts: 2019 - 02/07/2010 11:11:26    694019