For my international friends and followers who haven't heard of this sport before, this a sport indigenous to my home. The Gaelic Athletic Association is the organization behind the four sports that make the GAA. Here are some tips that will help you understand the sport and maybe even encourage you all yo find out more!
Gaelic Football
People who have just watched a Gaelic match for the first time often describe it roughly as a mix between basketball, rugby, and soccer. Played as 15v15, Gaelic goals resonate that as a shape of a H. Think as above and in between the posts as 1 point, and below and in-between the posts as a score worth 3 points (if you beat the goalkeeper).
The rules in GAA are some-what lenient. You must either bounce, solo, or release the ball after 4 steps whilst in possession. You cannot bounce the ball (roughly the same size as a soccer ball) twice in a row!
games are 60 minutes long unless in an intercounty competition which I will get into later. As GAA is an entirely amateur sport, players will play for for their local clubs and if they're good enough they'll play for their county as well (intercounty) E.g., Dublin. Annual championships are held as the club All-Ireland and Sam McGuire (intercounty) All-Ireland, determine who is the best of the best.
Hurling
Hurling and football are somewhat derivatives of each other as there are many similarities. However, hurling is played with a small ball (sliotar) and a stick usually made from ash. This stick is called a hurl and it can be likened to a mix between a baseball bat and a table tennis paddle.
In hurling, you can handle the small ball twice in the one move but you cannot handle the ball 3 times. So if you like to run with the ball, you better get rid of the ball after you handle it twice!
For those of who who have never seen a game of Gaelic or hurling, I wouldn't be mislead by its amateur status. GAA is a tough, physical, fast-paced game with no time for posers! Hurling has been categorized as the fastest ball sport in the world and if you check it out for yourselves, you'll see why. I highly recommend finding out more about the GAA and you never know maybe you'll fall in love with it as much as thousands of Irish families and communities across Ireland have.
Keep an eye out for a guide to the other two sport that are a part of the GAA. Thank you all for reading my personal blog, it means the world to me!
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