Hurling’s new rules manage to stand their ground in a storm

Rain comes in a variety of bright colours now, but the type that lashed the hurlers of MTU and UCC on Thursday evening was old fashioned black. Their match in Division One of the Higher Education League was the latest vessel for hurling’s new rules and in the circumstances, it was remarkably free of incidents or accidents.

It is much too soon to make firm judgements, but opinion never pauses for breath. There was groaning in the stand as the referee Simon Stokes repeatedly and correctly penalised fouled handpasses. But if reform of the handpass is going to be achieved, there is bound to be a spate of on-the-spot fines. Hurlers have been parking on double yellow lines with impunity for far too long.