The Skills of Hurling

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The Dribble in Hurling

There are many different skills involved in the game of hurling. One renowned hurling coach outlined over 170 skills in the game!

The skills can be broadly broken down into those that involve Gaining Possession, Maintaining Possession, Releasing Possession and Contesting Possession.

Gaining Possession

Involves gaining possession and control of the sliotar. Thus, skills such as catching, and lifting are included along with skills involved in getting control of the sliotar using the hurley.

Maintaining Possession

Once the sliotar is under the control of the player, there are a number of skills which help the player in possession to maintain possession. These skills encompass ground skills, handling skills and evasion skills.

Releasing Possession

Involves striking the sliotar, with either the hand or the hurley. Many of these skills can be performed with a stationary sliotar or a moving sliotar, while the player is stationary or while the player is moving.

Contesting Possession

Involves many of the skills used to tackle an opponent in possession, or to contest for possession when neither player is in possession of the sliotar.

It should be noted that this method of "grouping" skills is only a suggestion that may help coaches to ensure that as many skills as possible are developed, and there are a number of different ways of matching the skills together.

Gaining Possession	Maintaining Possession	Releasing Possession	Contesting Possession
The Ground Block	The Dribble	Striking a Stationary Ball	The Frontal Air Block
Controlling a Moving Ball	The Solo Run	Ground Strike on the Run	The Hook
Blocking a Ball Overhead	Evasion/Roll Off	Doubling Back	Shoulder to Shoulder Clash
The Chest Catch	The Feint/Side Step	Striking from the Hand	The Frontal Ground Block
The Jab Lift		The Overhead Strike	The Ground Flick
The Roll Lift		The Hand Pass	Batting a Ball Overhead
The Overhead Catch			Checking/Shadowing