GAA Smart Sliotar

A chip is embedded in the core of each Smart Sliotar which can be read by an app on a mobile phone and is used for sliotar verification purposes in Senior, U20 and Minor (U17) Inter-County Official Games.

The GAA Smart Sliotar project aims to ensure that approved Sliotar Licensees adhere to the Sliotar specifications set out in the GAA Official Guide and that approved sliotars perform on a consistent basis.

In an effective regulatory context, the Association seeks to address illegal use of the official GAA logo and to ensure ethical production and supply chain practices as determined by the World Federation of the Sports Goods Industry (WFSGI).

The Smart Sliotar has been used in the 2022 U20 Hurling Championships and 2023 Allianz Hurling Leagues and All-Ireland Senior Championships.

GAA Match Sliotar

Please note that all Match Sliotar licensees have begun the phasing-out process of the production of white-coloured sliotars and commenced the production of Fluorescent Yellow/High-Vis sliotars instead.

Match Sliotars are all other sliotars, other than Smart Sliotars, which are produced by GAA Licensees, meet GAA specifications and can be used in official games.

It is the recommendation of the GAA’s Hurley & Sliotar Regulation Work Group, having conducted significant research into the matter in terms of optimal performance, visibility and contrast, that commencing on January 1st, 2024, all hurling games at all levels from Minor (U17) and above, should use a Fluorescent Yellow/High-Vis sliotar from a GAA Sliotar Licensee.

Sliotar Specifications

The following provides details of the Sliotar specification/standard, which incorporates the changes that were adopted at GAA Congress on an approval vote of 97.3%.

This specification/standard applies to Sliotars approved for use in official games (Rule 4.4, Part 2, Official Guide) -

• The diameter of the Sliotar - not including the rim (rib) - shall be between 69mm and 72mm.
• The mass of the Sliotar shall be between 110 and 116 grams.
• The rim (rib) height shall be between 1.8mm and 2.6mm
• The rim (rib) width shall be between 3.6 mm and 5.4mm.
• The thickness of the leather (chrome or synthetic) cover shall be between 1.8mm. and 2.7mm. and shall not be laminated with a coating greater than 0.15mm.
• Colour - Fluorescent Yellow/High Vis (Pantone Reference 388) & Red stitching thread.

Sliotars will only be approved for use based on compliance with standards and tests as set out by Central Council.

The following Smart Sliotar licensees are available for use within the 2024 Inter-County Senior Hurling Competitions -

• Green Fields - https://greenfieldsdst.com/
• O’Neills - https://www.oneills.com/

There are three additional Smart Sliotar licensees which have passed the sliotar specification tests and are available for the U20 and Minor Inter-County Hurling Championships, in addition to Green Fields and O’Neills -

• Bourke Sports - https://bourkesports.ie/
• Cummins Sports - https://www.cumminssports.ie/
• O’Meara Sliotars - https://www.omearasliotars.com/

Find out more about:

The GAA Smart Sliotar launch HERE

The science behind the yellow sliotar HERE

Information on Official Sliotar Licenses HERE