Jonny Stapleton
It will be about Craic of the Ash as Naomh Olaf host a Social Hurling Blitz in Sandyford next Easter.
The Dublin GAA club’s social hurling group are looking to bring some temporary structure to the fun by hosting a tournament in April of next year.
All 91 Dublin clubs will be invited to attend, as will some clubs that border the capital, and the organizers hope it becomes an annual event.
Social Hurling was born out of the Mothers and Others and Dads and Lads craze.
It’s basically a platform for the more mature to enjoy pucking a sliotar around, an approach not too dissimilar h to 5-a-side football just with a smaller ball and some hurl swinging.
“We have players from 35 to into their 60s playing,” explains Sean Wison of Naomh Olaf’s Social Hurlers.
“It’s just about trying to stay active and have a bit of craic – think of mens’ sheds without the handy work.
“We have one Polish player and an English player that never picked up a hurl before and we have some players who played at a good standard.”
Social hurling groups, whilst having an alignment to each club, aren’t officially a club team, meaning there isn’t too much structure around it.
Currently, those groups tend to organize mini-competitions on an ad-hoc basis, where two or three teams meet up for a game or two.
The Naomh Olaf group have plans to upgrade that approach somewhat and hope to bring some structure and competition via an annual tournament.
“It will still be about the craic,” assures Wilson. “It’s just to the chance to bring some structure to it and create an event that players can enjoy.
“A lot of social hurlers are mentors and coaches they will be used to the blitz format from the underages, it will be similar, maybe just with more notice and less ad-hoc.”
The GAA run their own social hurling blitz in Abbotstown in the first week of December and have backed social hurling as a way to keep active.
No doubt more similar style platforms for friendly competitive action will be welcomed.
Noamh Olaf’s Social Hurler’s blitz and it’s finer details will be officially confirmed in the new year but initial plans have it playing out in Easter week.
Kit will be provided for any team that enters and if a sponsor comes on board the minimal entry fee will be donated to charity.
The social hurlers of Naomh Olaf will host a blitz event at Easter in Sandyford, with an invitation
to be sent to all 91 Dublin clubs, as well as club’s from neighbouring counties
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