How to Play Hurling

Hurling is a distinctly Irish field invasion game played with a stick, called a hurley, and a ball called a sliotar. 

Playing Field
Hurling is played on a pitch up to 145m long and 90m wide. The goalposts are H Shaped with the goal area being x wide and y high.

Playing Numbers
Each team consists of 15 players, lining out as per the diagram.

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Equipment
The stick, or "hurley" (called camán in Irish) is curved outwards at the end, to provide the striking surface. The ball or "sliotar" is similar in size to a hockey ball but has raised ridges.

Playing Rules
You may strike the ball on the ground, or in the air. You may catch the ball or pick up the ball with your hurley into your hand and carry it for not more than four steps in the hand. After those steps you may bounce the ball on the hurley and back to the hand, but you are forbidden to catch the ball more than twice. You can run balancing or bouncing the ball (the solo) on the hurley indefinitely. Players may contest for the ball by playing it with the hurley or by shoulder charging an opponent side-to-side.

Scoring
To score, you strike the ball over the crossbar with the hurley or under the crossbar and into the net for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points.

A goal is signalled by raising a green flag, placed to the left of the goal. A point is signalled by raising a white flag, placed to the right of goal.

Officiating
Officials for a game comprise of a referee, two linesmen (to indicate when the ball leaves the field of play at the side and to mark '65' free puck and four umpires (to signal scores, assist the referee in controlling the games, and to assist linesmen in positioning '65' frees).