It's hurling's answer to the blanket defense, and it's not something that purists are enjoying. The sweeper system that is coming into vogue in hurling is getting results - there are less goals and lower scoring games with it - but some people aren't happy with how dull the game can be.
Tipperary's superstar forward Seamus Callanan is one of the most outspoken opponents of the system, and he didn't hold back when objecting to it:
The obvious answer to that is that hurling isn’t as enjoyable.
Everyone knows that. You don’t need me to tell you that I think that. It spoils open hurling but sure whatever it takes teams to win, let them do it. We don’t play that way and never will.
The back-to-back hurler of the year nominee will lead his team against Limerick in their next match. Limerick used the sweeper to great effect against Dublin.
Callanan said that he can't worry about the negative route that other teams are going down. He can only be worried about how Tipperary play, and Callanan looks to have joined Brian Cody in saying Kilkenny will never have an extra man in defense:
I hope Tipperary don’t go that way anyway. I wouldn’t be approving of it if they did. Not that it’s my say or anything.
It's not hard to agree with him.
[Irish Examiner]
See Also: 10 Details Which Remind Us Of The Greatness Of The U21 Hurling Championship
Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
