The target is a set of H posts like in rugby but with a net on the bottom section like in soccer. Players on two teams of fifteen use an axe-shaped stick to fire the ball over the crossbar for a point or into the net for three points (see diagram.)

The game has been described variously as 'field hockey in the air,' 'brutal field hockey,' 'like lacross but with solid sticks' etc.

None of these descriptions really do the game justice. To truly get a feel for the spirit of the sport requires that you see it in action. It exhibits a unique combination of skill, athleticism, stamina and speed that few sports can match. It is acknowledged as the fastest field game on earth. It has the speed and continuous flowing action of ice hockey but on grass.

It is played with a long curved stick similar to a field hockey stick but with a broader and flat end which allows the player to control the ball in the air as well as on the ground. It is made of ashwood which has just the right properties that allow the stick to flex up to a certain point. The end (the buss) is usually slightly bigger on a goalkeeper's stick.

How to play

There are fifteen players to a team on the field. Up to five substitutions can be made in the game which is played in two halves of 35 minutes each.

Helmets are optional.

History
Hurling pre-dates recorded history. There is archeological evidence of the game being played in ancient Ireland 2000 years ago. The sport was formalised when the rules of the modern game were drawn up in 1884 with the foundation of the GAA. The greatest and most prestigious prize in Hurling is the inter-county All-Ireland Championship.

More detailed history from San Francisco GAA.