TWEETS: Stunned British reaction to ‘brutal’ ‘bonkers dangerous’ All-Ireland final

Mon, 07 Sep, 2015 - 11:00

Grainne McGuinness

Yesterday was the perfect opportunity for us Irish to indulge in one of our favourite pastimes - feeling smug about how amazing hurling is.

Ok, truth be told, unless you’re actually from Kilkenny, the

But then we remembered Sky Sports were showing the All-Ireland and we could look forward to an afternoon of British viewers reacting with fascination and alarm to the match in Croker.

Former Kilkenny star JJ Delaney was on hand to promote it, and also Paddy Power.

@SkySportsGAA Introduce new fans to Hurling today, we're live on Sky Sports 5 from 2.30, so tell ten more people #telltenmore
— JJ Delaney (@JJDelaney82) September 6, 2015

Non-Irish followers who haven't experienced hurling before should give it a go today. Live on Sky Sports 5 at the moment. Great fun!
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 6, 2015

@Chris1009S each man has a big stick he uses to hit a little ball. He can score a goal worth three points, or over the bar for one point!
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 6, 2015

Although the BBC admitted in the build-up that it was hard to explain the sport to people from outside Ireland.

Trying to describe hurling is like attempting to explain the Bolshoi Theatre to someone who's never seen ballet - http://t.co/0I5bQ5mwjm
— Eoghan O'Leary (@eoghanol) September 5, 2015

Fair play though, plenty of viewers were happy to give it a look, and most were impressed.

@paddypower some superb long-rangers being scored. Keepers are rubbish.
— SP (@Sunil_YG30) September 6, 2015

That Irish hurling looks good sport, lads really getting stuck in, can't imagine messi/Ronaldo etc being up for it 👊
— chris shevels (@chrisshevels) September 6, 2015

This viewer wasn't arguing with our beloved "fastest field game in the world" assertion.

@paddypower I can fucking tell, my eyes feels like they are coming out of my skull whilst I try to follow the ball
— Tom Frost (@ThomasFrost17) September 6, 2015

Of course the general opinion, as always, was that hurling is crazy and those who play it even crazier.

If you like your sport bonkers dangerous, the All-Ireland hurling final is currently on Sky Sports 5.

Cannot recommend it enough.
— Alex Wilson (@adjwilson) September 6, 2015

If you've not got the hurling on Sky Sports 5 you really should, it appears to have no rules.
— Rory Kimber (@RoryKimber) September 6, 2015

No idea what's going on, but stick on Sky Sports 5, this is good. One bloke has just whacked someone round the head with his stick.
— Nick Goff (@nickgoff79) September 6, 2015