Hurling fans will tell you that the ancient game is the 'best sport in the world'.
One can argue long into the night as to whether that is true. What's a bit more clearcut is that hurling is certainly one of the fastest sports on the globe.
Its playing area covers a maximum length of 145 metres. The length of the pitch at Croke Park matches that figure. There's a lot then for a referee to keep an eye on, more so than was the case a decade ago.
It's a different game now. The sliotar travels a lot further and the scoring rate has increased appreciably.
In the midst of all this frenzy, the official in the middle often has to make split decisions. As is the way, his calls are not always met with approval.
Clare hurling manager Brian Lohan questioned some of Colm Lyons' decisions during Sunday's All-Ireland SHC clash with Kilkenny, a game where the Banner were edged out by three points.
Undoubtedly Lyons' most contentious call came when he disallowed a Mark Rodgers goal in the second half in order to bring the play back to allow an 'advantage' to Clare for a foul around midfield.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the Clare boss said: "Yeah, sure look, he had blown the whistle. But didn’t seem to get a huge amount from the referee today. Found it hard to get frees."
Crucially, he added: "There’s a rule there that I can’t be critical of referees."
In recent seasons, talk about having two referees on the field so as to lighten the load on one individual, has been discussed.
Former Limerick player Niall Moran believes that both linsemen, who are qualified referees, should have a greater presence on the field. This could be the way to go, he feels, given that there is a shortage of referees nationwide.
On the latter point, he referenced the sitauation where he comes from in Limerick, telling 2fm's Game On: "The reality on the ground here is that we play a lot of schools games and underage games. It's the same couple of referees who officiate.
"I was talking to a lad recently who refs a lot of schools games and then refs a championship game on a Friday, he'll have his two linsemen with him. He then, over the course of the weekend, will have to return that favour of standing on the sideline.
"What you're facing on ground level is that there is such a lack of referees right around the country.
"If we are enforcing something that we now have a second referee, you are then halving a quota that is so well short."
And so the possibility for those who patrol the sideline to do a bit more, with Moran adding: " It's not enough to have our linesmen signalling line balls. Okay, they do more than that but let's try and use or linesmen a little bit better when we have them. They are qualified referees.
"They should step infield a bit more, so that they are a presence on the pitch. That would take some of the pressure off a referee. There is so much going on that the referee isn't privy to lads being pulled, dragged and belted. A presence infield can be a little more of a deterrent."
Watch the All-Ireland SHC final LIVE on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, listen LIVE on RTÉ Radio or follow LIVE updates via rte.ie/sport on Sunday 23 July.
