Hurling is an ancient outdoor team game and one of the national sports of Ireland. The game __41__ playedfor 3,000 years. The first recorded reference to hurling dates back to the Battle of Moytura in County Mayo in 1272BC between the native group Fir Bolg and the invading people Tuatha De Danann. As both sides were preparingfor battle they decided to have a hurling contest__42__ . The war-like game ended in defeat and death for the DeDanann warriors. 

       __43__ to be the world’s fastest game on grass, hurling combines skills of baseball, football, and hockey. The gameconsists of two teams of fifteen players trying to use a wooden stick, called “hurley”, to hit a small ball, called “sliotar”,into the other team’s goal. The ball can be caught in the hand and carried for not more than four steps.__44__ four stepsthe player has to bounce the ball on the hurley and can pick up the ball again, but the ball can only be handled twice whilein one player’s possession.

       Without a doubt, hurling is one of the most skillful sports played today. A good player uses many skillsthat __45__swiftness, bravery, strength, and hand-eye coordination. The final of the All-Ireland SeniorHurling Championship has been listed in second place by CNN in its “10 sporting events you have to see live”,only after the Olympic Games.