Gaelic sports are the traditional games played in Ireland with comprehensive betting opportunities available through most bookmakers, but especially those based on the Emerald Isle.

The two main sports are Hurling and Gaelic Football. Both are physically tough games with no quarter given.

Today these two sports are the most popular games in Ireland in terms of attendances just behind football.

Gaelic Football, known as Football on home Irish soil has links that go way back to the 14th century, but is first recognised in close to its current form in the late 19th century.

The teams consist of 15 players and like rugby there are ‘H’ shaped goals and the object is to kick or punch the ball into the goals.

The zenith of the sport is the county based All-Ireland Football Final which is played on the third Sunday of September at Croke Park attracting a crowd of 80,000.

Cork, Kerry and Tyrone are the counties that have recently dominated the sport in the last decade.

All-Ireland winners:-

2000 Kerry bt Galway
2001 Galway bt Meath
2002 Armargh bt Kerry
2003 Tyrone bt Armagh
2004 Kerry bt Mayo
2005 Tyrone bt Kerry
2006 Kerry bt Mayo
2007 Kerry bt Cork
2008 Tyrone bt Kerry
2009 Kerry bt Cork
2010 Cork bt Down

Hurling

Using a wooden stick called a Hurley, this is one of the most physical sports on the planet and like lacrosse is not a place for the feint hearted to play.

Like Gaelic Football, the team consists of 15 players and the object is to hit the ball into the football like net for 3pts, if it goes over the bar, but between the H like posts then a point is scored.

Such is the ferociousness of the sport that wearing sturdy helmets was made compulsory in January 2010.

The major competition is the All-Ireland Senior Championship. A knockout competition between counties with the final played on the second Sunday in September at Croke Park.

All-Ireland winner:-

2000 Kilkenny bt Offaly
2001 Tipperary bt Galway
2002 Kilkenny bt Clare
2003 Kilkenny bt Cork
2004 Cork bt Kilkenny
2005 Cork bt Galway
2006 Kilkenny bt Cork
2007 Kilkenny bt Limerick
2008 Kilkenny bt Waterford
2009 Kilkenny bt Waterford
2010 Tipperary bt Kilkenny