A smashing idea.

The National Hurling League will have an added dimension to it this year. The folks at Dungannon Eoghan Ruadh Hurling club have created their very own version of Fantasy Premier League Football. Fantasy Hurling is the name of the game. The rules are very similar to those of Fantasy Football. Each player picks a team of 15 players to start off. You are permitted a maximum of two players from each county. The deadline for team entries is January 27 at 3.00. The hurling League kicks off that Saturday night with Cork hosting Kilkenny in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Offaly taking on Dublin in Croke Park. https://twitter.com/FantasyHurling/status/953616463922892801 Just like in fantasy football, there are transfer windows where you can swap and exchange players depending on form and injuries. These windows will take place at different periods throughout the course of the league, with the first running from Tuesday January 30 to Saturday February 3. Crucially, all clubs and counties have the possibility to create their own mini-leagues, which, as we know from Fantasy Premier League, is crucial to the whole experience. It's some feeling when you're topping the league and leaving your friends and club mates trailing in your wake. You can enter on www.fantasyhurling.ie. The points system works as follows.

• Appearance = + 2 points.
• Game win = + 3 points.
• Managers = Match win + 10 points, Draw = + 5 points.
• Red Card = - 6 points.
• Scoring goals, For a defender/goalkeeper = + 10 points. For a midfielder = + 7 points. For a forward = + 5 points.
• No goals conceded, for a defender = +3. For a Goalkeeper = +5.
• Each goal conceded, for a defender = -1. For a Goalkeeper = -2.
• Points from play/sideline cuts, for a forward = +3. For a midfielder = +5. For a defender = +7.
• Scoring points from frees/penalties, Goalkeepers/defenders = +2. Midfielder/forward = +1.
• Captain = Double points (+/-)
• National League final appearance = All players and managers +10.

On top of raising money for the club - this initiative will promote interest in the National Hurling League as we're all competitive at the end of the day. Everything was explained to us by Cathal McErlean, the founder of Fantasy Hurling.

"Our Fantasy Hurling game is going since 2011, it started as an in-house club fundraiser for Eoghan Ruadh Hurling Club, Dungannon, starting off with hard copy printed sheets, and has now developed into a full on interactive website with the help of Cased Dimensions expertise. "The idea came from my own personal interest in Fantasy Football (soccer) mixed with an obsession for Hurling, so I thought why not mix the two together?  At that time it was all manual using simple spread sheets and manual input. "Last year we had over 400 entries, but that was our first year online. We are hoping this year it can grow bigger and better and we have added new features including transfer windows which will give the users a chance to bring in form players and sell players who are injured etc. We also have Club & County mini leagues, which is perfect for banter among friends and club mates.

https://twitter.com/FantasyHurling/status/955450276625944576

"Transfers are free and unlimited before closing date and each player receives 1 free transfer during each window. An extra 3 transfers can be bought for €5," he said.

It will also be running for the championship this year.

"For the first time, we plan to run a Fantasy Hurling Championship in 2018, in previous years we couldn't really do this, as the championship structure didn't suit it, with say Kilkenny only playing 4 games and Clare playing 7. Whereas the new format is more structured and therefore leans itself better to our game! "All in all, its a club fundraiser, so it raises vital funds for a Hurling Only club here in Tyrone.

High profile hurlers all over the country have been picking their teams.

Austin Gleeson

Aussie is Waterford through and through. https://twitter.com/AussieGleeson/status/955532924522258432 The Waterford man got plenty of slagging for his team name, with Tipperary's Brendan Maher, and Galway's Colm Callanan pulling him up. https://twitter.com/BrenMaher8/status/955537517893292034 https://twitter.com/ColmCal1/status/955539028048302080

Pauric Mahony

Offaly's sharpshooter Shane Dooley is under big pressure here. https://twitter.com/PauricMahony/status/954111787158339584

Matthew O'Hanlon

Lee Chin got the nod off his Wexford teammate. https://twitter.com/MattOH91/status/954116618573045760 Meanwhile, Tipperary's centre back Ronan Maher wasn't best pleased at being left out of some teams. https://twitter.com/ronmaher95/status/955758781878755329 So fair play to the lads at Eoghan Ruadh Dungannon. This is a great idea and we should all join in the craic. Just sign up on Fantasy Hurling 2018 - you could win up to €1,500 in prize money.