PATRICK MORRISON: Restarts are a team thing


THE kickout has changed so much tactically over the past 30 years. So much so, that the name has been changed along with it. From punting the ball out to the midfield areas where players would compete for the ball in 50/50 challenges to try and catch, break or attain possession; they have now evolved into […]


PATRICK MORRISON: The importance of a goalkeeper being Mr Confident


By Patrick Morrison AS a goalkeeper, it is important that you are mentally the strongest person on the pitch. It can sometimes feel like a very lonely and daunting place at times, such is the nature of the game of goalkeeping. The majority of decisions and actions that a goalkeeper executes during a game usually […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Effective communication a key for goalkeepers


WHAT is Effective Communication? Communication is any form of information that is relayed between two interfacing entities. Whether it be audible, visual, hand signals or even just body language if it sends a message to be received it is deemed as communication. Goalkeepers are in that precarious position of play developing in front of them […]


PATRICK MORRISON: The fuse is lit


By Patrick Morrison PRIDE, excitement, envy, regret, expectancy, anticipation, fearful, confidence, rumination, connection, nostalgic, positive, motivated, gratitude, satisfaction, joy, sadness, hurt, sense of achievement, pain and luck. For the past few weeks I have been in Craigavon Hospital undergoing routine tests for my Crohn’s Disease. I was asked by a fellow patient about how I […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Box out


By Patrick Morrison IT was back in the early nineties that I first experienced the game of basketball. As a tall primary six student I was afforded a place on the school basketball team. We were coached by Jimmy McKee (Pearse Ógs) in the Christian Brothers PS and competed in a few competitions throughout the […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Soul searching


A GOALKEEPER, like any other player in Gaelic sports, has three main areas that contribute to their on-field performance. These three areas are all interlinked and have a constant bearing on how the other areas function at all times. It is also important to understand that these three areas are all influenced by their environment […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Be coachable


“The best skill that I ever had was that I was coachable. I was like a sponge, and aggressive to learn. Being ‘coachable’ means being humble and vulnerable enough to know you’re not perfect. It means being open to honest and constructive feedback, even if it is tough to take. Being ‘uncoachable’ includes behaviours such […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Stop shot stopping


By Patrick Morrison WHENEVER I am coaching goalkeepers around the country, there are eight main goalkeeping areas that I will coach them in. These are, in my opinion, the main areas involved within the goalkeeping position and incorporate every possibility that a goalkeeper may face during competitive games. My six goalkeeping areas are technical, activation, […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Be Mr Confident


By Patrick Morrison AS a goalkeeper, it is important that you are mentally the strongest person on the pitch. It can sometimes feel like a very lonely and daunting place at times. Such is the nature of the game of goalkeeping. The majority of decisions and actions that a goalkeeper executes during a game usually […]