I WAS struck by an interview David Clifford gave recently where he essentially said you can’t wish away the season just to wait for an All-Ireland final. ‘If you do start looking too far down the line, you’re not living in the present at all. You’re kind of wishing the time away. Even the time […]
STEVEN POACHER: Subs are vital in modern game
AFTER Armagh’s hugely impressive win over Derry in Celtic Park last weekend, Oisin O’Neill and brother Rian spoke about the impact the Armagh bench has been making this year. When Conleith Gilligan was appointed coach, the first thing he did was forensically examine the statistics and impact that the subs were having on games,. He felt the […]
PATRICK MORRISON: Back to basics
DURING the past few seasons, we have really seen an increase in the number of goalkeepers that are confident in joining the outfield play. And there has been something of a phenomenon, especially from a goalkeeping point of view, there has been an explosion of press about the position. Some were excited about how Ethan Rafferty […]
PATRICK MORRISON: Training brain v competition brain
By Patrick Morrison WHENEVER a goalkeeper is performing during competition and performing during training sessions, they do so with two completely different approaches. The mindset a goalkeeper will have when they are performing during competition will greatly differ to the mindset they will apply when they are training. During competition the goalkeeper has a greater […]
JOHN McMAHON: Train hard but always recover harder
YOUR league season is well underway and as a GAA athlete you’ are trying to plan and structure your weekly training. But are you planning your recovery? Just as hard as our bodies work during exercises in the gym or training on the pitch, players need to work equally as hard to help their bodies […]
PATRICK MORRISON: Get your feet right
By Patrick Morrison WHENEVER I am coaching, one of the most common questions I am asked is ‘what is the most important aspect of being a goalkeeper?’ My answer is always the same. There is no one aspect that is more significant than any other as mastery of the position needs a competent level of […]
DECLAN McCOY: The Jurassic Park principle
WHILE it’s great to have a fellow Armagh man as the new president of the GAA, I have to say I don’t envy his task in addressing the state of the game. A lot of games are turning into basketball and the entertainment value has dropped. This, in conjunction with the complete lack of jeopardy […]
PATRICK MORRISON: The penalty
IN 1890, an Irish businessman and goalkeeper called William McCrum, from the small village of Milford in County Armagh, invented the penalty kick. Up until that point there had been no definitive infringement for fouls that were committed inside of the 18-yard square as well as for intentional handball to stop opponents from scoring He took […]
PATRICK MORRISON: Making not taking
By Patrick Morrison IN the modern game of Gaelic football, we are under no illusions about the sudden rise in focus on restarts. This rise has also coincided with the rise in importance of the goalkeeping position as a whole. What the goalkeeper can offer to their team has grown exponentially over the past 25 […]
SHANE RICE: MAS appeal crucial for GAA fitness
MAXIMAL Aerobic Speed (MAS) stands as a cornerstone in the realm of GAA fitness, offering a pathway to peak performance for players. While commonly utilized in professional sports, MAS has now become a focal point in the pre-season regimens of GAA coaches, presenting a versatile tool for enhancing team fitness year-round. The significance of MAS […]