PATRICK MORRISON: Deepening the well


By Patrick Morrison WE all know the importance of the goalkeeper position and how it has become one of, if not the most important positions on the field of play. With that said, the goalkeeping position should then also be one of, if not the most, important position to develop for your club and county. […]


STEVEN POACHER: Planning is everything


I HAVE been asked the same question on numerous occasions recently by people who are getting into coaching for the very first time, particularly at underage level, and it is very simply ‘have you any advice for me?’ Well, apart from buying yourself some very thick skin and a crash helmet, I always reiterate the […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Go for the gap


By Patrick Morrison ALL goalkeepers want to improve. It doesn’t matter what age, level or reason for playing as a goalkeeper, we all want to feel as if we are becoming better ‘keepers on a weekly basis. Any goalkeeper that is serious about their position will always strive to reach the pinnacle of their ability. […]


ULSTER GAA: Building a GAA Healthy Club programme


THE Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs Programme supports GAA clubs in becoming hubs for health by delivering to their members and community opportunities that reflect the national policy agenda for sport, physical activity, mental health and preventative health. It began in 2013 as a pilot involving 16 clubs and engaged 447 clubs by 2023. It […]


STEVEN POACHER: Identity matters


WE are now three weeks into the National League and out of 32 teams, we have only seven on maximum points – Derry, Armagh, Donegal, Down, Westmeath, Laois and Leitrim. The competitive nature of Division One has only Derry on maximum points, but interestingly everyone has at least picked up a point, with Roscommon v Monaghan […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Practice deliberately


By Patrick Morrison FOR the past two months, I have been printing articles about skill acquisition and when they should be roughly introduced. It also gave a levelled framework for both goalkeepers and coaches to follow when they are trying to introduce new skills at any stage of their development. By giving them a framework […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Sweep the sheds


By Patrick Morrison ON Saturday 15th July 2017, Armagh played in an All-Ireland Qualifier against Tipperary down in Semple Stadium. In a fantastic game that was end-to-end throughout with tit-for-tat scoring, we, Armagh, finally came from behind to win out by two narrow points. We finished the game stronger and as the game drew to […]


PATRICK MORRISON: It’s important to box out


By Patrick Morrison IT was back in the early ‘90s 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 […]


SHANE RICE: McGuinness coming out aggressive


IN a display that left spectators awestruck, Jim McGuinness showcased his aggressive coaching style as Donegal went head to head with Cork last weekend. The match, described by many as “men against boys,” unfolded as a tactical masterclass, with Donegal proving both physically and technically superior to their opponents. One of the key takeaways from […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Raise your standards


By Patrick Morrison TO reach the top and become the best takes a massive amount of time and effort to perfect your goalkeeping. You will spend hours and hours refining your skills with the aim of improving your performances between the posts. Ultimately, it is important to understand that perfection is unattainable. That is because […]