DECLAN McCOY: Rip it and run


By Declan McCoy THERE’S only one place to start this week’s article and that is to say a massive well done to Armagh on reaching the All-Ireland final. Whilst we haven’t yet got over the line, we sometimes take for granted the brilliant days out Geezer and the players have given us over the last […]


SHANE RICE: How anaerobic speed reserve can get your team championship ready


THE ASR method is something I have researched over the past 18 to 24 months. Combining MAS and MSS is a much more accurate way of conditioning and profiling the players for the championship ahead. I would only use ASR for the summer, mainly because I find it difficult to find true MSS in the […]


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, […]


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 […]