Barrett insists basic skills are more important than ever


HEADLINE – Basics more important than ever By Michael McMullan DONEGAL coach Luke Barrett feels the new-look rules will put more emphasis back on the basic skills. In an interview with Gaelic Life, Barrett gave his take on how coaching might look after the introduction of the FRC’s rule enhancements. Advertisement After four years managing […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Another week, another rule


By Patrick Morrison “ANOTHER week. Another rule!!” This was a text message I received from a goalkeeper I coached several years ago when they heard of the introduction of the new 20-second kick-out clock to Gaelic football, the rationale for its introduction being that goalkeepers are taking far too long to take their kick-outs. Like […]


SHANE RICE – Off-feet conditioning: A smarter way to train


IN Gaelic football, running is at the heart of the game, but that doesn’t mean all conditioning has to be done on the pitch. Off-feet conditioning, also known as cross-training, is an effective way to build fitness without adding unnecessary running load. When used correctly, it can help players improve endurance, maintain fitness during injury, […]


JOHN McMAHON: Planning is key to success


PLANNING is key to success – but how do you know how to plan effectively for your GAA teams? The high / low system Popularized by sprint coach Charlie Francis, the terms “high” and “low” refer to the intensity of demand on the nervous system from the training done. The high/low model is a way to […]


JOHN McMAHON: Pre-season tips for 2025


THE majority of GAA clubs are now starting to formulate plans for their pre-season. Coaches and players are looking forward to the season ahead and planning is in full flow. Here are five key considerations for players and coaches as they approach their pre-season planning. Increasing Training Load Too Early The number one mistake I see players and coaches making – […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Who’s in goals?


WHENEVER I was younger, Sherry’s Field in the heart of Armagh City was our playground. A very large field that included five full tennis courts, a soccer pitch, a playground as well as some fringe areas for building tree huts and the like. No matter what the weather was like most of our time was used playing […]


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 […]


STEVEN POACHER: Empower youth through a child-centred approach


THERE is always a lot of debate over methods to coach young children, particularly those in the very early stages of their development. The debate will rage on what is the best method – is it the traditional approach to coaching, where a skill is taught, broken down and used at beginner levels to help […]


Steven Poacher: Standing on his own two feet


Steven Poacher is planning for his first season as a county senior manager with Leitrim. He spoke with Michael McMullan to chart his coaching origins his learnings along the way MANCHESTER is a long way from Carrick on Shannon but that’s where Steven Poacher slipped his foot on the first rung of the coaching ladder. […]


PATRICK MORRISON: Go one-to-one with your goalie


By Patrick Morrison IN 2015, my first year with the Armagh team, we played a challenge game against Dublin down in the DCU sports complex. This was the first year of their five-in-a-row dominance. We had started with a strong team with a handful of our regular starters rested. Dublin on the other hand, had […]