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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
AFTER a riveting weekend of football, it’s fair to say the Ulster Championship is alive and well. Whilst I may bemoan the lack of jeopardy and level of shadow boxing in the current format, I thoroughly enjoyed the games. Cavan just came up short in a spirited performance and Jim McGuinness has rejuvenated Donegal again. […]
WE are currently slap-bang in the middle of the GAA jargon evolution. Terms like ‘move the ball quickly,’ ‘keep your width’ and ‘get men behind the ball’ have been replaced by ‘transitions,’ ‘tips’ and ‘low block.’ I have even found myself using such terminology and I die a little inside each time I do. The […]
GAELIC football is gradually moving towards a reset in the fundamental make up of teams. We have two points to consider in this regard. Firstly, the standard programme lays out the 15 players in the traditional structure. They consist of a ‘keeper, six defenders, two midfielders and six forwards. I can’t for the life of […]
THE club championships are beginning to reach the business end in most counties. As with the new county format, a lot of counties have opted for group stage systems and as a result the blood and thunder has been diluted. It will no doubt return when competitions reach the knock-out phases, but the early stages […]
By Declan McCoy ALL around the country excitement is building as we are heading into club championship season. One thing is for sure, the landscape has changed dramatically. Traditionally the sun would be splitting the trees, lads would be scalped with a championship hair cut and the long running injuries would magically clear up for […]
HAVING watched the unbelievably exciting hurling finals on Sunday, it’s hard not to be envious of the speed and incisive transitions in those games. This is in stark contrast to the football that is currently on show. As we enter the summer months, we are beginning to see that Gaelic football is becoming more defensive […]
AS I write this I have a sense of déjà vu. Another big game for Armagh and another heart-breaking penalty shoot-out defeat. I’m just back from a coffee with Aaron McKay and he was so disappointed he let me pay (again!). I would suggest the next time instead of penalties we should have a supporter […]
