Loup Couch To 5K

Loup Couch To 5K at St Patricks GAC Playing Fields Loup is a fantastic fitness programme which has been designed to get just about anyone from the Couch to running 5 kilometres or 30 minutes in just 9 weeks. 

Starts on Monday 11^th April and every Wednesday and Friday night 7:30-8:30pm thereafter. 

Registration night on Friday 8^th April at 7pm Loup GAC Clubrooms Fees: £2 per session or £30 for full 18 sessions. Bring your own water bottle and proper footwear must be worn. 

Everyone welcome, Coaches include: Jennifer Bradley, Joseph McVey, Martin McVey, Martin McAlynn any enquiries contact Brian McAlynn on 07855108508

Klubfunder comes to the aid of clubs

Sporting clubs are becoming increasingly expensive to run with the treasurer forever forking out cash and signing cheques.  Committees very often have a fundraising arm to take care of sponsorship and organising various fundraising drives.

Club lottos are the staple income and nearly every workspace is inundated with sellers of last man standing.

Another trend is the level of technology and web based products used in sport.  Stats devices, video analysis, Facebook and Twitter.  The list is endless.

Maghera based club Watty Graham’s Glen have enjoyed a fruitful youth development drive bringing them unprecedented success.  It didn’t just happen, it came from planning and hard work.  Their foresight wasn’t just on the pitch.

Stephen Convery who has a background in IT and Financial Software is a member of Glen and he chipped in to help the committee with online lotto and fundraising.

There and then Klubfunder had took its first baby steps as Convery explains.

“I took the request back to the team in Belfast and we quickly realised there was an opportunity to put our IT skills and experience to good use in the area of fundraising for sports clubs. Not just for my club but for all clubs across all sports”

When anything is brought up at a club meeting the chairman and treasurer will always ask – ‘How much is it going to cost us?’

The answer is nothing.  Not a cent.  Not a washer.  It is free and has the potential to bring in extra revenue. 

It can handle ticket sales, lotto, last man standing and registration, all at the touch of a button enabling members to channel their energies into other club ventures.

From helping with our fundraising draw in Slaughtneil I realised the volume of people who don’t operate with cash any more and we setup a PayPal account as a workaround.

So once setup with Klubfunder the club has regular income and also from ex-members over seas.  It is a win:win situation for everyone. 

There are no set up fees and no commission. Instead Klubfunder will generate revenue from sponsorship and partners so keeping it free for the clubs.

A payment provider (PayPal) will take a small percentage for processing the online payments but from experience, it will matter very little as it is ‘handy’ to support their club without any undue hassle.

At a recent Derry game I bumped into Stephen at Celtic Park and along with him was Glen player Ryan Dougan who works with Klubfunder.

A club’s players are a valuable commodity and with much of our talent going ‘over the pond’ in search of work it’s refreshing to have companies employing locals.  And GAA people at that.

Their Marketing manager is Loughgiel’s Conal McMahon, coming from a GAA background with first-hand experience in how a club operates and the finance required to mount an assault on the All-Ireland Club championship.

In the age when there is so much negativity it is great to see sporting clubs having an avenue to be more self-sufficient.

Klubfunder are holding a fundraising workshop for clubs in Owenbeg on Tuesday night at 7.30pm.

It sounds almost too good to be true.  A venture that takes the admin duties away from club officials, makes it more convenient for members to financially support their clubs and the final piece of the jigsaw – the club’s bank account benefits.

PUSH UP OR NOT?

When the sweeper came into vogue it was purely all about protecting your inside line of defence. A player who could read the game well was stationed on the ‘D’ to limit the use of the direct ball being played towards dangerous inside forwards.

Pic by inpho

Gavin Devlin's role in Tyrone's 2003 success was exactly this and preventing the Red Hands from being exposed.  It was mainly a defensive role and hitting the short foot pass to 

the likes of Brian Dooher who came back to launch attacks.

John Devine and Packie McConnell never looked for him on kickouts.  It was all about getting the distance and ensuring the defence was not under any undue pressure.

On Saturday night Devlin was once again involved in another Tyrone success, this time in a management capacity as Mickey Harte’s ‘runner’ relaying instructions.  The game has turned full circle since his playing days.

Nowadays there are different qualities demanded from both goalkeeper and sweeper.  Colm Cavanagh essentially uses his strong running ability to ferry the ball from danger.

Once the ball is passed safely to someone around the halfway line, he turns his back on the play and simply runs straight back into his spot in front of Aidan McCrory and co in defence.

Sometimes it is Tiernan McCann on the run but the ploy is the same, running forward while ‘still in control’ of the ball as Mickey Harte refers to it.  On one occasion it was Cavanagh who galloped forward and released another attacking defender Barry Tierney but his goal attempt was saved.

Behind his entire process is Niall Morgan who almost single handedly sets Tyrone on the move. He collects a ball from the umpire’s feet and looks up.  If there is a pocket of space on the wing, the Edendork man pings into the run of a Tyrone colleague.

If opposing forwards are not pushed up on their defender, you will see both corner backs pull wide and make themselves available and leave the middle channel open for Colm Cavanagh.

All three of these people have the same characteristics and Morgan knows it.  Once they receive the ball from the kickout they are off up the pitch eating up the ground in front of them and launching another attack.

Teams are now loading their best footballers in defence for this very purpose.  When the sweeper came in at the start a team would have sacrificed a forward to drop back, usually leaving the ‘least effective footballer’ of the opponents defence free as he would neither have the engine, the passing ability or the football brain to hurt them.

Now it is more difficult to do.  Richard Donnelly was free for long periods on Saturday and scored 0-4.  Galway’s Johnny Heaney did the same the previous week.  Playing the defensive game is getting more difficult to master.

Tyrone’s sheer athleticism and direct running makes them difficult opponents and Colm Cavangah has the legs to get up to press the oppositions kickouts and make it back to the ‘D’ in front of Niall Morgan.

So that leaves teams at a crossroads in terms of a game plan.  Facing a team with a dangerous forward line, attacking half backs and a ‘quarterback’ of a goalkeeper.  How do you curb them? It’s nearly impossible.

If you push up to pressure the goalkeeper and defence you must simply have everyone totally focused and working the system.  One weak link and it breaks down leaving you to trust your defenders 1 v 1 or 2 v 2.  How many teams will do this?

If you drop a man the likes of Paul Durcan will launch an attack through the Frank McGlynns and Jack McCaffreys of this world.  When they build up a head of steam, have you got a centre half back with the presence and timing to stop his run without picking up a black card?

In the 2014 All-Ireland semi-final Jim McGuinness second guessed Jim Gavin.  He knew Gavin would not let Paul Durcan’s array of short kicking put Donegal on the front foot.  The Dublin boss instructed all his players to push up on Donegal’s defenders.

What did McGuinness do?  He got Papa [Durcan] to go back in time.  To the days of Gary Walsh and John O’Leary. Durcan lumped the ball on top of Neil Gallagher and in the open spaces at the back, Colm McFadden and Paddy McBrearty made hay and cut Dublin’s defence to ribbons.

There was plenty of column inches dedicated to the kickout routines from Tyrone and Derry at the weekend.  There will be a similar debate in the runup to the 22^nd May championship clash.

One thing for certain is attacking goalkeepers are worth their weight in gold and now it’s trendy to be a goalkeeper again.  Rory Beggan’s precision against Slaughtneil and also Greenlough’s Chrissy Bradley with his varied kicks in last year’s intermediate final success.

It has even found a way into U12 football last season.  Magherafelt played an attack minded player in goals in their semi-final with Slaughtneil. 

Anytime Slaughtneil scored, a ball was rolled out, a corner back peeled wide, the ‘keeper measured his kick into space and the Rossas were on the front foot.

St Colm’s Draperstown played their marquee forward JP Devlin in defence in a recent Arthurs Cup game.  Why?  Their homework flagged up the other team’s defensive shape and St Colm’s were only going to need two defenders.

To counteract this Ciaran Meenagh used Devlin in a free role attacking from deep.  Why?  Because the modern game demands you to maximise your most influential players.

Where is the game going to be in ten years time?  Will the mark change the vision of underage coaching and use of goalkeepers?

Or will we still hear those two words bellowed at grounds all across the country.  “Push up, push Up!’  Would you get your team to push up?

NEW RULE CHANGE YET TO MAKE IT’S MARK ON WALSH

GAA Congress Reaction

NEW RULE CHANGE YET TO MAKE IT’S MARK ON WALSH

PIC - CONNACHT TRIBUNE

Holder of two Celtic crosses and three all-stars during a fruitful career operating at midfield for Galway, current manager Kevin Walsh is no stranger to the congested midfield zone.

In 1998 Walsh’s partner at midfield was Sean O’Domhnaill, a man equally as imposing in terms of size and sheer power. 

Goalkeeper Martin McNamara, equipped with trademark rugby boots thumped the ball out.  Distance was the order of the day and variation simply meant switching between his two imposing targets at midfield. 

When the 2001 All-Ireland success came, the ‘keeper was now Alan Keane with a similar approach, but this time Walsh’s midfield partner was the more mobile and athletic Michael Donnellan.  The tide was starting to turn even back then towards mobility.

On Sunday Manus Breathnach varied his kickouts with great effect finding an uncontested maroon jersey on ten occasions, three of which were a simple poke towards a defender in space.   

James Kielt and Tom Flynn grabbed a few breath-taking catches during Sunday’s Celtic Park encounter that will be classed as marks this time next year.

In the aftermath of congress, Walsh was undecided about the adoption of the mark.  "To be honest, we will have to wait and see.  I'm not so sure I am behind it but I could be proved wrong.”

The Killanin clubman spoke about a second aspect of the high catch, one that was lost on last weekend’s GAA decision makers.

“An even a bigger part of the skill was landing with the ball and learning how to get yourself into space,” commented Walsh.

“It’s knowing how to and learning how to lever off [an opponent] with the other hand,” something he relished in the physical battles across his own playing career.

The ruling won’t prevent teams working the short kickout if their opponents don’t press up to shut down any options.  It was brought in to promote the high catch and reward it.

Unless players go back to the basics, with countless hours perfect their hang time and catch with rebounds off gable walls across the country, nothing will change.

Unless managers have men who can regularly outfield their opponents, the more measured strategies will be preserved.

Possession is key.   Jim Gavin will still target the pocket of space created by Paul Flynn’s decoy run or Rory Gallagher will use Frank McGlynn’s lung busting runs to build from defence.

In the past scavengers awaited the elegant fielder of the ball and hounded him when he came back to the ground.  Spoiling will continue but in the form of more players going out to break the ball.

Even if players are strong enough to make the spectacular catch, Walsh isn’t convinced.  “I would have my worries that the mark might slow the game down and take away the other skill of making space.”

WHO'S MARKING NUMBER 15

Back in the day football games were usually won by winning most of the 15 individual battles on the field.  If your two towering midfielders dominated in the air then everything would fall into place. If your corner back is getting roasted by the corner forward then the alarm bells would be ringing. 

Times have changed. Nowadays those two midfielders might rule the skies but are surrounded by a ring of scavenging half backs and half forwards who take the ball off them. The corner forward will be the player with the highest possession count, but that’s because he is playing as a third midfielder allowing his man to ‘drop’ as a sweeper. 

Numbers mean nothing. Positions mean nothing. The settling down period used to mean the five-minute spell when you tested the ribs of your marker or the vital early stages when the nervous debutant got a few simple touches to get him into the game. 

Now the settling down period is very different. It is the short spell when the 3-3-2-3-3 formation changes into the team’s ‘shape’, although this varies depending on the side and the manager’s style of play. After this the match turns into a game of chess with teams trying to suss out each move. 

Here are the new range of positions often found in the modern game: 

Goalkeeper (1) – No longer the man who can kick the ball off the ground the furthest. The kick-out is a key factor in the game, meaning you need someone who can accurately pick out the runs of the midfielders and half forwards. 

First Choice Man-Marker (2) – The quickest and best tackler on the pitch. He is assigned the role of marking the opponent’s most potent forward. If this dangerman can comfortably score with both feet the extra man (see number 4) will then double up to ‘mark’ his other side once the forward gains possession. 

Second Choice Man-Marker (3) - He is the taller of the man-markers and is handed the job of marking the tallest of the other team’s inside forwards. If this forward is considerably bigger then the extra man (4), he will be told to read the breaking ball. 

Extra Man (4) – If the opposition play with two men inside this player will be free. It is a difficult role, as you have to double up with (2) for the two footed attacker and also read the breaks off (3) and the big full forward. Usually assumes the role of extra man as he is a ‘better baller’ with a license to join the attack.  Often replaced by a forward if his team needs to chase the game. 

Attacker defender (5) – In the modern game, these players are key.  He can bomb forward and as an attacking threat.  Often managers try and get this man on the opponent’s laziest forward to ‘expose’ him. 

Holding player (6) – This man usually gets the raw end of the deal as (5) and (7) will keep attacking and he is left holding the centre.  He will need to have two qualities.  A good reader of the game and the ability to stop runners without drawing the dreaded black card. 

Attacker defender – Similar to (5) above 

Dropping Midfielder (8) - Not allowed to attack, he needs to drop back into ‘the hole’ if any of the half backs go on the attack.  Needs to support the half backs in possession.  He will never get any credit as the attacking midfielder will take all the plaudits. 

Attacking midfielder (9) – Will be instructed to run, punch holes in the defence and giving support the inside forwards.  If the run is strong enough you will win frees as defenders will see him as a goal threat.  Will be expected to tag on a few points. 

3rd midfielder (15) - Listed as a forward but only ever up there for opposition kick-outs.  For kick-outs he can act a decoy run or a break ball magnet.  Will be encouraged to link up with the half backs to ferry ball from defence. 

Link player / Playmaker (11) – The key player in the transition from defence to attack.  This man must always be present on the forty.  He is elusive, can maximise space and is a great passer.  The opponent’s will have to either follow him or sit in the space he vacates  This is the key to unlocking the defence. 

Link player (12) – This player will also need to be available for the ball coming from defence.  Very often a bigger man than the primary playmaker so will be instructed to keep tuned into the goalkeeper and make himself a kick-out target. 

Wide man (10) – You run up the wing literally hugging the sideline available for a pass.  If you get involved in the play often enough the other team will commit some men from their blanket defence to curb your influence.  When the other team attacks he is encouraged to drop back. 

Inside forward (13) – Primary focus is to win possession and either score or lay off to the attacking midfielder.  He must have a good understanding with this fellow inside forward.  Communication import that if the game plan is low fast ball, both inside men must mot make their ruins to the same wing. 

Inside forward (14) – Same role as (13) and on any high/diagonal balls played in you need to anticipate the ball breaking and adjust your positioning.  This can lead to the crucial goal chances. As mentioned above, if the your attacking plan is about low ball, you need to vary your run from the other inside forward to stretch the opposing defence. 

So the next time you are at a game look out for some of these individuals.  The game has changed and when a fellow fan asks you "who the hell is marking number 15" you might actually have a different answer for him.