Coaching Review: Point Scoring in Gaelic Football

Each week an example of good play from either the Hurling or Gaelic football Championships will be examined from a coaching point of view. This week, we will focus on the point scoring in Gaelic Football.

Points can be scored in Gaelic football using either the foot or the closed fist. There were a number of excellent examples of points scored using the foot in last weekends All Ireland Senior and Minor Gaelic football semi finals. The majority of these scores employed the Hook Kick, though there were also a number of swerve kick points scored. This video clip shows examples from last weekend point scoring Kick is one of the most important aspects of attacking play. 

When analysing the scores above it is possible to identify each of the areas of the OTú Coaching Model in the play:

Technical Proficiency

• The body positioning, lining the shoulder on the non-kicking side up against the target
• The ball handling, moving from holding the ball in two hands to one hand
• The hand positioning, release the ball into the hand at the kicking side and extend the opposite arm away from the body to aid balance
• The connection with the foot; kicking the ball with the inside of the foot

Tactical Prowess
For players on the ball:

• Choosing the correct type of kick to shoot
• Selling the dummy off one side to generate some space to kick from the other; as performed by Bryan Cullen (Dublin)

Team Play

• Passing to a team mate in a better position to shoot

Physical Fitness

• Being physically fit enough to score from distance; each of the kicks in this review were over 25m from goal
• Being able to change the pace of the attack to take advantage of open spaces, such as by Ross McConnell (Dublin)

Psychological Focus

• Being engaged in the game; being fully aware of the play to identify the cues from team mates and opponents
• Maintaining composure to score while under pressure from defenders

Playing Facts

• Knowing which side to kick from to avoid opponents
• Being able to judge the playing conditions

When performed correctly point scoring can be very spectacular when performed from distance.

As can be seen from the above, each of the different aspects of the OTú Coaching Model interact together to create good play. For more information on the OTú Coaching Model and each of its constituent parts click here.

For more information on some of the key skills of point scoring in Gaelic football, click on:

• Hook Kick
  
• Swerve Kick
  
• Punt Kick
• Feint and Side Step
  
• The Dummy

May

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