Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG

Football

football

Kieran Donaghy a fan of advanced mark rule

Kieran Donaghy and Dublin Ladies Footballer Lyndsey Davey pictured at the launch of the 2019 Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé.

Kieran Donaghy and Dublin Ladies Footballer Lyndsey Davey pictured at the launch of the 2019 Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé.

By John Harrington

Former Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy hopes the advanced mark rule will encourage teams to adopt more of a risk-reward approach to Gaelic Football.

One of five experimental rules introduced for this year’s early season provincial cup competitions and Allianz Football League, the new rule awards a mark to an attacking player if they cleanly catch a pass delivered from outside the opposition’s 45 yard line that travels a minimum of 20 metres.

“I think it's a good one, it will encourage teams to hopefully kick in a ball or two,” said Donaghy at the launch of the 2019 Comórtas Peile Páidí Ó Sé yesterday.

“There's very little 50-50 contest now in GAA, it's all about the perfect ball and hand passing and playing safe, really, whereas I hope this encourages teams taking a chance, taking a gamble, and putting one in and hoping a guy will catch it inside and you’re guaranteed your score from there, or he lands and he slips it off to a fella running inside and it's in the back of the net.

“There might be a bit more reward for taking for a few more risks.”

It’s bad timing on Donaghy’s behalf to have retired from inter-county before the introduction of an attacking mark that seems perfectly suited to his aerial ability.

He may no longer be a target-man option for the Kerry footballers, but he believes Tommy Walsh can fill those boots.

The 2008 Young Footballer of the Year is back in the Kerry panel for the first time since leaving it after the 2016 Allianz League in frustration at a lack of game-time.

An All-Ireland winner in 2009, Walsh then played in the AFL for five seasons with St. Kilda and Sydney Swans before returning home in 2014.

Kieran Donaghy believes Tommy Walsh can do a good job for Kerry in 2019 as a target-man. 

Kieran Donaghy believes Tommy Walsh can do a good job for Kerry in 2019 as a target-man. 

A serious hamstring injury suffered in Australia has been blamed for his failure to pick up where he left off as a Kerry footballer when he returned home, but Donaghy still thinks he has the quality to make a big impact at the highest level.

“I suppose the injury he had, that Paul O'Connell injury, where the three tendons come off the bone or whatever, it's a horrific injury, so I would say that blistering pace out in front and getting it and turning and burning four fellas and sticking in would be something that might have to change but he's still a very good lead guy.

“He learned that out in Australia how to get out in front and he's so big and strong that once he gets out in front of you, he'll win it out in front.

“So I still see him winning a lot of marks in there and a lot of scores coming off it.

“I kind of see him nearly being that more kind of a target man in my eyes because you've got David Clifford and Paul Geaney and James O'Donoghue.

“You've enough of these fellas that can play, he can also go out centre-forward and be a kind of an aerial threat from kickouts or whatever.

“I absolutely see him playing a part for Kerry this year. It's great to have him back because I felt in '15, when I was in there against Dublin late on, on a wet day, he could have been a fella that could have been thrown in and I think that kind of stung him a bit.

“He was kind of gone after that so it's good to see him back. He's only 30 years of age. I got to 35 out of it. He definitely has a good few years to offer Kerry yet.

“If you can get James O’Donoghue going well and Paul Geaney going well and David Clifford going well and Tommy Walsh, then there are a good few options inside there, as well as the youngsters that are coming through.

“That’s an area, you are going to have to score a lot against this Dublin team to have any chance of beating them.

“So the focus for teams, not trying to stop Dublin I would be saying, but just trying to score. That’s the first port of call I would say and Tommy will help play a part, along with the other fellas, in that.”

Newly appointed Kerry football team manager, Peter Keane. 

Newly appointed Kerry football team manager, Peter Keane. 

Donaghy is confident that Kerry have forwards of a good enough calibre to win an All-Ireland title, but he concedes that if they are to knock Dublin off their perch next year they’ll need to tighten up defensively.

“Yeah, yeah, it is something that we have to do. And I'm sure that's what Peter (Keane) and Tommy Griffin will be excellent at that I'd say. Very hands on, looking at them with the minors for the last few years.

“Just watching them out on the field, in talking to the guys. Tommy was always very intelligent. Knew where to be at the right time and you have Donie (Buckley) as well.

“I would say it's a big focus. Kerry forward-play, really, if you can get enough ball into them then Kerry forward play will always take care of itself because that's what the game is about in Kerry when you're growing up.

“It's absolutely the defensive side of the game. We have a lot of good defenders and leaders back there that I'm sure will be looking to put in a good year."

Donaghy has a few more years playing club football left in him, but when he does eventually hang up his boots he hopes to manage at a high level himself, and maybe even take charge of the Kerry senior footballers if he can prove he’s up to the job.

“It's something that I'd like to probably do and I'd like to test myself in and keep the competitive edge going when I finish playing,” said Donaghy.

“It's certainly something that's very challenging now and I like challenges. So, yeah, it would be something that I will look at.

“Kerry is a tough one because I've a good relationship with the fans in Kerry and it's about the only place I have a good relationship with fans so I don't want to spoil it!

“And that's what happens if you go in and you don't do the business for Kerry.

“Look, it's obviously the ultimate job for a Kerry person. But I'd want to be very sure of myself that I was actually good of management because I could go in and be s**t at management.

“I need to make sure that I know what I'm about and know what I want them to implement and that I can do it. That I can do the job justice.

“If I felt I could do that then if it came up my way you'd certainly have to look at it.”