By Cian O’Connell

Wexford GAA Football Development Administrator, Anthony Masterson, has designed an interesting skills challenge.

A distinguished performer during his own senior inter-county career, Masterson was part of the Wexford team which reached the 2008 All Ireland SFC Semi-Final.

Now, though, Masterson is focused on developing Gaelic Football in Wexford with the Peil 4 All initiative so opted to put a skills test together for young players throughout the country.

“In our work our hands are a bit tied with how much we can do,” Masterson admits. “Really our job entails going to schools and clubs, doing workshops in the evening.

“Bar the bit of administration work we are trying to be creative and inventive. It is just something to try to get the kids out of the house, they are all looking for games.

“I suppose kids aren't as used to free play as our own age group would have been growing up. We spent a lot of time outdoors. It was just a little idea to get people out and about.”

Masterson recalls working at Cúl Camps in previous years when the totemic Wexford hurling custodian Damien Fitzhenry attended to offer advice and tips.

“It was just a little challenge I came up with,” Masterson says. “I was actually inspired by Damien Fitzhenry when I was coaching on the Cúl Camps years ago.

“Damien Fitzhenry used to call around to the Cul Camps, he would do things where you had to tip seven or eight different parts of the hurl with the sliotar.

“All day everyday the kids would be practising it. Obviously my job is as a football development officer in schools so I came up with this a few years ago.

“I've only been doing it in primary schools in Wexford so people around Ireland mightn't have seen it. Really it is just for a little bit of fun, something for the kids to be trying.

"They seem to enjoy it, so I decided to put a video up for people to try over the coming weeks.”