By now, if you’ve been reading my stats articles you’ll have seen how playing short kick-outs to the full back line isn’t generally a great idea. Most sides are more likely to concede a score on the first turnover than they are to score off the initial possession on the kick-out, unless the kick-out is […]

8 years ago

A fortnight ago, we looked at the curse that is the kick-out to the half back line. With that in mind, it’s worth a look at the broader tactics and figures which have evolved over the last number of years to reach this point. In short, the tactical evolution of inter-county football has gone like […]

8 years ago

The first time I came across the notion of taking individual possession statistics on players was after I read Mickey Harte’s account of Tyrone’s 2003 All-Ireland football success, “Kicking Down Heaven’s Door”. Most memorably, it noted that Brian Dooher was getting on 37 possessions per game from wing forward, twice the inter-county average. With that, […]

8 years ago

As tactics have evolved rapidly and radically in Gaelic football over the last number of years, the role of the goalkeeper has become all the more important. We’ve evolved from the long and hard kick-out to the goalkeeper becoming something more akin to the quarter back in American football. As different plays and patterns evolve […]

8 years ago

It’s not how many times you are on the ball, but what you do when you get the ball

8 years ago

Who’s going to win on Sunday?

9 years ago

Sure to be the match of the year

9 years ago

Stopping Dublin’s clever kick out strategy is vital

9 years ago

Are people sleeping on Roscommon?

9 years ago

Rectifying the demons from the Connacht final

9 years ago

Still one nagging doubt about defence

9 years ago

Connacht final triumph for incredibly well-drilled team

9 years ago

Defensive concerns remain

9 years ago

Good, but not perfection

9 years ago

Mickey Harte’s men had great shape and great energy

9 years ago

Sending off not that relevant

9 years ago