Wristy hurlers.
Donal Óg Cusack revamped the goalkeeping game with his emphasis on precision, and his refined focus on the small details of hurling.
Percentage gains, that was Óg Cusack’s game.
In his revealing, and thoroughly insightful autobiography, ‘Come What May,’ what stood out most about the Cloyne man was his obsession with perfection.
He revealed that he used to ensure all his gear was packed the night before a game, that all his hurls were laid out and that everything was ready to go.
He informed us about the countless hours he would spend practicing down at his local GAA grounds, and even when he was at home in his house, hurling was always on his mind.
One of the tricks he used to practice was trying to rise the ball without letting his hurl touch the ground. We dare you to try it. It is as hard as it sounds.
On the field, he was similarly specific.
His puck-out strategies changed the game, where he would drill the ball at such a frightening pace, that it would hold it’s low trajectory until what seemed like forever.
One thing for sure was that any man on his team had to be as sharp as a tack to control his stick-passes.
After an Óg Cusack-coached Clare were knocked out of this year’s Championship by Tipperary, the Cloyne man has gone back to where it all began for him, with his home club.
He has been in charge of the St Colmans (Cloyne underage) under-21’s this year, and they got off to a flyer with a first round victory over Carrigaline in the first round on Monday night.
What has caught our eyes, however, is the drills that he has been performing with this squad in the build-up to this game.
Óg Cusack strikes us as the type of coach who would absolutely love a ball-wall.
He has these lads in on their impressive looking astro-turf ball-wall doing a drill that looks simple, but is so beneficial for players.
The players are divided into four corners, with a few men behind a cone at each corner. The Square is small in area which means that it is tough to perfect the strike and pass, because you can’t really drill it at a man.
The fact that they’re following their ball and hitting across each other brings the spatial-awareness side into it.
What is most noticeable about his players is that all of them have their hurl gripped consciously short, and that their swing is short and wristy.
There’s no danger of these lads getting hooked.
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All ball work with Donal Óg.
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The goalkeeper is receiving some special treatment.
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Some coach.
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