We’ve all done it: run out onto the field early, grab the bag of balls and take them straight to the sideline, the byline, or the 45′.
People who can’t even kick off the ground are trying their arm at a distance set piece from the turf and we’re all just pissing about really.
The session’s over and it’s even wackier than before, boys challenging each other to kick from impossible angles. Others who would never stand over a free are giving themselves 30 seconds of preparation.
No-one actually… practicing. No-one even taking one shot that they might take on in a match.
Steven McDonnell and Cian Ward know a thing or two about shooting and doing it consistently. On the latest GAA Hour, the frightening attackers – greats of Armagh and Meath – broke down exactly what forwards should be doing before and after training.
“When you do a shooting exercise around the D area, players take it for granted that they’re going to score and their shooting becomes sloppy and erratic. I can’t understand how they don’t have full focus in that moment to kick the ball over the bar because that’s where you expect to win most games from,” McDonnell said on the podcast.
“Do these players actually focus enough on where they’re shooting from or is it just a case of ‘if it goes over, it goes over, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.’
“My theory is if I kick enough balls over the bar from the D area and build up enough confidence, I’m going to go out further out the field and have the confidence to kick the ball over the bar from any angle.”
Former Leinster champion Cian Ward backed him up. Ultimately, forwards win games.
“When you’re practicing shooting by yourself, you don’t start out on the 45 metre line or out on the wing. You start in close to goal and you might only kick 20 or 30 balls from 100% or 90% shot range but you’re leaving that pitch thinking, ‘right, I had 30 shots, I scored 30 points. Move on.'” the Royal forward explained.
“And it builds up over the season. If you’re doing this regularly enough and if you have real confidence with the high percentage shots, then in a game situation you’ll always have adrenaline, you’ll kick the ball further, and you’ll just be that bit more focused in a match situation. You’ll get the ones from the tighter angles.
“The difference between winning and losing big games is the conversion of chances. If you get your forwards up above the average conversion rate – which is something like 60%, or it could be less – if you’re getting towards 70%, you’re going to be doing really well to lose the game.
“We can talk about defensive systems all we want but if lads can’t kick the ball over the bar when they get their chances…”
Listen to the pair’s fascinating full insights from 33:30 below.
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