'Insecurity has made a hames of inter-county Gaelic football as a spectacle'

John Fogarty

It’s an indictment of inter-county Gaelic football right now that the greatest example of innovative play has been seen at club level.

What Tony McEntee and Gareth O’Neill have done with Crossmaglen in transforming them into a team that has literally put the boot back into football is nothing short of astounding.

The plaudits may have been slow to come from a slightly ignorant public who had long-held suspicions that Crossmaglen had hardly moved away from the physical style they had become so synonymous with.

But when they did, Crossmaglen was festooned with an avalanche of garlands.

What they provided against Dr Crokes and in the second-half of the first All-Ireland final game and the replay against Garrycastle was football everyone could enjoy.

Naturally, the stakes are higher at inter-county level but who would doubt McEntee and O’Neill bringing their endearing brand of football to the main stage when they eventually take the Armagh reins?

Those who love the game played the way it’s supposed to be will welcome them with open arms.

They'll be met with hungry eyes too. In a scene lacking a lot of original thought right now, their innovating ways would be plagiarised by plenty.

Such is the nature of the beast when a team is winning. Dublin do 6am training sessions. Donegal follow suit. Dublin’s goalkeeper kicks 45s. Step up a glut of net-minders to also try their luck.

Last year, Kerry began the practice of pushing Kieran Donaghy in for the throw-ins – are they that important to win? – before he took his more customary spot at full-forward or the alternative on the wing.

It certainly wasn’t an attempt to hoodwink the opposition.

If it was, they would have long stopped the switch by now.

And yet it’s become a fashion. In Pearse Stadium earlier this month, Kildare’s Tomás O’Connor went in for the start before moving to the edge of the square.

The change to the square ball rule may shortly compel teams to put bigger men at full-back to protect goalkeepers.

At the same time, it would encourage more physical full-forwards if it wasn’t already a predilection of managers.

Aidan Walsh is the latest midfielder to be stationed at full-forward.

For an established team like Cork, they don’t necessarily have to go back to the drawing board.

But for emerging teams, some thinking outside the box is required.

Last year, Wexford’s penchant for attacking football saw them burst through to a Leinster final.

Developed further this year, it could see them reap further dividends.

Of the All-Ireland challengers in this year’s league, only Tyrone have shown some real creativity with the idea of two centre-backs giving Peter Harte the licence to fly forward.

While the campaign has delivered little indication teams will line up like Donegal and replicate their blanket defence, that’s not to say they won’t come championship time.

After all, Donegal conceded 6-85 in their eight games in Division 2 in 2011 including the final win over Laois.

Over the course of their Ulster and All-Ireland campaigns, their meanness was known to all. Excluding the extra-time period against Kildare in their quarter-final, they coughed up just 1-50 in six games.

Jim McGuinness is in the results business and few can deny just how impressive he’s been over these past 12 months.

But is the game the fall guy? Speaking to the Irish Examiner earlier this month, Meath’s great full-back Mick Lyons said he doesn’t like watching inter-county football anymore.

“I don’t like the way the game has gone. I’m not one of these old players who says the game should be like it was back in the Sixties, Seventies or Eighties.

“I just think the GAA have lost the run of themselves in the rules. There’s more hand-passing in the game than there is kick-passing.

“You no longer have to be a footballer to play Gaelic football, just an athlete.

“Club football is far more entertaining. The players mightn’t be as talented but at least they’re not fearful of giving possession away.”

Lyons hit the nail on the head – it’s fear that governs a lot of what goes on in inter-county football now. Whoever has the ball will always be king but there is little trust placed in a player’s ability to kick it to a team-mate.

No, the hand-pass, the baser yet more reliable skill, is the transfer of choice. The sheer physicality of the modern day footballer and his ability to break tackles complements it perfectly.

Alas, such insecurity has made a hames of inter-county Gaelic football as a spectacle. Lyons is the voice of the disenchanted supporter who has turned away from it.

The best games these days aren’t necessarily those exhibiting the best football. Kildare and Donegal’s All-Ireland quarter-final last year was the stand-out affair of last season not because it was pretty on the eye. Those who remember the first-half will want to forget it just as quickly.

But the second-half and extra-time were utterly absorbing. It was pugilism. Not in the strictest sense of the word’s meaning but fascinating to see two of the fittest teams wear each other down.

Both teams are All-Ireland contenders again this year but the top tier remains Kerry, Cork and Dublin.

To join that pantheon requires something special. Copycatting or operating a blanket defence won't suffice. They are mere genuflections to the superiority of the trendsetters and traditionally strong counties.

No team is the same, managers have to work with what they’ve got and yet there will be a queue of teams who are willing to follow the crowd in the hope similar tactics can work for them.

With that alone, they won’t break the mould. Without ingenuity, the glass ceiling will remain intact.

                                                                                                                                                            

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/W39RmPDHbP0/post.aspx

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