International competition can help Ireland to restore core skills

The GAA can learn from the Australians in their cultivation of basic skills, according to Pat Daly, the association's director of games.

Speaking to this newspaper a week before the international Test in Croke Park, Daly, who has been closely involved in the devising of the hybrid game’s evolving rule book over the past 17 years, said that the internationals were a good indicator of skill levels in Gaelic football.

He was referring to the AFL team that defeated Ireland in Perth last year and how their performance reflected the priorities in the Australian game, compared to Ireland where recent tactical innovations have been more about defence and possession-based football.

“Their ability to catch and kick has been consistent even allowing that their game is probably more fluid now than when the internationals began.

“Obviously some of the controversies caught the public imagination but look deeper and the respective skills are an issue. You’d have to ask have we lost sight of those core skills of catching and kicking?

“They should also be the predominant skills in our game and you’d wonder are there lessons there for GAA legislators. I have no problem saying as a basic philosophy we should advocate the primary skills, which are catching and kicking.”

That emphasis is the declared priority of Ireland manager Joe Kernan, as his team prepare for the international and catching has become a more important element since the introduction of a rule requiring all kick-outs to travel as far as the 45-metre line

Aside from the tactical contrasts Daly believes that the internationals are now on a more secure footing since the twin threats to the game’s existence have been addressed.

‘Unique opportunity’

“It’s a unique opportunity for two indigenous games to compete against each other. That shouldn’t be forgotten in the middle of everything else that happens. It experienced problems with fluctuations about discipline and competitiveness but there’s now stability on discipline and the need to have the best teams competing has been addressed.”

Australia have again named a strong squad for the Test, indicating that the later scheduling of the international suits the AFL players better than the previous fixtures in October and early November, which was vacation time for the players.

“Yes. There’s a commitment in place there now,” according to Daly, who added that he would like to see a second match played on tour. “Even if it wasn’t a second Test, something like a match against the All-Ireland champions would be one way of publicising the series and providing a meaningful warm-up match.”

Meanwhile, Tipperary All-Ireland medallist Conor O'Mahony has retired from intercounty hurling at the age of 31. He was a member of team that lifted the Liam MacCarthy in 2010.