The document discusses tactical evolution in Gaelic football, focusing on how teams can maximize their resources by knowing their players and adapting formations to the modern game. It analyzes strategies used by successful teams like Crossmaglen, Galway, and Donegal, emphasizing the importance of constantly evolving tactics to fit personnel while also enjoying the game.

1. Tactical Evolution in
Gaelic Football
Emmet Ryan
Action81.com

2. • Write the Tactics not Passion column on
Action81.com
• Played with Crokes for 15 years, un-used sub
for a lot of good teams and starter for a lot of
not so good teams.
• And most of you probably know Larry.

3. What we’re going to look at
1. Know your resources
2. The modern field
3. It’s not all about defence
4. But we’re still going to talk about Donegal
5. Applying theory to chaos
6. Q&A

4. 1. Know your resources

5. Players
• Man management is vital to any strategy
SWOT each member of your panel
Look at what they respond to
Acknowledge deficiencies, work around them
What makes a player a contributor?
http://youtu.be/SIgsvouuYsI

6. The Rise of Average
• Average doesn’t mean bad, it means average.
Crokes, Crossmaglen, and anyone winning
Dublin are exceptions not the rule.
Garrycastle won Leinster without a deep panel
Just 4 players from the Donegal vs Kildare All
Ireland quarter final in 2011 lined out in their
respective county finals last year.

7. 2. The modern field

8. The way we see teams line out is
evolving
• Kildare vs. Down in August 2010 – Kept one
extra man back as sweeper.
• Kildare vs. Tyrone in April 2012 – Played an
end to end pressing game.
• Formation is fluid and prone to some rather
radical innovations.
• Does this look like 3-3-2-3-3?

10. This may look familiar

11. 3. It’s not all about defence

12. Crossmaglen
• Turned the idea of swarm play on its head.
• Theory is pretty simple, over-run the
opponent in attack and get as many players
forward as fast as possible.
• Execution is more complex.
• Relies on every piece working.

13. Galway
• Working with resources
• Shortage of large players, so they can’t be
Cork.
• Not the deepest panel, so they need to keep it
simple.
• If everybody looked the same, we’d get tired
of looking at each other.

14. 4. But we’re still going to talk about
Donegal

15. Lovely people, awful drivers, lots of
rain
• Team that couldn’t get past the first round of
Ulster played 14 league and championship
games in 2011, lost just 2.
• Looked at what he had and asked what he
could do with it.
• Recognised where there was depth, at the
back, and built from there.

16. The 45-45
• Sean Moran called it Cat O’Naccio.
• Dominate the terms of how and when the ball
crosses either 45.
• Recognises space as a resource more than
possession.
• High tempo but can slow the game down.
• First half against Dublin was their magnum
opus.

17. The Michael Murphy question
• Donegal vs. Cork in 2009.
• Defensive role but still pivotal to attack.
• Donegal vs. Cork in March 2012.
• Even see the dilemma with Glenswilly.

18. 5. Applying theory to chaos

19. The more you put in…
• Learn everything you can about your own
team.
• Learn everything you can about your
opponent.
• Be willing to change but don’t blow up the bus
– Dublin in 2010.
• Never stop evolving.

20. Remember…
• Every strategy is reliant on the personnel.
Fermanagh in 2012 Division 4 Final.
• Fail to be prepared, prepare to fail
Eventually caught up with St Brigid’s.
• For the love of everything, try to enjoy
winning.

21. 6. Q&A and contact info
• Website: Action81.com
• Twitter: @action81
• Email: emmet@action81.com