GAA Features

Three things we noticed this weekend: Defence is the centre of attention once again, Galway's gasúrs are looking good and Barry John Keane has the potential to cement a place in the Kerry forward line.

By Conor Heneghan

Blanket blanket defence

It being the first weekend of the National League, rustiness was bound to be a factor for all teams taking part and some of the wayward shooting can be put down to the fact that target practice isn’t exactly high on the agenda on training pitches at this time of year.

Rustiness, however, wasn’t entirely to blame as it appeared that most teams implemented some form of blanket defence, with half and even corner forwards becoming auxiliary defenders at times.

Naturally everyone will be quick to blame the Donegal team of last year for this phenomenon, but most teams these days adopt a defensive system of some description and it’s not as if it hasn’t been around for a while either.

The worrying thing is that with some teams spotting how Donegal benefitted from taking it to the next level last season, could it become even worse? What’s next, 15 men behind the halfway line and three men standing on the goal line?

Of course, it wasn’t that bad, but on the evidence of this weekend, defence seems to be the way forward for most teams, confusing and all as that sounds.

Young Tribesmen offer hope for the future

Celtic Park is not an easy place to go for your first league encounter, especially for a team full of callow youngsters who, you would fear, were about to be given a harsh introduction to the niceties of northern football. There weren’t many signs of fear emanating from Alan Mulholland’s Galway side yesterday, though - a side backboned by a few impressive young players that will provide Galway supporters with plenty of hope for the future.

At 24, Gareth Bradshaw is nearly a veteran on the current Galway team

Seven of the starting team yesterday played in the All-Ireland under-21 final win over Cavan last season, while Gareth Bradshaw (1-1 from wing back) and Micháel Martin (0-5, 0-3 from play) can hardly be classed as veterans. Better yet for Mulholland was the form of Nicky Joyce, who scored five points after coming in at full-forward in a late change for Cormac Bane. Michael Meehan is too good to be insulted with the ‘who needs Michael Meehan?' line, but they might be able to cope without him better this season than they would have done in the past.

Barry John Keane – Championship regular or the next Declan Quill?

Whether revenge was on their minds or not, Kerry had Dublin’s number on Saturday evening and at times looked to be motoring remarkably well for so early in the season. Bryan Sheehan and Darran O’Sullivan of the older guard stood out, but it was a performance memorable more so for the displays of some of the lesser heralded members in green and gold, such as Shane Enright, James O’Donoghue and Barry John Keane.

Keane has been around the block for a good while and in the absence of the Dr. Crokes contingent for the time being, he has a chance to further press his claims for regular inclusion.

Keane struck three lovely points on Saturday evening, but forwards who score frequently throughout the league and seem to disappear come Championship time are ten a penny in Kerry; in recent years, Declan Quill is one who particularly comes to mind. Keane certainly has the potential, whether he has the character and drive to become a permanent fixture in the Kerry forward line will become evident in the coming months.