Stopping Donaghy ?? Easy Peasy...

[AbbeySider]

Easy Peasy... or so says the Galway Independent this week with an article about how to stop a full-forward like Kieran Donaghy...

The Coach - 2nd January 2008 - with DVDsales.ie     
Written by Liam Horan (or by "Staff Reporter" in the online version)   
Wednesday, 02 January 2008
Stopping the big man with the auld triangle

Over the last two weeks, we examined how players like Kieran Donaghy use the basketball drop-step to good effect under the high ball.
(http://www.galwayindependent.com/sport/sport/the-coach-%11-19th-december-2007-%11-with-dvdsales.ie-/)

This week, we will look at how a defender can best curb this threat.

Again we talked to an Irish basketball international who is a big Gaelic football fan. He believes the "triangle" approach can restrict the likes of Donaghy under a high pass.

"The ironic thing is, when you are marking the most dangerous forward in the country, you don't mark him that tightly at all – at least when the ball is coming in high.

The natural instinct for a full-back is to get in close to his man and try to contest or break ball. However, if you get too close to Donaghy, you run the risk of him catching cleanly and rolling you with a drop-step – leaving you with no way back as he heads for goal.

One alternative approach might be to stand off a little, playing the forward from the front and from the side. You try to create a triangle between you, the forward and the ball – making sure that the angle you create allows you to keep your eye on both the ball and your man. With Donaghy, he is likely to pull wide to the right when the ball is on the left and vice versa, so you will stay between him and the ball.

I would say your first priority is keeping an eye on the man, using your peripheral vision to track the source and trajectory of the incoming pass. The closer your opponents are to goal, the easier this should be.

Now when the high ball does travel in the forward's direction, you should be in a good position to judge the flight of the ball.

When you do challenge for the dropping ball, you should time your run to arrive with momentum to contest the ball while your man is jumping from a static position. At the very least, you will be well placed to have what we call in my part of the world 'a clatter' at him. It might be the best you can do."

As Brian Lacey pointed out in his Coach column a few weeks ago, all the other defenders should stay goal side of their men while retreating towards goal until the attack has ended. If you missed this column, email us and we will forward it.

The Coach is compiled by Liam Horan. Questions to coach@dvdsales.ie

Its that easy guys...

Seriously though, in theory that all sounds great but its a little dangerous playing in front of your man like that.
Especially in a pitch with open spaces like Croke Park and marking a great player... Sometimes you can get severely punished by a good forward when playing in front.

I think they are forgetting that if Donaghy did get the ball over your head there is open country between him and the goal with only the keeper to beat...

But its so crazy it just might work... 

 

[RadioGAAGAA]

Erm... good idea - one that most club corner backs in the country use.


But, when your up against a good supply of ball coming inside, the full-forward can drop off behind you and get a run on goal with the ball over the top (its harder for the kicker to hit - but thats why he is an inter-county footballer). Of course, bringing the goalkeeper into play as someone to come out and clatter the full-forward is an option - he just has to be sure of getting the ball, man, everything - everytime.

[Jinxy]

Well the majority of the goals he gets result from defenders taking themselves out of the game by contesting the ball in the air. In some cases (not all) I think defenders would be better off letting him win the ball and then applying pressure when he hits the ground (forcing him away from goal). I don't mean letting him have free reign to catch every ball going in, I mean that defenders should pick their battles. Also, get plenty of bodies in there like Monaghan did and frustrate him.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Well the majority of the goals he gets result from defenders taking themselves out of the game by contesting the ball in the air.

Yeap - let him land then shepherd him out is probably the way to go - unfortunately your probably giving away a point every time, but its better than 3.

[orangeman]

Conor Gormley did a great job on him in the Railway cup final - Kevin Mc Cloy was getting cleaned out and was moved to CHB - Gormley went to FB and did a fantastic job - at times he allowed Donaghy to catch the ball in the air and as he was coming down he got hit hard. A lot of the time the ball spilled and Gormley picked it up - it looked easy but I'm pretty sure it wasn't that easy - looking at it on TV, it always looks a bit easier than it is.

[AbbeySider]

Well the majority of the goals he gets result from defenders taking themselves out of the game by contesting the ball in the air. In some cases (not all) I think defenders would be better off letting him win the ball and then applying pressure when he hits the ground (forcing him away from goal). I don't mean letting him have free reign to catch every ball going in, I mean that defenders should pick their battles. Also, get plenty of bodies in there like Monaghan did and frustrate him.

I just posted that diagram above that went with the article. "The auld triangle".
I think its even more nuts to let him get the ball uncontested! Its hard to force a guy thats 6-4 away from goal when he is running at you...

[Captain Scarlet]

stop the supply. in the 2006 AI final the lack of contest out the field killed Mayo.
good aul peadar gardiner up in the full-forward line, super defending.

sure no matter what way if a lad is getting good ball in and he is 6'4" he will outfield most backs.

[Jinxy]

Well the majority of the goals he gets result from defenders taking themselves out of the game by contesting the ball in the air. In some cases (not all) I think defenders would be better off letting him win the ball and then applying pressure when he hits the ground (forcing him away from goal). I don't mean letting him have free reign to catch every ball going in, I mean that defenders should pick their battles. Also, get plenty of bodies in there like Monaghan did and frustrate him.

I just posted that diagram above that went with the article. "The auld triangle".
I think its even more nuts to let him get the ball uncontested! Its hard to force a guy thats 6-4 away from goal when he is running at you...

He can only run at you if he has space. He can't run at you if you are on top of him when he lands. Bear in mind that he will nearly always be jumping away from the goals when he is going up for a ball. You can use that momentum (a la Gormley in the Railway Cup) to force him out or stall him where he is when he lands.

[AbbeySider]

He can only run at you if he has space. He can't run at you if you are on top of him when he lands. Bear in mind that he will nearly always be jumping away from the goals when he is going up for a ball. You can use that momentum (a la Gormley in the Railway Cup) to force him out or stall him where he is when he lands.

noted...   

[the Deel Rover]

Is that the same Liam Horan who used to write for the western poeple ?

[AbbeySider]

In some cases (not all) I think defenders would be better off letting him win the ball and then applying pressure when he hits the ground (forcing him away from goal).
....
He can't run at you if you are on top of him when he lands. Bear in mind that he will nearly always be jumping away from the goals when he is going up for a ball. You can use that momentum (a la Gormley in the Railway Cup) to force him out or stall him where he is when he lands.

Well The experts would agree to differ there.... In the previous article they discussed how Donaughy employs "Putting the backside into you – basketball style"

"In the All-Ireland final, Mayo's David Heaney attempted to play Donaghy from behind, hoping to break ball away from the big man. This approach is fraught with danger."

Although the pass into Donaghy comes from a little further out than might normally be the case, Donaghy firstly employs the well-worn basketball tactic of drifting wide to the far side of the large square – creating space behind him.

When the pass is floated in for Donaghy's goal, Heaney is behind him and never had a chance. Donaghy rose, fielded, and by the time he hit the turf, he had already begun the drop-step. He pushes backwards into Heaney, while swivelling onto his left foot. With that move, Heaney was on his back, and David must have felt that sinking feeling Francie Bellew had experienced a few weeks previously. In basketball, if you get the defender on your back – with your body between him and the basket, then it's Goodnight Irene. That player is no longer able to stop you without fouling.

It's not just about a big man sticking his backside into the defender – though that's certainly half the battle. The key to employing the drop-step efficiently is maintaining balance on landing and really pinning your man behind you using the leg you are swivelling with. Donaghy drop-steps naturally off his left foot and most players will have a favourite side."

As you can see from the above article he already has his arse in your face with the "drop-step" and pushing backwards while spinning and heading for goal! 

Resistance is futile... 

[AbbeySider]

Is that the same Liam Horan who used to write for the western poeple ?

I think we are on about the same guy... but was he not with the Connaught for a while too...?

[loughshore lad]

Conor Gormley did a great job on him in the Railway cup final - Kevin Mc Cloy was getting cleaned out and was moved to CHB - Gormley went to FB and did a fantastic job - at times he allowed Donaghy to catch the ball in the air and as he was coming down he got hit hard. A lot of the time the ball spilled and Gormley picked it up - it looked easy but I'm pretty sure it wasn't that easy - looking at it on TV, it always looks a bit easier than it is.

As you say Gormley did a great job on him in that game and you are spot on about Gormley hitting him hard, the thing is not a lot of players out there at the moment would have the power and cordination of Gormley.

A keeper like Big Raymond in his prime would be ideal equipped to handle Donaghy - he wouldnt have been so keen in round the square with Raymond about ?  

[Captain Scarlet]

The man is everywhere, Liam Horan that is.

Yea ya need to double up on him. the way Mayo played him 1 on 1 was a joke with a man inches shorter.

[Gnevin]

If he isn't on the pitch he can't play. Simple