The Scoring Goal.

[An Gaeilgoir]

I was at the F.B.D match today and two men there were talking about Roscommon playing in to the "scoring goal " in the second half. I go to quite a few matches of different grades and every pitch seems to have one of these goals. My own club has the"college goal" and Castlebar has the "Bacon Factory end". Both of these pitches are quite level so my question is what makes a "scoring goal"?

[dodo]

Gale force winds !

[Cloc Mor]

Its well known that most fields would have one 'scoring goal.'  This would be the set of posts or end where scoring would appear to be easier.  It may not appear obvious to most people but to those in the know, most fields have a' scoring goal.'

[Over the Bar]

The scoring goal in Croker is at the Hill end.  Kerry Mike will testify that PTG proved this to be the case.

[rolloutking]

Every pitch has a scoring goals although it may not be visable to the naked eye. Its usually because of a slope in that direction. A example....the Athletic Grounds in armagh used to seem fairly level but the scoring goals always used to be the drumarg or town goals. When the pitch was being relaid it was surveyed by one o them men with the orange hardhats and reflective coats. He put sum machine up on the bank and it revealed that the the bottom or scoring goals where 6 feet lower than the dalton end. This means that there was a slope with a 6 foot gradient towards the scoring goals.

[AZOffaly]

Sometimes it has to do with the background. A plain background makes it easier to pick up the posts in an instant look. Goals with 'Loud' colours or no background at all are sometimes harder to locate. Of course a good forward will be more or less instinctive anyway, but the scoring goals tend to be the ones where half backs and midfielders score their points more often.

[ONeill]

Croke Park's Hill is a good example. Canavan05, McConville02, Foley91, Spillane86, Whelan02, O'Neill04 - although I'm sure the Canal has had theirs too - Mulligan05, Sheehy7?, Cooper04

[bigpaul]

A GAA pitch without a 'scoring goal' isn't worthy of the name!The scoring goal in The Grange was next to the road,Ballymacnab was next to the clubrooms,An Port Mor was nearest to Quaymount,Derrylaughan is next to the road,Dungannon is nearest the clubrooms,Coalisland is next to Meenagh Park and Clones is the town end! These are very important details ,GAA history has ebbed and flowed on these  facts, a failure to be au fait with the 'scoring goals' would be a mistake of monumental proportions for any manager!To attribute this phenomena to gravity  is being naive in the extreme! The fall in The Grange is the opposite,as is An Port Mor, Derrylaughan and Coalisland! For those managers who aren't familiar with the phenomena of the 'scoring goal', my theory is that the 'scoring goal' is usually the one that the local players gravitate to when they first take the field,hence Hill 16 and the Dubs is the most famous example of the 'scoring goals'!!!!!!
 

[Ball Hopper]

The scoring goal in Croker is at the Hill end.  Kerry Mike will testify that PTG proved this to be the case.

Somehow I think Kerry Mike's crowd have a damn sight more scores in either of Croke Park depositories than all of PTG's countymen over the years.

And the Hill end is indeed the main scoring goal...but has anyone any stats to back it up?

[ildanach]

Ciaran McDonald v dublin this year also scored  the winner at the hill 16 end.
I wonder is is something to do with there being no stand at this end

[bailestil]

What does everyone think to the Eternal Question of which end to shoot into in the first half?

Shooting into scoring end/With the wind in the first half
Shooting into Scoring end/ With the wing in the second half?

I always felt that with the wind the second half was useful as you knew what you had to aim for... but it always lead to players assuming the game was won because of the conditions before the second half is even played.

[Josey Whales]

often favour playing with the wind- allows you to set the agenda- a lot harder to peg a team back especially if you have a lead before the turnaround. A good defensive effort in the first 15 of the second half can make the other team very edgy.

[Over the Bar]

What does everyone think to the Eternal Question of which end to shoot into in the first half?

Any team who opt not to shoot with the wind in the first half are foolish as there might not be a wind advantage in the second half.

[Blacksheep]

I alway favoured playing against the win first. It takes your opponents 10 minutes to get the hang of playing with the wind whereas you'll have the whole second half when you're well warmed up. Of course you could find yourself so far behind at half time that the wind doesn't matter or players can relax expecting the wind to win it for them.

[Border Fox]

Oisín scored into the Canal end ONeill.....