Indoor Gaelic Football

[magickingdom]

In light of new gaa president Christy Cooneys highlighting the need for the gaa to grow in urban areas and as I said on another thread I have played more indoor soccer than gaa anyone got any ideas of how gaelic football could be played indoor? It would have to be played in your typical indoor hall that's used for soccer or basketball. Why bother? Anyone who has played indoor soccer or basketball will know how good the games are so why wouldn't a gaelic football game that lets face it comprises both of them not be good? It would be simple to organise and I've often wanted to pick up the ball during indoor soccer and give it a lash! Obliviously its not gaelic football in the same way that indoor soccer isn't the same as soccer. There are countless clubs around the country with suitable halls and if an indoor All Ireland blitz was set up there would be no shortage of club teams willing to enter. My idea would be

1)   5 a side
2)   You can carry the ball like basketball but must bounce it on a run
3)   You can kick the ball off the hands but not over head height (6 feet)
4)   you can punch the ball at any height
5)   You can play it on the ground like indoor soccer
6)   Scores are goals only with 2 upright bars only (lines) 4 feet apart 20 feet high, no crossbar (like afl posts (shut up micky harte))
7)   Scores can be from punches or kicks

Any other ideas?? would it/wouldnt it work?

[Puckoon]

Back in school we played indoor gaelic football for MacRory cup training. We basically played with the basketball back board as the target for fist passing scores. It was high energy and kinda a prelude to the intensity that you see teams warming up with. It was crowded and heavy hitting.

Good craic although you just wanted to get out and lash the ball.

[bingobus]

We've played indoor in winter training. Three a-side, winner stays on, first goal wins. When a goal is scored on oncoming team must touch their goals before the paly can be played and the team that has scored has to get back and touch their goals before the ball can be played.

Great craic and savage pace. Ball normally hammered into net to get a good rebound down the court to your goal. Full rules otherwise.

[WeeDonns]

there would be no shortage of club teams willing to enter

I think the best thing would be for non club teams to enter. This way you generate an interest from groups of lads that no longer (or never did) play football, and usually play indoor soccer once a week. Get groups like that entering their own teams and you might get some interested in going and joining a club when the season starts.

Different people within the GAA have been mentioning the idea of Social Football for a while now but there doesn't seem to have been any action taken.
The indoor version could work. Probably wont though. I think the rules would have to make it fast paced like the game bingobus has played to make it an attractive alternative to just playing indoor soccer.


I think the idea of some kind of social league, especially in urban areas, is a runner. i.e;
•   run by the county board, current Senior/Reserve players can't play.
•   Therefore it'll be full of over 35's and lads that fell by the wayside in their teens and now want to play a bit of ball again but can't/won't commit to training with the Seniors/Reserves.
•   Small leagues, played over 6 weeks in the middle of summer. No refixturing(sp) of games
•   Teams could be 15,13, 11 a side.
•   Clubs could enter as many teams as they like, so everyone gets a game

I think it would be a good way to keep older guys involved with their club, rather than them just disappearing from the scene for a few years after they stop playing.
It might also stop the over 40s from all turning up at training the week before the reserve championship thinking they'll give it one more go!

Sorry for kinda hijacking your thread

[BigJohnBrowne]

The only indoor that I'm familiar with is the proposed one by Connacht council in the new multi centre near Ballyhaunis.   I heard about a dome in New York that could be used as an indoor area large enough for playing football.  I believe that its used as a training venue in poor weather conditions.

[fitzroyalty]

Social football or "recreational GAA" as it is called is already up and running, Ulster Council tried it out in Armagh and one or two tournaments have been held in the last year AFAIK

[screenexile]

Social football or "recreational GAA" as it is called is already up and running, Ulster Council tried it out in Armagh and one or two tournaments have been held in the last year AFAIK

I played it in an indoor soccer facility in Magherafelt and it was great craic. THey had specially made goals which allowed posts to be stuck in for proper Gaelic Nets and we were able to play 7 a side very comfortably in it.

[Archie Mitchell]

Social football or "recreational GAA" as it is called is already up and running, Ulster Council tried it out in Armagh and one or two tournaments have been held in the last year AFAIK

Didn't know this had started. Would be an interesting if other Counties followed their lead. What was the format for it? Did all teams play games at the same venue ont he same night or was it on a home an away basis.

Wouldn't be too hard to get all teams at a facility (e.g. Mid-Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown, Youth Sport in Omagh, Meadowbank in Magherafelt, etc as well as clubs with a few good facilities to hold a few games. ) on a night, play a few rounds, and repeat this over a course of weeks. Something similar to the soccer Street League which operates in Cookstown during the summer. Would be a great way to get players playing again who just want to play for a bit of a laugh (the same way they would play indoor soccer once a week)

[Norf Tyrone]

Social football or "recreational GAA" as it is called is already up and running, Ulster Council tried it out in Armagh and one or two tournaments have been held in the last year AFAIK

Yip. A social tournament in Cookstown last week too.

[aroundincircles]

Clonoe have a recreational team as of this week. Any club out there want a game pm me. would suit a junior b team possibly.

[The Forfeit Point]

Social football or "recreational GAA" as it is called is already up and running, Ulster Council tried it out in Armagh and one or two tournaments have been held in the last year AFAIK

how does the game work? ive always thought that indoor gaelic would be a great idea but how it would be played and enjoyed was/is beyond me!

[WhoAreYaWhoAreYa!]

I think you have tampered with it too much there with your rules, that over head height rule is a load of balls and is impossible to referee. It is my most hated rule of indoor soccer. We played it in An Riocht hall when we were like u12 years ago. The rules were the exact same only with reduced numbers of players. It was lethal. A good big hall needed though. A smaller hall would obviously mean having only 5 a side though. The idea of using the basketball backboard for handpassing scores, is a good alternivie though.

[screenexile]

Played a bit of Indoor this evening with the ladies football team. It was in a full sized hall which catered for basketball and I used the handpass against the backboard idea. 3 teams of 6 and full rules with the first team to get 2 scores the winner.

It was brilliant! Having the 3 teams made it very competitive and some of the tackling/running was first rate. The 2 scores rule also meant games were flat out all the time which also worked well. The whole thing worked an absolute treat so thanks lads.