Eddie Brennan: Let players ‘function off instinct’ and get goals

Eddie Brennan believes players not being allowed ‘function off instinct’ is a key reason behind the drop in goals across Division 1A.

An Irish Examiner study of the past five leagues and the first three rounds of this year’s campaign illustrates a significant decline in the number of green flags raised.

Just 13 have been scored across the nine games thus far compared to 33 in 2012.

One of the game’s greatest goal-getters, Brennan cites systems and a lack of ground hurling as the other main reasons behind the drop.

“It’s probably down to the ‘s’ word (sweeper) but it’s more than that. Teams are looking to clog their defence with bodies and work it out.

"Tipp made a big thing of protecting the ‘D’ in 2010, Clare used the defensive structure effectively in 2013 and Waterford have been playing the sweeper.

"Ground hurling has disappeared. One of the things I learned early on was to keep the ball moving. But now because there are sweepers players are hesitant in putting quick ball in so as to avoid making a hero of the spare defender.

"The ball going in has slowed down by a couple of seconds and because of that it allows the defender to compose themselves — they don’t have to be as honest in going for the ball.

“Everything is high intensity now but the athleticism of players has changed to an Aussie Rules style where you have to cover the 50 yards. There are no longer fast, breaking bursts over five or 10 yards like DJ Carey was famous for.”

Brennan feels players are being strait-jacketed because they are programmed to play to a structure and not think for themselves.

“Players are not necessarily being allowed to function off instinct and the worst thing is it seems nobody is telling them to change.

"Jake Dillon, for me, is a goal-scorer. He got a great one against Kilkenny last year but because of the system he, Conor McGrath and Shane O’Donnell aren’t scoring as many as they should.”

The Division 1A league table shows Kilkenny have yet to find the net in three games. What it doesn’t show is that they haven’t goaled against either Division 1A or 1B teams in their last five outings.

Taking in last month’s Walsh Cup final win over Galway (0-20 to 0-18) and the semi-final defeat of Wexford (0-15 to 0-14), the Cats have to go back to September’s All-Ireland final and Richie Hogan’s late effort for a goal against opposition from the top two divisions.

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