Sheehy and Rock predict end for ground free kicks

Two of Gaelic football’s greatest dead-ball experts fear the ground free-kick will become a thing of the past before the end of the decade.

Unless something is done to remedy it, Mikey Sheehy and Barney Rock predict the art will die out of the game in the coming years.

After a particularly poor couple of days for free-takers in the weekend’s three provincial semi-finals, the pair are alarmed at how many frees are being missed.

Ground place-kickers Cian Ward, Ben Brosnan and Stephen Cluxton were all guilty of missing frees in Croke Park on Sunday.

From the hand, Brian Farrell and Bernard Brogan were also off target on occasions while Tyrone had seven different free-takers in their defeat to Donegal the previous day.

Both men insist not enough time is being given by coaches to allow players develop the necessary skills to punish fouls in scoring areas.

In Sheehy’s mind, it’s been on its way out for quite some time.

“It looks that way,” he admitted. “Coaches are telling fellas to take them from the hand. On certain days, playing into a light breeze, you’d prefer to kick it from the ground because you have better control but these things aren’t considered.

“It’s a dying art and will be gone in a few years unless they bring in something to safeguard it.

“Bryan Sheehan would be in the top three or four free-takers in the country but he’s in a rare group kicking it off the ground.

“I’d say 90% of teams’ free-takers take them from the hands.

“I felt sorry for Ben Brosnan against Dublin. I know from experience it’s not easy kicking into the Hill when they’re having a cut at you.

“He scored some fabulous points in the first half but if you miss one free a doubt develops in your head.”

Rock described this past weekend as “really bad” for free-takers.

“The thing was, in Croke Park conditions weren’t that bad. Brian Farrell missed a couple from the hand but Cian Ward was off with his radar from the ground as well.

“Ben Brosnan had a great first half for Wexford but didn’t kick well from frees when he needed to kick well.

“(Stephen) Cluxton kicked one from a 45 then missed inside the 20m line.

“I would say it (the ground free) is on its way out. Fellas just don’t have time to practise and kick it off the ground. It takes too much time.

“Fellas are training to be super fit and may not enough time is being given to practising.

“A free-taker has to be there half an hour before training and half an hour afterwards and that’s a lot of time to be giving.

“Within the next six or seven years, it’ll die out and goalkeepers will be the only ones kicking them. The rest will be kicking from their hands.”

Both men agree free-takers can no longer expect to be facilitated in the starting line-up for their skills.

Sheehy admitted: “You can’t carry a free-taker anymore. The likes of myself might be redundant nowadays! Bryan added more to his game and was brilliant at midfield last year.

“I knew from watching him as a goalkeeper underage that he could ping a ball wherever he wanted and he’s brought more to his game.”

Rock said: “Managers aren’t guaranteeing free-takers their spot on teams anymore. They’re specialists and they can’t be accommodated. The reason there are more successful kicks is because they’re kicking more from the hand. When it’s from 14 yards you’re not going to put the ball down.

“But it’s the crunch ones, the ones in the last 10 minutes. You saw it with Cluxton last year. They still matter but it’s not a nice thing seeing Cluxton go from one end to another to kick a free.”

Rock felt Tomás Quinn might have been brought on after Brogan’s misses but a non free-taker in Eoghan O’Gara was introduced instead.

Sheehy admits he’s disappointed to see the skill edge closer and closer towards extinction.

“Definitely, I’ll be very sorry to see it go but that’s the way the GAA is going and it’s natural progression.

“Sport moves on. You look at the Euro 2012 final the other night and the new tactics. It mightn’t be long before there is no full-forward line in Gaelic football. But I enjoy how tactical the modern game is. The Donegal-Tyrone game on Saturday wasn’t great in quality but was fascinating to see how each team set themselves up. I’ve been critical of present day football but it’s intriguing to see which new manager will be next on the block to change things.”