League Learnings: The evolution of the goalkeeper's job continues
Roscommon goalkeeper Conor Carroll punches a ball away despite the challenge from Damien Comer of Galway. Picture: Ray Ryan/Sportsfile
The opening exchanges of the National League has been a mixed bag with several great games, a few duds and many defined by experimental systems, missing personal and in some cases a healthy dose of good luck.
Two rounds, 32 fixtures, an encouraging average of 30.5 points per game. (2022’s 36.9 average in the football championship was the third highest on record.) They are the basic numbers. Amidst so much incoherence it can be difficult to extract any more definitive takeaways but even still some figures stand out. Here are eight random observations from the fare witnessed so far.
The modern goalkeeper evolution began over seven years ago and has enjoyed such a rise in popularity that it is now a tactical norm. Nonetheless, Roscommon’s current number one is unique in several respects.
On the Backdoor GAA podcast last November, two-time All-Ireland winner and former Galway All-Star Seán Óg De Paor was asked for his observations from the club championship.
“I’m going to say something controversial now. I think the best goalkeeper in Galway is an Oranmore/Maree man, Conor Carroll. He was in goal for the Sigerson-winning team, he played underage for Galway. For whatever reason he transferred to Roscommon. If I was Pádraic Joyce, he is the guy I would be ringing.”
Conor is a nephew of Roscommon County Board Chairperson, Brian Carroll. He played minor for Galway in 2018 and was part of Joyce’s U20 panel in 2019 before opting for Roscommon the subsequent season. He was backup to Colm Lavin under Anthony Cunningham.
The University of Galway student has started for Roscommon under Davy Burke in the FBD League and the opening two Division 1 wins. He operates halfway between a traditional and fly goalkeeper. Carroll comes out and gets involved in play as ‘the last man back’ or an outlet, particularly valuable during periods of retained possession. He has averaged 21 possessions so far. He has also beaten two men and had one assist. At the same time, he is rarely running off the shoulder or clogging up space.
There was a remarkable disparity between approaches in Pearse Stadium last time out as Galway only went long on three kick-outs, two of which they lost. In contrast, Roscommon went long on every single one.
Yet both teams scored 0-2 from their kick-out while Roscommon scored 1-6 from the restart against Tyrone. Galway’s long kick-out plan has been straightforward. A Connor Gleeson boomer out around the middle with Damien Comer often withdrawn to compete for it. However, their inability to develop an accurate long option to hit one of several athletic middle third players in stride is a hindrance.
This time last year, Claregalway’s Conor Flaherty was their starting goalkeeper. As demonstrated with UL in the Sigerson Cup semi-final victory over DCU, he also favours going long with just four of 16 going short to a man inside the 45. Flaherty is not part of the Galway senior panel this year. A team’s number one plan depends on who is available.
Part of the problem with the Aidan O’Shea debate is that nothing in Gaelic football happens in isolation. Is it about which position suits him best or where he can best help his team?
O’Shea deservedly earned plaudits for his performance at full-forward against Armagh. He did drift out later in the tie after spending much of the game near the square. Why was he able to play there? Because Jordan Flynn assumed much of his responsibilities around the middle. Winning kick-outs, tackling and kicking, making Mayo tick.
It was his kickpass forward that led to their first score of the day. He kicked a point of his own just before half-time. He kickpassed to assist James Carr’s only point of the game. His diagonal kickpass found O’Shea in the second half before he was fouled for a tap-over Ryan O’Donoghue free. Flynn then assisted Matthew Ruane for a point, forced a high turnover on Stefan Campbell for another converted free and followed that up with another point of his own.
James Horan’s Mayo had a remarkably athletic engine room that he built around. If Kevin McStay’s Mayo want to push and develop a kicking game, Flynn will be at the centre of it. That allows O’Shea stay up top too.
New Westmeath boss Dessie Dolan is leading the way with 26 players used so far. They started their campaign with a loss against Cavan in a rematch of the Tailteann Cup final. Dolan was without Ray Connellan, Luke Loughlin, Sam Duncan and David Lynch that day. In interviews, he has consistently stressed the need to develop younger players and is backing up his words so far. Defender Danny Scahill has been namechecked by Dolan as one particular bright prospect.
‘Tis only the league yet counties with the feelgood factor are attracting mega crowds. Meath, Roscommon and Armagh are all a testament to that. After signs of discontent and fatigue in 2022, the Mayo faithful are also flooding back and Kevin McStay is evidently determined to draw on it.
“This is Mayo, this is what we do,” he said gesturing around him after the Galway thriller on the opening day.
“This is what we love doing, and we’re up and at it again. There is a young group of men out there that they should be happy to follow because they’re going to give them lots of good evenings like this where they’re showing the energy and the application that we want every time they put on a jersey.
“It really is a testament to the love of the game down here. This is what we talk about, this is what we do. I’ve said often, Gaelic football defines most of Mayo – this is what we love to do. And it was a great crowd, marvellous crowd for a Saturday night. Great atmosphere, pitch was fantastic, stadium well presented. We were very pleased with all the optics of it.”
Saturday night they welcome the All-Ireland champions to town. Bring the noise.
Eoghan Kelly, brother of captain Sean and Paul, made his Galway debut last month. As a teen he was an exceptional basketball player and went to Connecticut on a scholarship. He later accepted a scholarship offer from a D3 school in Chicago.
Kelly returned to Gaelic football in 2020. At first, he joined Moycullen’s junior team. An unquestionably elite athlete, he had missed out on years of football development. He forced his way into the senior team that year, started on the 2022 NUIG Sigerson Cup winning team and was a key man for Moycullen during their run to the All-Ireland semi-final.
For his league debut in Castlebar, Kelly started closest to goal, keeping tabs on James Carr. The Mayo 14 scored a stunning goal but had drifted out beyond the 45 just beforehand with Kelly staying put near his goal. Outside of that he kept him scoreless. Next up was Roscommon’s star Conor Cox. Again, he failed to register a score and was taken off at half-time.
What stands out from the All-Star and Tailteann Cup team of the year? John Daly and Ronan Wallace were the number six in both teams. Daly had five assists in the All-Ireland final, Wallace’s marauding bursts forward were invaluable for Westmeath.
A well-timed run and less individual attention means the spot is now a prime attacking platform. It is notable that the likes of Dara McVeety, Conor Loftus, Peter Harte and Eoin Murchan have all been trialled at centre-back in recent weeks.
Before the season even started Galway were dealt a blow when it was confirmed Kieran Molloy would miss much of the year with a cruciate knee ligament injury. With two rounds of the league played, Tipperary’s Conor Sweeney, Louth’s Ciaran Byrne and Down’s Barry O’Hagan have all suffered similarly. A serious loss to all three counties’ attacking options.
It was inevitable that everyone would take some time to fully grasp the new championship format. On the basis of last year’s Division 1 and 2 league positions, all of the teams who qualified for the top two divisions in 2023 would be Sam Maguire Cup teams.
In 2023, at least one 2024 Division 2 team, possibly the beaten Division 3 finalists, will lose out due to the situation in Connacht. If Tailteann Cup champions Westmeath do not make a Leinster final another side will miss out given they are guaranteed a place.
Since they are on the other side of the Leinster draw to Kildare and Dublin, the Lake County will fancy their chances of making the provincial decider. But for Kildare, it means that route is formidable and their best chance of Sam Maguire entry is staying in Division 2. They need to start winning.
There is much on the line on Sunday in Cusack Park.
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