Strength and conditioning work must be done, admits Down’s Donal O’Hare, but shouldn’t be at the expense of practising the core skills of Gaelic football.
Recent seasons have seen a trend of packed defences and an increased emphasis on fitness levels. This has resulted in a decline in standards of the traditional skills of the game such as high fielding and kicking with both feet.
But O’Hare is one player going against the grain, insisting that to compete at the elite level, players must always hone their ball skills.
“Every night I’m out practicing the pick-up, practicing the high catch, over at the pitch doing a bit of shooting, always something with the ball in hand,” O’Hare told RTÉ Sport.
“Nowadays with the gym factor, and the strength and conditioning, I tend to stay away from that and focus on the skills.
“A lot of people now might walk about with dumbbells or weights in their hand, whereas I tend to stick to the size 5 O’Neill’s [football].
“It’s just something I’ve been brought up with – practice your skills every day. Just because I’ve made it now at county level doesn’t mean I stop that. If anything, I have to do more of that to make sure I’m competing at that top level and I’m not letting myself down.
“The gym factor, it has to come with the game too, you have to do that as well.
“Personally, I think there is too much emphasis [on fitness]. I think there should be more emphasis on game plan and more ball-orientated exercises, to get young fellows used to playing with a football and stuff like that.
“I think the way GAA is going is very strength and conditioning-based. I put my hands up, it has to be done, you can’t shy away from it, your work has to be done. If I was to advise a young fellow nowadays, I would say, keep practicing your skills.
"I wouldn’t say [skill levels] have] dropped. I just think the strength and conditioning has taken over a wee bit compared to the skills but I still think the skills level is very high, it has to be playing at that top level.
“Maybe I’m just a wee bit biased because I’m not very good in the gym. There’s nothing better I like than going down to my local club, Burren, with ten balls, practising right and left foot, free-kicks, shots, whatever it is.”
“A lot of people now might walk about with dumbbells or weights in their hand, whereas I tend to stick to the size 5"
Down topped Division 2 of the Allianz League and will play in the top tier next season.
They face Roscommon, one of just two sides to beat them in the spring, on Sunday looking to win the title and set themselves up for their opening Ulster Championship clash away to Derry on 7 June.
The corner-forward said: “It would be huge. For the past few years we haven’t had the chance to represent our county in a final.
“Now we have a chance, our first chance as a young team starting off, to win our first silverware and no doubt that would be huge for us going into our first Ulster Championship together."
