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Analysis of 3926 shots from the 2019 Senior inter-county football championship aims to establish the impact of distance, angle, shot type, method and pressure on shot success. Findings demonstrate that shots from free kicks contribute 20.5% of the total attempts in Gaelic football, with a success rate of 75%, in contrast to 50% success of shots from open play. Moreover, the range from which free kick success is >57.6% accuracy extends to 40 m, while from open play this is passed at a range of 28 m. There were almost twice as many right foot shots (64.4%) compared with the left foot (32.4%), with right foot attempts marginally more accurate. Shots under low pressure were most successful, while those under medium pressure were less successful than those under high pressure, albeit taken from an average distance of 7.5 m closer to the target. A logistic regression model to explore the impact of all variables on shot outcome demonstrates the significance of shot distance, angle and pressure on the kicker, as well as whether shots are taken with the hand or foot. This research provides an important step in understanding the scale of the impact of a range of variables on shot success in Gaelic football while simultaneously providing an initial model to predict the shot outcome based on these variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study aimed to investigate the sprint performances of senior Camogie players between halves of play and between positions. Methods: Forty-three (n = 43) elite female Camogie players (23 ± 5 years; 174 ± 5 cm; 68 ± 9 kg) wore 10-Hz GPS devices (STATSports, Apex) to record data in 20 competitive matches during the 2018–2020 season. The total sprint distance (TSD), number of sprints (NOS) < 20 m and ≥ 20 m, and the NOS 80–90% and > 90% of the player's peak speed, the mean sprint duration, and between-sprint duration were analyzed. Results: The TSD was 162 ± 102 m accumulated by 9 ± 5 NOS. The NOS < 20 m and ≥ 20 m was 7 ± 3 and 3 ± 2, respectively. The NOS 80–90% and > 90% was 6 ± 3 and 3 ± 3, respectively. The mean sprint duration and between-sprint duration was 3 ± 1 s and 6:29 ± 3:12 min:sec, respectively. A second-half decrease was observed for TSD (ES = − 0.24), NOS (ES = − 0.33), NOS < 20 m (ES = − 0.50) and ≥ 20 m (ES = − 1.00), and NOS > 90% (ES = − 0.63). Full-backs accumulated less TSD and NOS than half-backs (ES = − 1.07, − 1.21, respectively), midfielders (ES = − 1.54, − 1.41, respectively) and half-forwards (ES = − 0.91, − 0.92, respectively). Midfielders and half-forwards had a longer mean length of sprint (ES = 0.88, 0.92, respectively) and mean sprint duration (ES = 0.66, 0.60, respectively) compared to full-backs. Half-backs performed a greater NOS < 20 m than full-backs (ES = 1.17). Conclusion: The current results provide a sprint profile of Camogie match-play, where positional differences should be considered in training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study examined the reliability of a novel Gaelic football match simulation protocol (GFSP) that simulates the match-specific activity demands of elite Gaelic football match-play. Methods: After familiarisation, 16 male Gaelic footballers performed the GFSP on two occasions, 7–10 days apart to determine the reliability of a range of team sport performance indicators. Results: The total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSRD) and sprint distance were 8479 ± 594 m, 2349 ± 308 m and 651 ± 319 m, respectively. In addition, decrements in TD (− 2.4%), HSRD (− 11.2%) and sprint distance (− 32.6%) from first to second half were observed. There was no significant difference between repeated trials of the GFSP for all running performance and physiological measurements. The GFSP demonstrates good test–retest reliability for the majority of performance and physiological responses. Between trial coefficient of variations (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were: TD 1.9%, 0.93; HSRD 3.0%, 0.93; sprint distance 17.6%, 0.86; peak speed 4.5%, 0.60; mean heart rate (HR) 1.8%; 0.94; peak HR 2.2%, 0.89. Conclusion: The current investigation shows that the GFSP replicates the average movement demands of elite Gaelic football match play. The current simulation is reliable and may be seen by practitioners as a viable monitoring tool within the Gaelic football research and training process to monitor the effectiveness of various training and nutritional interventions on Gaelic football-related performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the association between combined session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) workload measures and injury risk in elite Gaelic footballers. Methods: Thirty-seven elite Gaelic footballers (mean ± SD age 24.2 ± 2.9 y) from 1 elite squad were involved in a single-season study. Weekly workload (session RPE multiplied by duration) and all time-loss injuries (including subsequent-wk injuries) were recorded during the period. Rolling weekly sums and wk-to-wk changes in workload were measured, enabling the calculation of the acute:chronic workload ratio by dividing acute workload (ie, 1-weekly workload) by chronic workload (ie, rolling-average 4-weekly workload). Workload measures were then modeled against data for all injuries sustained using a logistic-regression model. Odds ratios (ORs) were reported against a reference group. Results: High 1-weekly workloads (≥2770 arbitrary units [AU], OR = 1.63-6.75) were associated with significantly higher risk of injury than in a low-training-load reference group (<1250 AU). When exposed to spikes in workload (acute:chronic workload ratio >1.5), players with 1 y experience had a higher risk of injury (OR = 2.22) and players with 2-3 (OR = 0.20) and 4-6 y (OR = 0.24) of experience had a lower risk of injury. Players with poorer aerobic fitness (estimated from a 1-km time trial) had a higher injury risk than those with higher aerobic fitness (OR = 1.50-2.50). An acute:chronic workload ratio of (≥2.0) demonstrated the greatest risk of injury. Conclusions: These findings highlight an increased risk of injury for elite Gaelic football players with high (>2.0) acute:chronic workload ratios and high weekly workloads. A high aerobic capacity and playing experience appears to offer injury protection against rapid changes in workload and high acute:chronic workload ratios. Moderate workloads, coupled with moderate to high changes in the acute:chronic workload ratio, appear to be protective for Gaelic football players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

McGuinness, A, Passmore, D, Malone, S, and Collins, K. Peak running intensity of elite female field hockey players during competitive match play. J Strength Cond Res 36(4): 1064-1070, 2022-In recent years, backroom coaching staff have relied heavily on the global demands of competitive match-play to monitor running performance within training and match environments. Although, these figures help prepare players for the demands of match-play, they do not account for the physical and physiological stress of the most intense periods of competition. The aim of the current study was to quantify the duration and position-specific maximal running performance during match-play using a 1-10-minute moving average epoch methodology. Twenty-six (n = 26) elite international female field hockey players (23 +/- 3 years; 162.6 +/- 13 cm; 66 +/- 6 kg) participated in the current observational study. Data were collected during 22 international games, resulting in over 360 individual samples (n = 368) being obtained for analysis. Players were categorized based on their positional lines of play (defenders, midfielders, and forwards). Variables of interest included relative total (m[middle dot]min-1), high-speed (>16 km[middle dot]h-1; m[middle dot]min-1) and sprint distance (>20 km[middle dot]h-1; m[middle dot]min-1). Regardless of position, varying differences were observed between 10-minute rolling average for relative total (mod - large), high-speed (mod-large), and sprint (mod - large) distance respectively. Furthermore, as the duration of the rolling average increased, so did the observed differences (small). The forwards (119.3 +/- 19.7 m[middle dot]min-1) were reported to have the highest peak output during minute one for relative high-speed distance when compared with the defenders (100.7 +/- 19.7, effect size [ES] 0.9, large) and the midfield (106.8 +/- 23.4 m[middle dot]min-1, ES 0.5, moderate). The results of the current study show that the running performance of field hockey players alters during match-play irrespective of moving average. Finally, the data will aid practitioners in the development of sport-specific drills to adequately prepare hockey players for the maximal intensity periods of elite hockey match-play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of sport science research conducted on female sport, makes it challenging for coaches and sport science practitioners to develop an evidence-based approach. Ladies Gaelic football (LGF) is the most popular female sport in Ireland with over 200,000 members, however there has been no research to benchmark performance. The current study investigates the game characteristics of LGF by developing analysis system which could provide benchmark profiles of successful performance at elite level and evaluate the transferability of the game intelligence available within LGF's brother sport, Gaelic football (GF). Thirty-one games (62 performances) were analysed from the 2019 and 2020 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship using NacSport Scout+. Statistical differences between winning and losing performances were identified using paired sample t-tests (p ≤ 0.05) and Wilcoxon signed ranked tests (p ≤ 0.05). Winning teams were found to be significantly superior to losing teams, demonstrating superior ability to gain and use possession. LGF and men's GF teams adopt different strategic approaches to the game. The current study provides a first insight into the nature of LGF with benchmark data, facilitating a better understanding of the game demands of LGF and the key points of difference between male and LGF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tactical Periodisation is a training methodology, originally developed for soccer, that focuses primarily on the systems of play that a team intends to use in competition. It has been popularised by successful European coaches and subsequently has been proposed as a model to follow for other sports such as rugby union and tennis in more recent times. Gaelic football is an amateur sport that has similarities to soccer and rugby union. To date no training periodisation model has been proposed for Gaelic football. The aim of this article was to present a Tactical Periodisation model for Gaelic football, taking the sport's game structure, physical and technical demands and amateur status into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the anthropometric and performance profiles of elite Gaelic football players across different age groups. The study found that physical attributes generally increased with age, providing valuable insights for designing age-appropriate training programs and performance benchmarking in elite Gaelic football. The research aimed to create reference profiles for height, body mass, countermovement jump height, peak power, running speed, and aerobic capacity for players at the U15, U18, U21, and senior levels. The findings indicate that players advance physically as they progress through age groups, and the results can be used as normative values for practitioners and non-elite players aspiring to reach elite level. [Extracted from the article]

The current research examines the positional technical and running performance of sub-elite Gaelic football match-play and compares technical and running performance between Division 1 and Division 2 teams. Sixty eight sub-elite Gaelic football players from two teams were monitored via global positioning system (GPS) microtechnology (GPEXE LT 18 Hz, Exelio, Udine, Italy) and a video camera across 30 competitive matches (n = 336). Comparisons between teams and playing positions were examined for selected technical and running performance variables. Playing position had large effects on several variables including number of possessions (ES = 0.18), number of shots (ES = 0.45), total m per minute (ES = 0.403), average speed (ES = 0.40), number of power events (ES = 0.3) and recovery time between power events (ES = 0.31). Playing standard had trivial to small effects on all technical performance variables (ES ≤ 0.47) and trivial to small effects (ES ≤ 0.48) on all running performance variables. The current study demonstrates that there are distinct positional demands in sub-elite Gaelic football. The findings of this research also demonstrate that there is little difference in the technical and running performance of Division 1 and Division 2 sub-elite teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the dietary intakes and anthropometric profiles of country and club Gaelic football players and control subjects in the field of sports nutrition and exercise metabolism as of December 2003. Anthropometric characteristics of Gaelic footballers, soccer players, and controls; Dietary reference value of vitamin C per day; Daily intakes of energy and the macro-nutrients.