DUBLIN ALL IRELAND winning manager Pat Gilroy, former Cork manager Billy Morgan, Malachy O’Rourke, Michael Murphy and Mickey Ned O’Sullivan are set to form part of a new Gaelic football review committee, organised by former Westmeath manager, Jack Cooney.
Cooney was appointed as the GAA’s National Player Development Lead in the summer of 2022, and has compiled a number of high-profile figures to examine the current state of Gaelic football. The overall project is headed up by John Tobin and Shane Flanagan from the Coaching and Games Department.
The move was established under the wishes of GAA President, Larry McCarthy, and they are seeking to work on what is termed a ‘Games Intelligence Project’, with an objective to provide data and research to evaluate how the game is developing.
Before the group comes together for the first time on Monday, 17 September, they have analysed 45 games, 15 in the National League and 30 games in championship.
Within that sample size, they have established 78 different metrics and are seeking to engage with a number of coaches, players and analysts to debate and discuss the findings.
Others to be included in the group include Kildare footballer Kevin Feely, GAA historian Paul Rouse, Ulster Council coach Philip Kerr, former Football Review Committee chair, Dr David Hassan.
It is over ten years ago since the Football Review Committee was established under then GAA President, Liam O’Neill.
Chaired by the late Eugene McGee, it included figures such as Declan Darcy, Paul Earley and Tony Scullion. Their greatest effect was to introduce ‘The mark’ into Gaelic football in the early stages of their work.