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Ballymun claimed the Dublin Under 15 championship with a game built around power. Emmet Ryan takes the challenge of analysing strategies at the youngest championship grade in the capital.
Position vs. Possession
There was a distinct difference in styles on display in Parnell Park on Monday evening. Na Fianna, the slighter built side, was wholly committed [...]
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Dr Crokes cruised to the Kerry title on Sunday with a comprehensive win over Dingle. Emmet Ryan breaks down the tactical factors that led to their victory.
Crokes play fast up front, calm at the back
The defending champions wasted no time looking to hurt Dingle and Colm Cooper was at the heart of their attacking thrust. [...]
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We join Kevin Burke’s journey in Vietnam, having just left Hue en route to his first encounter with V-League Football.
Next day, I head a couple of miles down the coast to Da Nang. This is one of the most scenic train trips in the world, going up through mountainous country-side with sweeping views down to [...]
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A dominant first-half display was enough to carry Ballymun Kickhams to their first Dublin title since 1985 on Monday night. Emmet Ryan breaks down the tactical factors that led to their victory over Kilmacud Crokes.
Kickhams play a quick-strike game
Ballymun came out looking to score fast and let their defence take the brunt of the workload. [...]
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St Vincent’s found the back-door to victory as they won the Cork Premier Intermediate Final on Sunday. Emmet Ryan explains this tactical move that proved the difference.
Michael’s find success with direct ball
St Michael’s lined out in a 3-3-3-2-3, looking to use an extra man in the middle to help get ball into attack faster. With [...]
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It was a chess match in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday as Castlehaven put Duhallow to the sword. Emmet Ryan breaks down a fascinating tactical battle in the Cork Final.
Duhallow build a wall
The divisional side had defensive intentions early as they looked to stop Castlehaven breaking through for scores. Midfielders Aidan Walsh and Bertie [...]
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With his first book available now, Emmet Ryan briefly takes you through the story of Tactics not Passion and explains how and where to buy the book.
This site started out as a general sports site in 2010 with an ambition to be high brow but not much direction. Fortunately, albeit it didn’t seem that way [...]
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A loaded Fenerbahce Ülker line-up has taken Euroleague by storm in the opening rounds. Ahead of their headline meeting with Real Madrid on Thursday, Emmet Ryan examines what makes the Turkish team tick.
Upgrading from good to elite
It’s still the ‘don’t mess up’ stage of Euroleague but so far the 2012/13 edition of Fenerbahce Ülker is [...]
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Kevin Burke’s sporting travels take a more diverse twist this week as he checks out Hong Kong and Macau.
There’s a Hong Kong league game starting within an hour of my arrival. It’s one of the areas in which Hong Kong is basically independent of China – it also has its own customs on entry, its [...]
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In the first every junior game covered by this column, Emmet Ryan analyses Sunday’s Mayo Junior Final between Ardnaree and The Neale.
Possession and profligacy
The Neale began this game with a lot of ball but not much of an idea what to do with it. In attack they suffered contrasting problems. For the most part their [...]
Tactics Not Passion, the book looks at the strategies that defined Gaelic Football over the last year. It's available in paperback from Original Writing and as an e-book from amazon.com, iBooks and most other online stores.
