Championship Sharpness

Kick-pass accuracy & kickout press

Gaelic football
Adult
75 min
18–26 players
1 coach
Effort 4/5
Full pitch
adult
championship
kick-passing
kickouts
pressing

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 30 cones, 12 footballs, 20 bibs (2 colours), goals or portable posts

Warm-up12 min

Pods of Four

Setup: Pods of four, one ball each pod, spread across half the pitch. You warm up inside your own pod — the player-coach just calls the changes.

How it works: Constant movement in the pod: fist-pass around while jogging a loose circle, two minutes. Then punch-pass off both sides. Then loop-and-receive: pass, follow, take a return on the burst. Last three minutes: 20m kick-passes inside the pod, receiver always moving onto it. Dynamic stretches between rounds — open the hips, swing the legs — while the next caller sets up.

What to say

“Every ball to a moving man, even now.”
“Hands up early — give the kicker a picture.”

Easier

Shorten to 15m kicks; walk the loops.

Harder

Weak foot only on the last round.

Activity16 min

Diamond Kick-Pass

Setup: Diamonds of cones, 25m point to point, five players per diamond, two balls per group. Multiple diamonds so every group works at once.

How it works: Ball starts at the bottom of the diamond. Kick to the left or right point where the receiver arrives on the move, never standing. Receiver takes one touch, kicks across or through to the next moving man. Follow your kick to the cone you hit. With two balls going, the reps never stop. Two minutes clockwise, two anti-clockwise, one minute weak foot, repeat.

What to say

“Kick to where he'll be, not where he is.”
“Strike through the laces, follow through low for the flat one.”
“Call the kicker's name before you move.”

Easier

One ball; receivers may check their run.

Harder

STEPR: 30m points; every second pass must be off the weak foot.

Activity18 min

Kickout Zones

Setup: Use the real posts and the real keeper. Mark three landing zones across the 45–65m band: left, middle, right. 3v3 in each zone, bibs on.

How it works: Keeper kicks out, aiming for a called zone. The 3v3 in that zone contest the break; whoever wins it plays two quick passes out of the zone to finish the rep. Rotate the trios across zones every four kickouts. Keeper mixes it: short call, hang it high, drill it flat. Count zone wins out loud — losers of each round hold the zone for the next set.

What to say

“Attack the ball at its highest point — don't wait under it.”
“Front position first, then eyes on the flight.”
“Break ball: first man reacts, second man collects.”

Easier

Keeper tells the zone before every kick; 2v2 in the zone.

Harder

STEPR: no call — trios read the keeper's shape; add a sweeper who can join any zone.

The rest of this session is free — along with 3 more this week.

House session; structure follows the ICGG session template. Written for a player-coach: minimal talking, maximal reps.

Free on PitchPlans — new sessions weekly.