Small-Sided Battles

Conditioned games that decide themselves on work-rate — tight numbers, clear rules, and a scoreboard that rewards the right habits.

Gaelic football
U16
60 min
16–24 players
2 coaches
Effort 4/5
half pitch, split grids
u16
small-sided-games
conditioned-games
decision-making
work-rate

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 30 cones, 10 balls, 4 small goals, 20 bibs (4 colours)

Warm-up8 min

Rondo Ladders

Setup: Groups of five in a 10×10m box, 4v1 to start, one ball.

How it works: Keep-ball rondo — the four keep it from the one, and every time the defender wins it or forces a bad pass, the player responsible goes in. Progress to 4v2 as they warm. It wakes up the hands, the angles and the press in a small space, and sets the tone that losing the ball has a consequence. Keep it sharp and quick.

What to say

“Open your body — receive on the half-turn, see the whole box.”
“Move after every pass — never watch your own pass.”
“Defender: press the ball and cut the easy angle at the same time.”

Easier

5v1; two-touch allowed.

Harder

4v2; one-touch only.

Activity14 min

Four-Team Transition Grid

Setup: A 30×20m grid, four teams of three in four bib colours, two teams playing 3v3 while two rest on the sidelines as bounce walls, one ball, small goals each end.

How it works: The two active teams play 3v3 to the small goals; the resting teams act as neutral wall-passers on the sidelines to keep the ball alive and reward wide play. The moment a goal goes in or the ball leaves the grid, a fresh team sprints on and the tired team steps off — constant, fast rotation. Short bursts at high intensity with built-in recovery. Keep a rolling score between the four teams.

What to say

“Use the walls — a quick one-two out and back beats a forced pass.”
“Fresh team on: press immediately, do not ease in.”
“Talk and organise in the two seconds before you go on.”

Easier

No wall players; longer games; bigger goals.

Harder

STEPR: two-touch inside the grid; a goal from a wall one-two counts double.

Activity13 min

Overload Games

Setup: A 25×20m grid, small goals, a rotating 4v3 overload with a floating attacker who always joins the team in possession, one ball.

How it works: The floater always plays for whoever has the ball, so the attacking team is always 4v3 — the job is to use the extra player to create and finish, and to defend hard when outnumbered to win it back and swing the overload your way. It sharpens decision-making with and without the ball. Rotate the floater regularly so everyone experiences the overload both ways.

What to say

“Find the free player fast — the overload only works if you use it quickly.”
“Defenders: stay compact, delay, force the mistake, then the floater is yours.”
“Swing it side to side — make the outnumbered team run.”

Easier

A permanent 4v3; bigger goals.

Harder

STEPR: the overload team must score within eight seconds of winning the ball.

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

PitchPlans coaching team

Free on PitchPlans — new sessions weekly.