As club coaches all around Sligo turn their thinking to the
season ahead, they will have the opportunity over the next six weeks to pick
the brains of some of the best coaches in the country in a series of coaching
workshops being run at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence at Scarden.
First up in the series of four events will be a workshop
with ex-Derry star forward Conleith Gilligan. Gilligan who won two National
Leagues with Derry and an All-Ireland senior club championships with
Ballinderry Shamrocks as a player is now a much sought-after coach who just
last weekend was on the side-line with Ex Sligo manager Mickey Moran as the
attacking coach for Down senior champions Kilcoo as they reached the All-Ireland
club final.
In his session which take place next Saturday morning,
February 5, Gilligan will be focusing on the development of an attacking plan,
creating space and the taking of scores.
That session will be followed two weeks later, on the
evening of Monday 21st, by one with Meath senior team coach Colm
Nally. The innovative Nally has published a number of coaching guidebooks and hosts
his own You Tube channel to share drills and routines. His Sligo workshop will focus
on ‘developing skilful players and empowering player involvement in sessions’.
The third session will focus on the needs of goalkeepers and
will be led by Roscommon’s goalkeeping coach, Leo Tierney. Tierney, who has previously worked with both
gaelic football and soccer goalkeepers. He has played in goal for Ireland at
Junior international level and holds a UEFA Pro coaching licence. His session,
on the evening of Monday March 7 will look specially at ‘helping to include
goalkeepers in session and improving them technically’.
The final session on the weekend after St Patrick’s Day –
Saturday 19th – will feature the celebrated Waterford hurling
manager Derek McGrath who will be leading a workshop on developing, breaking
down and coaching a game plan.
Tickets for each session are available for €15 each are
available at https://www.klubfunder.com/Clubs/Sligo_GAA/EventRegistration
where there is also a package ticket of €50 to attend all four.