Rory Beggan predicts goalkeepers will soon be scoring from play
Tuesday 23 October 2018 17:55, UK
Monaghan's Rory Beggan predicts that goalkeepers scoring from play in Gaelic football will become a more regular occurrence.
With the tactical evolution of Gaelic football continuing to rumble on, the role of the goalkeeper has become so much more than just a shot-stopper. Kick-outs have become a foundation for teams' attacks, while 2018 saw the rise to prominence of 'fly keepers'.
Graham Brody of Laois and Rory Beggan of Monaghan are two who have led the way in this regard by bursting forward, and the Farney net-minder says that it is growing into the sport.
"I think there's a lot more goalkeepers doing it at club level," said the Scotstown keeper. "Too many keepers are doing it but there is obviously a line that you don't cross in terms of goalkeeping. Your main job is to protect the goal.
"Goalkeepers can play football too. A lot of intercounty goalkeepers play outfield for their clubs. It would not be any new territory for them to go up and kick a point.
"I think you're going to see in the next year or two that some goalkeepers are going to start scoring. I think it is inevitable but I think it's adventurous. I enjoyed watching Graham Brody this year. I think he single-handedly brought them back into the game against Wexford.
"When he did it they stuck him in at corner forward at one stage but if teams want to use it it's an option. Keepers are never marked so give them the ball."
Beggan knows from personal experience that goalkeepers scoring from play is realistic.
"I scored a point in a club game two years ago against Clontibret. Literally no one came to me so I just kept going and I got close enough so I just kicked it. I haven't got back to that level since!"
There could be a major change to kick-outs coming down the tracks with the proposed new rules, but Beggan made it clear that he's not a fan.
"I just don't understand why they had to change the kick-out or change rules around the kick-out. The standard of goalkeeping has went up in Ireland over the last number of years. You can see keepers are so confident in where to hit it and I think it's a skill in itself because you're hitting a player 30 yards away on the chest.
"I don't feel that kick-outs have to go 45 yards long anymore. I don't understand. Like are we going to go back to breaking ball all the time now? Is it going to go back to lumping it down the field?
"But I think teams are going to be smart enough now to put two small fast players in the middle of the field and try and get them to take kick outs on the run."
The Farney star stressed that the game is ever-evolving, and says that long kick-outs will come in naturally.
"I think it's more effective. Obviously if you're winning kick-outs further up the field you're cutting out the players that will drop back, cutting out defensive systems and then you have a better chance at scoring.
"That's why you see Tyrone with Niall Morgan go a lot longer, Kildare you would see in the Fermanagh game, and you can see the effectiveness it has. Donegal especially against Derry in the championship this year. I think they hit a couple of monster kick outs over the top and they got goals and points off it.
"I think it will evolve. It will eventually come back to the kick-outs going longer and I think we have to wait for that."
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