Every forward needs to be able to win their own ball.
At inter-county level anyway. At club level, a skilful hurler who doesn’t win much primary possession might just get away with it. The hurling is a little bit slower, they’ll find themselves space easier and balls will be thrown out to them every now and again.
A man could have four or five points to his name without actually winning a hard ball himself. Teams can afford a luxury player who doesn’t have the knack of winning himself possession at club level, but when it comes to the cauldron of intensity that is an inter-county game of hurling, no such quarters can be surrendered.
Aaron Gillane was one of the best forwards in the country this year. The Patrickswell club man got people talking about him after a few blistering displays in Limerick’s League campaign.
He was racking up big scores which is always a good sign but anybody present at those Treaty games earlier in the year knew well that he was going to make it when it mattered.
Not only was Gillane picking off points, he was also winning his one-on-one duels with his markers. He was catching high balls over their heads before running rings around them. He was coming out of rucks and setting up scores or sticking hard earned points over the bar himself if he ever got the chance.
Against Clare in the semi-final, the 21-year-old embarked on a one-man destruction of the Clare back line. His goal, after he soared high over the head of Conor Cleary was a clear example of that.
Aaron Gillane rattles the net, Goal for Limerick! pic.twitter.com/wMlqdu5zab
— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 19, 2018
It continued into the championship when he completed an aerial domination of the normally aerially dominant Paddy Deegan.
Aaron Gillane makes a tremendous catch and kicks a superb shot towards goal only for Eoin Murphy to pull off a top corner save. Watch the highlights at 9.30pm @rte2 tonight #RTEGAA #GAA pic.twitter.com/2ZGOoQZtBs
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 15, 2018
Aaron Gillane gets the point after a superb save from Kilkenny's Eoin Murphy! pic.twitter.com/eo7brTdy8y
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 15, 2018
Catching high balls is one of the most challenging skills in the game. It takes bravery, timing, skill and much more. When pulled off effectively, as is shown by the above videos of Gillane, it’s the game’s most beautiful skill. A clean catch also lifts a team and the momentum it gives the crowd and teammates can’t be understated.
We were chatting to Gillane recently as he picked up his PwC player of the month award, and he told us that it was a skill he had to work hard on to perfect.
“It is something that I worked on. I would never have been that strong at it growing up,” he said.
His club man, the Limerick legend Ciaran Carey gave him some advice and a technique to follow.
“It’s something that Ciarán Carey – he used to be over us in my first or second year playing senior, he just pulled me aside – I was a tall enough young fella – he just showed me this technique. It kind of took off from there – it was working so I said I’d keep doing it. “
It’s all about coming in late, coming in with momentum and coming in with purpose.
“I’m not sure really, just judgment – waiting for the ball to land. There’s no point being stuck in between five or six people and trying to catch the ball. I just come in at the last minute and try to catch it. It’s working at the minute but after saying this now people are going to know,” he laughed.
Look where that technique got Ronan Maher at the weekend.
What a finish from Ronan Maher! @thurlessars @TipperaryGAA @TippFMSport @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/nFktkHbOhL
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 2, 2018
Jackie Tyrrell expertly analysed how Gillane does that earlier on this year in his Irish Times column.
“He loves to float in behind the defence and come from the defenders’ blind spot, using the defenders’ body to lean on and catch the ball while holding down his marker. His body position is side-on so the defender won’t catch him when he catches the ball – he is always rotating his body in mid-air towards the goal and pushing the defender away,” wrote the Kilkenny man.
And that’s how you catch a ball.
