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Five Ulster GAA superstars who could really shine under radical rule changes
The game of Gaelic football appears to be changing radically and the truth is, no-one really knows what the new football rules will bring next year, after they were voted in, en masse at last weekend's GAA Special Congress.
Some things we can say for sure though, are that the game will be faster and it’s going to suit long range shooters.
Jim McGuinness' Donegal look well placed to take advantage of the two point scoring arc, with long range kickers like Michael Langan, Oisin Gallen, Michael Murphy, Patrick McBrearty and Ciaran Thompson. It may also suit Galway, with Shane Walsh and Paul Conroy.
Read next: “Something had to change” - Derry star Shane McGuigan ‘excited’ by new Gaelic football rules
Although, with a different type of game, will it be inside forwards or players further out the field getting those long range shooting opportunities. It may also suit the outside of the left kings like Tom O’Sullivan and Aidan Forker.
Here, we rank the 10 players we believe could be the 40 metre, two point arc kings in next year's All-Ireland series and there are five Ulster players who could really shine.
1. Rian O’Neill (Armagh): No-one has more power from long range than O’Neill or makes shooting from long range look so easy. His second half point against Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final was out of this world.
The Crossmaglen man is now playing the vast majority of his football out the field and looks set to take full advantage of the new rule.
2. Michael Langan (Donegal): Only second to O’Neill (in our eyes) for his ability to ease the ball over the bar from a long way out.
His four points from play against Galway in this year’s All-Ireland semi-final were outrageous. Each was better than what went before and all four would have been worth two points apiece under the new rules.
3. Paul Conroy (Galway): How long the 35 year old can keep going is the only question, but this rule looks made for the current Footballer of the Year.
Conroy was the Championship’s top scorer from play with 2-14 from midfield. He had a whopping 29 shots and continually found those little pockets that Galway were so good at creating, to arc over from 40 metre plus.
4. David Clifford (Kerry): A different type of shooter than the three above him, as he's an inside forward and generally comes on the loop rather than onto the ball.
It means he doesn’t have the same volume of long range shots. No doubt about his accuracy off both feet and ability to get shots off quickly though. The double Footballer of the Year could be spending more time further out the field this year.
5. Shane Walsh (Galway): Galway almost won the All-Ireland this year and have been in two of the last three finals. They have two shooters in the top five here. Maybe the two point arc might be the key to getting them over the line.
No-one has a truer strike of the ball off either foot than Walsh, but getting and keeping him fit will be key. He's good enough to score from both sidelines.
6. Ruairi Canavan (Tyrone): It could be argued that this high a rating is a little premature, but Canavan’s big boot, shoot on sight policy and ability to kick over blocks mean this rule is made for him.
Unlike his older brother, Darragh who loves to duck and weave, Ruairi is a more conventional shooter. He gets on the ball a lot and gets plenty of shots off from long range.
7. Paul Mannion (Dublin): Maybe it’s Dublin’s tendency to work higher percentage scores, coming from the Jim Gavin days, but with his county Mannion doesn’t tend to pull the trigger from way out.
The zone Mannion scores from all the time on the right cutting in on his left is borderline arc. We could see him shooting from further out next year, as he’s certainly shown he can do it with Kilmacud Crokes.
8. Shane McGuigan (Derry): Good enough to be Slaughtneil’s man of the match in the Ulster club hurling final yesterday, he has other priorities right now.
But the arc will be right up his street. His scores are often closer to goal, but like Mannion he’s smart enough to work his shots a little further out now to gain double the impact.
9. Oisin Gallen (Donegal): Similar to McGuigan and Clifford, an inside forward who floats out the field to get his shots off, and like the aforementioned he gets a lot of shots away. All three will certainly be working on adding a yard or two to the range they’re comfortable from with the payout so high.
Gallen is two footed as well, which adds to his threat and the volume of shots he takes. Had some big first halves this year. Will be looking to sustain that for longer next year.
10. Diarmuid Murtagh (Roscommon): One of the most accurate point scorers in the game for a number of years now, this rule will suit him down to the ground.
Has become adept at moving out the field and finding space. His accuracy and scoring power is increasing all the time. The arc will suit Roscommon, who aren’t a big goal threat bar Enda Smith, but have big boot shooters like Murtagh, Daire Cregg and Conor Cox.
10 WILD CARDS:
10 more serious long range shooters here, who could exploit the two point arc: Oisin O’Neill (Armagh), Lachlan Murray (Derry), Conor Cox (Roscommon), Ciaran Thompson (Donegal), Conor McManus (Monaghan), Patrick McBrearty (Donegal), Darren McCurry (Tyrone), Sam Mulroy (Louth), Michael Murphy (Donegal) and Paddy Lynch (Cavan).
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