Gaelic football and Hurling positions
Encyclopedia
The following are the positions
in the Gaelic sports of Gaelic football
, hurling
and camogie
. Like rugby
and baseball
, and unlike soccer
, these have set positions which haven't changed in decades. In most cases, each player sticks firmly to his position, although players sometimes switch positions at the order of their coach, manager or captain.
Each team consists of one goalkeeper (who wears a different colour jersey), six backs, two mid fielders, and six forwards: fifteen players in all. Some under-age games are played 13-a-side (in which case the full back and full forward positions are removed) or 11-a-side (in which case the full back, centre back, centre forward and full forward positions are removed).
The positions are listed below, with the jersey number usually worn by players in that position given.
The role of a goalkeeper who wears the number 1 jersey in Gaelic games is similar to other codes; to prevent the ball from entering the goal. The goalkeeper in Gaelic football and hurling also usually has the role of kicking or pucking the ball out to the outfield players. A good goalkeeper most often has good agility and bravery as well as strength and height. In Gaelic football a keeper's shot stopping ability is of great importance. There is no limit to where on the field the goalkeeper can travel, although once they are outside of the penalty area, they are subject to the same rules as all other players. A goalkeeper in men's football may touch the ball on the ground within his own penalty area, and is the only player permitted to do so.
It is not permitted to physically challenge a goalkeeper while inside his own small parallelogram, but players may harass him into playing a bad pass, or block an attempted pass. The substitute goalkeeper usually wears the number 16 jersey and the third choice goalkeeper usually wears the number 31 jersey.
Sometimes referred to as right wing back.
Sometimes referred to as centre back.
Sometimes referred to as left wing back.
If the opposing goalkeeper is kicking the ball to the middle of the field, the midfielder has the responsibility to retrieve the ball and therefore prevent the opposing team from taking advantage and bringing the ball forward.This then gives a new responsibility to the midfielder to get the ball moving forward to the half forward and full forward lines. The position requires the player to have strength, speed, good catching ability, a good kicking game and, most importantly, endurance.
It is important for the midfield to have a good understanding of their goalkeeper. They must anticipate where their goalkeeper will place the ball and therefore take advantage and bring the ball forward.
Note that there is rarely a "left midfielder" and "right midfielder" - both play 'off' each other as a combined unit.
If one midfielder is attacking,the other usually drops back to defend. Both midfielders rarely attack or defend at the same time.
The role of the right half forward who wears the number 10 jersey is to build up attacks and to feed the ball to the full forward line and also taking shots on goal or above the bar when opportunities present themselves. The half forwards will cover a lot of ground and utilizing speedy half forwards to run at defences is a common tactic. The right half forward operates from the midfield to the opposition's 45 meter line. The right half forward's main opposing player is the left half back.
Sometimes referred to as right wing forward.
Sometimes referred to as centre forward.
Sometimes referred to as left wing forward.
The role of the right corner forward who wears the number 13 jersey is to score points and goals. The full forward line operates around the opposition's 21 metre line. The right corner forward is generally marked by the left corner back.
The role of the full forward who wears the number 14 jersey is to score goals in particular although points are usually the outcome of their attempts on goal. The full forward line operates around the opposition's 21 metre line. The full forward is generally marked by the full back.
It is common for teams to employ a tall full forward to pluck high balls from the sky and to challenge the size and strength of the full back. An excellent example is Kerry
's Kieran Donaghy
.
Position (team sports)
Position in team sports refers to the joint arrangement of a team on its field of play during a game and to the standardized place of any individual player in that arrangement. Much instruction, strategy, and reporting is organized by a set of individual player positions that is standard for the...
in the Gaelic sports of Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and camogie
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
. Like rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and unlike soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, these have set positions which haven't changed in decades. In most cases, each player sticks firmly to his position, although players sometimes switch positions at the order of their coach, manager or captain.
Each team consists of one goalkeeper (who wears a different colour jersey), six backs, two mid fielders, and six forwards: fifteen players in all. Some under-age games are played 13-a-side (in which case the full back and full forward positions are removed) or 11-a-side (in which case the full back, centre back, centre forward and full forward positions are removed).
The positions are listed below, with the jersey number usually worn by players in that position given.
Summary table
| No. | Position | Alternate name(s) | Irish Irish language Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goalkeeper | Goalie, Keeper | Cul Baire |
| 2 | Right corner back | Right full back | Lánchúlaí deas |
| 3 | Full back | Lánchúlaí láir | |
| 4 | Left corner back | Left full back | Lánchúlaí clé |
| 5 | Right half back | Right wing back | Leathchúlaí deas |
| 6 | Centre half back | Centre back | Leathchúlaí láir |
| 7 | Left half back | Left wing back | Leathchúlaí clé |
| 8 & 9 | Midfielders | Centre-field | Lár na páirce |
| 10 | Right half forward | Right wing forward | Leatosaí deas |
| 11 | Centre half forward | Centre forward | Leatosaí láir |
| 12 | Left half forward | Left wing forward | Leatosaí clé |
| 13 | Right corner forward | Right full forward | Lántosaí deas |
| 14 | Full forward | Lántosaí láir | |
| 15 | Left corner forward | Left full forward | Lántosaí clé |
| 16+ | Substitutes | Subs | Fir ionad / Mná ionad |
Goalkeeper
The role of a goalkeeper who wears the number 1 jersey in Gaelic games is similar to other codes; to prevent the ball from entering the goal. The goalkeeper in Gaelic football and hurling also usually has the role of kicking or pucking the ball out to the outfield players. A good goalkeeper most often has good agility and bravery as well as strength and height. In Gaelic football a keeper's shot stopping ability is of great importance. There is no limit to where on the field the goalkeeper can travel, although once they are outside of the penalty area, they are subject to the same rules as all other players. A goalkeeper in men's football may touch the ball on the ground within his own penalty area, and is the only player permitted to do so.
It is not permitted to physically challenge a goalkeeper while inside his own small parallelogram, but players may harass him into playing a bad pass, or block an attempted pass. The substitute goalkeeper usually wears the number 16 jersey and the third choice goalkeeper usually wears the number 31 jersey.
Right Corner Back
The role of the right Corner Back who wears the number 2 jersey is to defend against opposing attackers, in particular the left corner forward. The right corner back will play most around the 20 metre line. The position of the right corner back requires that the player have decent speed over short bursts and good hand eye co-ordination. Endurance and strength are unnecessary, although agility of the player is required. In playing either Corner Back positions a well-developed aerobic system is required although anaerobic endurance is not.Full Back
The role of full back who wears the number 3 jersey is one of the most important in Gaelic football or hurling. As well as defending against attackers, the Full Back is responsible for organizing the defence and is the key defender in front of goals, and is usually one of the tallest and strongest players on the team. The full back plays most often around the 20 metre line. The position of the full back requires that the player have decent speed over short bursts, strength, and good hand eye co-ordination. In playing either cornerback or full back positions a well-developed aerobic system is required although, unlike the corner backs, the full back is needed to make short burst sprints both away from and into the goal area.Left Corner Back
The role of the left Corner Back who wears the number 4 jersey is to defend against opposing attackers, in particular the right corner forward. The left corner back will play most often around the 20 metre line. The position of the left corner back requires that the player be have decent speed over short bursts and good hand eye co-ordination. Endurance and strength are unnecessary, although agility of the player is required. In playing either Corner Back positions a well-developed aerobic system is required although anaerobic endurance is not.Right Half Back
The role of the right half back who wears the number 5 jersey is less defensive than that of the corner backs. The right half backs operate most often in between the 45 metre line and the midfield. The right half backs are expected to defend against the opposition's half forward line but also has a responsibility to make runs from the 45 metre line in order to advance the play to the half forward and full forward lines.Sometimes referred to as right wing back.
Centre Half Back
The role of the centre half back who wears the number 6 jersey, is less defensive than that of the full back. The centre backs operates from the 45 metre line and forward to the midfield. The centre back will help win the breaking ball in the midfield and can be used as a 3rd midfielder. The centre half back generally marks the centre half forward.Sometimes referred to as centre back.
Left Half Back
The role of the left half back who wears the number 7 jersey is less defensive than that of the corner backs. The left half backs operate most often in between the 45 metre line and the midfield. The left half backs are expected to defend against the opposition's half forward line but also has a responsibility to make runs from the 45 meter line in order to advance the play to the half forward and full forward lines.Sometimes referred to as left wing back.
Midfield
The role of the midfield who wears the number 8 or 9 jersey is to catch kick outs / puck outs (fielding) from either team's goalkeeper, and to act as the main link between the defending and attacking sections of the team. Midfield is often described as the most important role on the pitch.If the opposing goalkeeper is kicking the ball to the middle of the field, the midfielder has the responsibility to retrieve the ball and therefore prevent the opposing team from taking advantage and bringing the ball forward.This then gives a new responsibility to the midfielder to get the ball moving forward to the half forward and full forward lines. The position requires the player to have strength, speed, good catching ability, a good kicking game and, most importantly, endurance.
It is important for the midfield to have a good understanding of their goalkeeper. They must anticipate where their goalkeeper will place the ball and therefore take advantage and bring the ball forward.
Note that there is rarely a "left midfielder" and "right midfielder" - both play 'off' each other as a combined unit.
If one midfielder is attacking,the other usually drops back to defend. Both midfielders rarely attack or defend at the same time.
Right Half Forward
The role of the right half forward who wears the number 10 jersey is to build up attacks and to feed the ball to the full forward line and also taking shots on goal or above the bar when opportunities present themselves. The half forwards will cover a lot of ground and utilizing speedy half forwards to run at defences is a common tactic. The right half forward operates from the midfield to the opposition's 45 meter line. The right half forward's main opposing player is the left half back.
Sometimes referred to as right wing forward.
Centre Half Forward
The role of the centre forward (often called "centre half forward") who wears the number 11 jersey, is to build up attacks and feed the ball to the full forward line. The centre half forward is responsible for taking shots on goal and points when opportunities present themselves. The centre forwards will cover a lot of ground and utilizing speedy half forwards to run at defences is a common tactic. The centre forward also helps win breaking ball in the midfield, helping to win the possession in order to bring the ball forward. The centre half forward operates from the midfield to the opposition's 45 metre line.Sometimes referred to as centre forward.
Left Half Forward
The role of the left half forward who wears the number 12 jersey is to build up attacks and to feed the ball to the full forward line and also taking shots on goal or above the bar when opportunities present themselves. The half forwards will cover a lot of ground and utilizing speedy half forwards to run at defences is a common tactic. The left half forward operates from the midfield to the opposition's 45 metre line. The left half forwards main opposing player is the right half back.Sometimes referred to as left wing forward.
Right Corner Forward
The role of the right corner forward who wears the number 13 jersey is to score points and goals. The full forward line operates around the opposition's 21 metre line. The right corner forward is generally marked by the left corner back.
Full Forward
The role of the full forward who wears the number 14 jersey is to score goals in particular although points are usually the outcome of their attempts on goal. The full forward line operates around the opposition's 21 metre line. The full forward is generally marked by the full back.
It is common for teams to employ a tall full forward to pluck high balls from the sky and to challenge the size and strength of the full back. An excellent example is Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
's Kieran Donaghy
Kieran Donaghy
Kieran Donaghy is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Kerry. Donaghy has won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, two Munster Championships and a National League title with the county. He has also been awarded two All Stars.He plays his club football for Austin Stacks in...
.