Reproduced with permission from Action81

IT’S BEEN A, a very long while, since the provincial deciders but it’s finally time for the All-Ireland Club Football semi-finals. Emmet Ryan previews the weekend’s clashes, Crossmaglen’s battle with Dr Crokes and the Athlone derby between St Brigid’s and Garrycastle.

More in common than you think

The Athlone derby sees Connacht champions St Brigid’s battle Garrycastle, who won their first Leinster title in December. The natural storyline in this game surrounds the familiarity these two teams have with one another, including seven Dolan cousins, despite never previously playing each other competitively.

This column will however focus on their notable similarities on the field.

For the second game in a row Garrycastle are in a game where both they and their opponents have a reputation as slow starters. It was the Leinster champions who began better last time out, dominating possession early to take control against St Brigid’s of Dublin.

Dessie Dolan was, to no-one’s surprise, the core architect of an attack that created room with speed. Garrycastle however struggled to create scoring opportunities against the Dublin champions in the second half. The disconnect between their lines, forced by Brigid’s switch to long ball tactics left them floundering in efforts to build attacks.

They had a similar problem in the first half of the Westmeath final replay against Mullingar Shamrocks.

Interestingly it was the same switch made by Garrycastle against Shamrocks that aided St Brigid’s of Kiltoom to overcome Corofin in the Connacht final. Having struggled to cover on the counter in the first half, Brigid’s narrowed the field after the break to great success. By moving play in off the wings and dropping deeper in defence, the Connacht champions were able to use their superior passing game to work the ball through the middle and create higher percentage chances.

Crossmaglen’s Aaron Cunningham. INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard

Neither Brigid’s nor Garrycastle will win this game with low percentage scores. These are two teams heavily reliant on getting the ball in optimal scoring position.

Expect scores, lots of scores

The other semi-final features two of the more attack-minded teams on the island square off. Crossmaglen and Dr Crokes both know how to rack up points and they seem well designed to target one another’s defensive frailties.

Crossmaglen’s approach is essentially an attacking interpretation of swarm tactics. This is not the Jogo Bonito of Brazil in 1982, the relentless pace down the flanks is more reminiscent of Gareth Bale’s runs. The overwhelming nature of the Ulster champions’ attack sees Crossmaglen regularly have 10 men deployed in their opponents’ half while going forward. Unlike St Pat’s in the Louth final replay, this tactic is designed with a swarm back to defence in mind.

Getting players back on the counter is far from a perfect art and Dr Crokes have an attack not dissimilar to the Ballinderry line-up that gave Cross headaches in the Ulster semi-final. Colm Cooper’s reliability as a scorer is a significant asset but he also plays a major role in creating attacks for the Munster champions.

He will be vital in this respect tomorrow as the Kerry champions will likely need to post a significant tally on the scoreboard to be in with a shout at full time.

The verdict

I regularly provide a health warning that these columns are about analysing the way teams play and not providing tips for bettors. This weekend’s warning is particularly apt as I got my predictions for both semi-finals wrong last year.

I don’t expect long balls to plague Garrycastle in Pearse Park on Saturday, chiefly because St Brigid’s play far better when they don’t use them. The big concern I have for the Leinster champions is their difficulty adapting when forced wide. St Brigid’s of Dublin limited Garrycastle’s forwards by forcing them wide, pushing them outside their comfort zone for shooting. St Brigid’s of Kiltoom enjoyed similar success when taking the same approach against Corofin and still succeeded in switching play inside when they had pressed forward.

In what I expect to be the tighter of the two games, I see St Brigid’s progressing.

Which defence adapts best will be a telling factor in Portlaoise. Crossmaglen’s approach, while far from invulnerable, has proven nightmare for every defence they have faced. Teams that can counter quickly have kept games closest on the scoreboard but it may take a team that can force the Armagh giants out of their conventional approach to beat them.

I can’t see Dr Crokes succeeding in that regard and that’s why I’m picking Crossmaglen to win in Portlaoise.