Cork head of games development Niall Twomey delighted with strength of new coaching set-up

The coming year will see a new coaching structure in place in Cork as a system featuring an expanded roster of 14 games development co-ordinators (GDCs) is put in place.

Niall Twomey, appointed as the county’s head of games development last summer, immediately set about filling the new roles that were to be allocated as the coaching template evolved.

“There were previously six GDAs,” he says, “and it was a very onerous task, when you look at the size of the county and the number of clubs there.

“It was acknowledged by Croke Park that there was a need to bring in a new coaching model across the county, where there will be one GDC for approximately every ten clubs.

“That same template is going to apply all over the country and obviously Cork were going to benefit strongly from that.

“Straightaway, what we did was advertise for nine new positions for games development co-ordinators. A lot of our time was involved in interviewing and recruiting. We have a total of 14 GDCs now and each one of them will be assigned to a specific part of the county from early January.

“The 14 coaches will have ten teams each and that will bring great clarity to everything.”

Twomey succeeded Kevin O’Callaghan, who had taken up a role at MTU Cork. The changeover coincided with the evolution of the coaching template and the two-time county SFC winner with Bantry Blues was very impressed with the strength of the applications received.

“Kevin did an outstanding job,” Twomey says.

“It’s a similar role but working from that new template and with additional resources and additional funding – one, to employ new coaches and, secondly, to be able to go to the clubs and say that we have the ability to meet a club 50-50 if they’re looking to put in additional primary school coaches or if three or four clubs wanted to come together in a rural area.

“We have the funding to provide the additional coaching resources.

“We were really very pleasantly surprised with the number of applicants and the quality of candidates that we had.

“Now, we have a really high-quality team of coaches in Cork GAA and each one of them has their own experience, their own background.”

An extensive recruitment process has ended with a strong portfolio of coaches covering the whole county. The 14 GDCs operating in Cork now are: Colm Crowley (Killeagh/Glenbower Rovers), Paudie Crowley (O'donovan Rossa), Mick Daly (Nemo Rangers), Colm Finnan (Ballyhooly), Seán Gleeson (Tallow, Co. Waterford), Michael Hennessy (Fermoy), James McCarthy (Castlehaven), Niall McIntyre (Newcestown), Ciarán O’Brien (St Ita’s), Paudie O’Brien (Midleton), Cian O’Connor (Grenagh), Fachtna O’Connor (Cullen), Pat Spratt (Buttevant), Brendan Delaney (Killeagh).

The wide spectrum of GDCs, coupled with the geographical spread and varied past experiences, will ensure a shared pool of knowledge that should have many benefits.

“We’ve guys who have been doing the job for 15 or 16 years,” Twomey says, “and we have people coming in after being coaches for clubs, colleges and schools and are now getting an opportunity as a full-time coach.

“The big focus of our training over the last month or two has been to develop the teamwork and to put together a plan for coaching in the county as well.

“The role of the GDC is about developing sustainable clubs, focused across the whole spectrum of games and development.

“That means from nurseries through primary schools and secondary schools and developing club coaches too, giving them the skills and the tools to increase their knowledge.

“We’re also involved with the county academy squads, bringing a standard coaching structure there from U13 up to U20. Our remit covers all games and coaching across Cork GAA and what we have found is that the quality and calibre of the coaches now is absolutely top-class.”

That means that everything is in place for a positive impact from the off in 2024, Twomey feels.

“I think we’ll be able to hit the ground running,” he says.

“We’ve already done interviews for additional schools coaches in urban areas. That’s one sector that Croke Park have looked at – large towns or city areas, we’re looking to increase participation rates there, so more coaches will be put in there.

“One of our big priorities is to increase participation and retention. Particularly in post-schools, we feel that you’ll always have your top team there – your first 15 or first 20 – but there may be limited opportunities after that. It’s not just Cork, but that happens all over the country.

“All of your club players are in post-primary schools but a lot of them don’t get the opportunity to play in a school team. What we’d be looking to do is play regional blitzes, games and tournaments, so if you’ve a hundred kids in first year, you can get two or three teams out.

“There are other coaching projects that would have been looked at, as well, such as developing hurling in West Cork and using the GDCs to work with the club coaches in these areas. That allows the game experience of these young players to keep on going up, level by level.

“Another main priority is to develop the club coaches and put in good structures within the clubs so that in the long-term they’ll be self-sustainable and we’ll just be guiding them along from the rear.”