GAA: McGrath: My boys fit the bill

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Oct 9, 2005 | by PAUL KEANE

IRELAND boss Pete McGrath reckons his amateur GAA players have 'closed the fitness gap' on their highly-paid professional International Rules opponents.

McGrath made the amazing statement in advance of this year's Rules series with Australia in Perth and Melbourne on October 21 and 28.

Ireland will head Down Under as holders of the Cormac McAnallen Cup knowing that the Aussies are poised for revenge on their home turf.

One key concern ahead of every series is that the fitness of the professional Aussies will prove too strong.

In the past, Ireland have found the going difficult in the energy sapping third and fourth quarters, particularly when they last lost a series in Australia in 2003.

But McGrath said: "The difference in fitness levels has been narrowed to the most miniscule of proportions.

"When you consider that a lot of our players come in from the semi-finals and final of the All-Ireland championship fitness won't be a problem.

"We'll have to top up on it obviously with regular sessions over there, but there won't be a huge disparity.

"The fitness levels of gaelic footballers is a lot higher than it was 10 or even five years ago.

"Our lads are professionals in everything but name now."

McGrath said that a recent fitness study conducted at Dublin City University showed 'very high levels of fitness' in his panel more akin to full-time sportsmen.

As such, they've been concentrating almost exclusively on ball work and mastering the skills of the hybrid game.

Interestingly, the Aussies are set to change things around and adopt a more mobile strategy for the near sell-out series.

McGrath added: "The word is that their manager, Kevin Sheedy, is going for a more agile player than in the past.

"He's obviously looking for a way to deal with our mobility and that's his perogative.

"From what Tadhg Kennelly (Former Kerry star) has told me they're going with smaller players than usual too though I wouldn't expect any of them to be midgets."

McGrath's 27-man Ireland panel trained as usual on Friday night and yesterday morning in Dublin.

Having been ruled out of the series with an ankle problem, Kennelly was a high-profile absentee from actual training.

But the Premiership-winning Sydney Swans star made the trip to Dublin nevertheless to appraise McGrath and the Irish team of what to expect from the Aussies.