Coach's Lab with John Murphy

Free Youth Athletic Development Programme + 5-Day Email Course: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/a441db6d48Weekly Coaching Email List: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773How do we combine strength, speed, skill, and decision-making in a way that actually transfers to the game? In this episode, I chat with Stephen Casey, an S&C coach and skill acquisition practitioner working across GAA and rugby, to explore the messy reality of performance.We discuss:• Why siloed training often fails to improve match performance• Agility as a decision-making challenge, not a cone drill• When strength work improves kicking… and when it won’t• Using constraints to improve skill, agility & game understanding• Why racing & chasing develops speed better than most drills• KPIs (MAS, CMJ, 0–10m, GPS) — useful or misleading?• How to design games that develop physical, technical & tactical qualities• The importance of individualising training instead of chasing generic numbersA brilliant episode for any coach trying to blend S&C, skill acquisition and game-based coaching into one coherent model.

Join Paul Kilgannon, a seasoned coach developer and performance consultant, as he dives into the essence of effective coaching. He discusses the power of simplicity in coaching, how to balance tools and skills, and the importance of self-awareness. Paul emphasizes creating a reflective practice around personal values and adapting coaching to context. He also highlights the significance of psychological safety in backroom teams and the need for enjoyment and energy in coaching roles. If you’re looking to enhance your coaching philosophy, this conversation is a goldmine!

Shane Keegan, a UEFA Pro Licence coach and former League of Ireland manager, shares his insights on coaching principles that GAA coaches can adopt from professional soccer. The discussion covers effective session design focused on clear objectives and the importance of player communication. Shane emphasizes 'repetition without repetition' for skill development and explores how to use analysis and data to shape training. He also advocates for building strong relationships with players, contrasting one-on-one interactions with traditional team talks.

Lorcan Daly, a researcher at TUS specializing in youth athletic development, dives deep into the fitness profiles of underage GAA players. He discusses how ten years of data from county development squads informs coaching practices. Key topics include the ethics of using body composition data, the importance of monitoring growth and training exposure, and the nuances of interpreting positional differences. Lorcan highlights that speed, mass, and biological maturity play crucial roles in player performance, urging a balanced approach to player development.

Sign up for my free weekly GAA coaching insights here:👉 https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773📹 Related video: How to Blend Games with Runs in GAA Conditioning👉 https://youtu.be/ku7lN2W5T8k?si=fbyb3VEds6BKi7tz📸 Follow Cian O’Dea on Instagram:👉 @cianodea_sc💼 Learn about my Youth S&C Consultancy Services:👉 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WyrxfpBLkpQDXeS1SqevwohFmEtOq_xFtW9s6W5FOnU/edit?usp=sharingIn this episode of Coach’s Lab, Dr John Murphy is joined by Cian O’Dea — Strength & Conditioning coach, Coach Education Manager, and PhD researcher — to discuss the physical and tactical impact of a Games-Based Approach in Gaelic Games.Cian shares findings from his research on how different game formats influence fitness, speed, and decision-making, and how coaches can build sessions that are both engaging and physically demanding.We chat about:🏐 Designing games that develop skill and conditioning🧠 Blending small-sided and large-sided formats for different outcomes🔁 When and how to include top-up running outside games📊 The physiological demands revealed through Cian’s studies🎯 Practical takeaways for coaches balancing realism, fun, and load managementWhether you’re a GAA coach, S&C practitioner, or PE teacher, this conversation offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help you get more from every session.Follow Coach’s Lab for weekly conversations on Gaelic Games, coaching, sports science, and athletic development.#GAA #StrengthAndConditioning #GamesBasedApproach #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #SportsScience #GaelicFootball #Hurling

Sign up for my free weekly GAA coaching insights here:👉 https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773In this episode of Coach’s Lab, Dr John Murphy is joined by Donnacha Mulcahy, Lecturer in Strength & Conditioning at TUS and S&C Coach with the Tipperary Senior Hurling and Football teams.Donnacha has worked across GAA, rugby, and schools rugby systems, giving him a unique view of what connects and separates elite sport, youth development, and coach education in Ireland.Together we discuss:🏋️‍♂️ Integrating new players into adult panels and managing different training ages📊 Monitoring load, jump testing, and profiling in intercounty squads⚡ Preparing underage athletes for the physical demands of senior sport🔄 Lessons GAA can learn from rugby’s structured coach-education model🤝 How to balance theory, experience, and enjoyment in S&C🧠 Why “keeping it simple” often delivers the best resultsDonnacha’s blend of academic insight and on-the-ground coaching experience makes this one a must-listen for anyone serious about athlete development in Gaelic Games.Follow Coach’s Lab for more conversations on Gaelic Games, coaching, youth development, and applied sports science.#GAA #StrengthAndConditioning #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #SportsScience #GaelicFootball #Hurling

📩 Sign up for my free weekly GAA coaching insights here:👉 https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773Follow Stephen Walsh:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sw_elite/🏋️ Atlas High Performance Gym: https://www.atlashpc.ie/In this episode of Coach’s Lab, I’m joined by Stephen Walsh – S&C coach and owner of Atlas High Performance in Limerick. Stephen works with athletes across 14+ sports, from GAA to soccer, Irish dancing to golf, and shares how he applies simple, effective training principles to very different contexts.We cover:🏋️ Stephen’s gym session framework and why it works across multiple sports⚡ The balance between general athletic development and sport-specific training👟 Practical examples: sprint prep, plyos, loaded jumps, strength & resilience work📈 How to individualise training without overcomplicating it🤝 The role of collaboration, coach education, and creating sustainable pathways for athletes and coachesWhether you’re a coach, athlete, or parent, you’ll take away practical ideas for structuring sessions, avoiding over-specialisation, and building athletic qualities that transfer to the pitch (or stage).🔔 Don’t forget to follow the show for more conversations on Gaelic Games, S&C, coaching, and youth development.#GAA #StrengthAndConditioning #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #SportsScience

Weekly GAA Coaching insights (my list): https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773Philip’s newsletter (skill acquisition + practice design): https://mrtenniscoach.substack.com/How do players really develop skill in Gaelic Games? In this episode, Skill Acquisition expert Philip O’Callaghan joins me to unpack the science and practice of learning.We explore:Why skills are best understood as problem-solvingHow to design training that truly represents the gameThe Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) explained in plain languageWhen to use opposed vs unopposed practiceIsolating “slices” of the game to accelerate learningPhilip shares practical examples coaches can apply straight away — from shaping small-sided games to tweaking constraints that bring skills to life.If you coach Hurling or Gaelic Football, this conversation gives you a clear framework to design sessions that create smarter, more adaptable players.#GAA #Coaching #SkillAcquisition #ConstraintsLedApproach #EcologicalDynamics #PracticeDesign

👉 Sign up for weekly GAA Coaching insights here: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773Agility is more than just running around cones. In this episode, I chat with Paul Talty — S&C coach and PhD researcher on Change of Direction and Agility in Gaelic Games.We cover:The real difference between change of direction and agilityWhy decision-making and anticipation matter as much as speedKey findings from Paul’s research on Gaelic FootballHow coaches can prepare players for sharp cuts, turns and 1v1 battlesPaul has coached with the Mayo Senior Footballers, worked across top GAA clubs, and spent 5 years as Head of Performance with Swim Ireland, travelling to two Olympic Games.This episode blends science, coaching, and practical takeaways for anyone serious about improving agility in Hurling or Football.#GAA #Coaching #Agility #StrengthAndConditioning

How do All-Ireland winning GAA players actually fuel themselves — not just with protein and carbs, but with the habits, systems and support that make eating well possible?In this episode of Coach’s Lab, I chat with John O’Connor (Target Nutritionist & Kerry Senior Football nutritionist) about how he helps players eat better in real-world environments.We discuss:Why behaviour change is more important than nutrition factsBuilding structures & routines that stickThe role of caterers, coaches, physios & parents in fuelling playersPractical, low-budget ideas for clubs to improve post-training nutritionHelping young players and families build long-term eating habitsThis isn’t about grams of protein or fancy supplements — it’s about realistic strategies coaches, parents, and players can use to make nutrition work.Join my free email list for weekly coaching, nutrition & performance tips in GAA: ⁠https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773⁠You can find john on Instagram: @target.nutrition