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O’Neills Ulster GAA Coaching Conference 2025

The 20th annual O’Neill’s Ulster GAA Coaching and Games Development Conference will take place on Saturday 18th January 2025 at the Ulster University, Jordanstown.

The theme of this year’s conference will focus on ‘Effective Coaching Practice’. The conference will feature a host of theoretical and practical workshops delivered by coaches from across the family of Gaelic Games with lots of interesting takeaways for all involved.

With Thomas Niblock (BBC NI Sport) as MC, the event will commence with a keynote address by Ireland’s most famous ladies’ footballer, Cora Staunton. Cora has not only been a huge success in Ireland, but crossed the world to successfully compete for Greater Western Sydney Giants. An accomplished soccer and rugby player, Cora is also a coach and has been involved with the Ballina men’s senior footballers. With four All Ireland and three National League titles to accompany her nine All Star Awards and a place on the TG4 Team of the Decade, Cora certainly has a unique story to tell.

Other guests will include:

Anthony Daly (former Clare All-Ireland winning captain) and the new National Head of Hurling Willie Maher
Colm Nally (Inter-county coach) – Practical Session on ‘Coaching and The New Rules’
Philip Kerr (GAA Coach, tutor & author) – Practical Session on ‘The Three Friends of Attack’
Michael McShane (Former Slaughtneil & Tyrone hurling coach) – Practical Session – ‘Developing Intensity in your Coaching Session’
Jack Cooney (GAA National Player Development Lead) – Practical Session on ‘Systems of Play’
Brendan Murphy (Antrim Head of Athletic Performance) – Athletic Development for Club Players
Terence O’Hara (Former performance analyst with Leicester City FC) – Linking Analysis to the Club Coaching Session Plans
Chat with the Swim Ireland Olympic High Performance Team members from a GAA background – Sharon Madigan (Science Lead Team Ireland, Head of Performance Nutrition at Sport Ireland Institute), Kevin McGuigan (Head of Performance Analysis) & Paul Talty (Associate Head of Performance Services)

Check out the 2025 O’Neill’s Ulster GAA Coaching and Games Development Conference itinerary below:

8.30am	Registration – Tea/Coffee (3G Indoor Hall)
9.15pm	Welcome (Main Hall)
9.30am	Keynote Address 1 (Main Hall) Cora Staunton
10.15am	Practical 1 (3G Indoor Hall) Colm Nally – Coaching The New Football Rules
11am	Football Practical (3G Sports Hall)	Workshop (Commercial Block 1)	Workshop (Commercial Block 2)
	Philip Kerr – Three Friends In Attack’	Terrence O’Hara – Linking Analysis to Coaching Session Plans	Brendan Murphy – Athletic Development for Club Players
11.45am	Hurling Practical (3G Sports Hall)	Workshop (repeat) (Commercial Block 1)	Workshop (repeat) (Commercial Block 2)
	Michael McShane – ‘Developing Intensity in your Coaching Session’	Terrence O’Hara – Linking Analysis to Coaching Session Plans	Brendan Murphy – Athletic Development for Club Players
12.30pm	Lunch (Students Union)
1.15pm	Practical 2 (3G Sports Hall) Jack Cooney – Systems of Play
2pm	Celebrating Olympic Success (Main Hall) Thomas Niblock chats with Sharon Madigan, Kevin McGuigan & Paul Talty
2.45pm	Interview Session (Main Hall) Anthony Daly & National GAA Head of Hurling Willie Maher
3.30pm	Conference closing remarks (Main Hall) Michael Geoghegan, Ulster GAA President