Time-motion analysis of gender and positional effects on work-rate in elite Gaelic Football competition

The aim of this time-motion analysis study is to assess the work rate of the different positional roles of elite Gaelic Football. The on-field activity of 80 inter-county players, 40 men and 40 ladies, was recorded and analysed using a special purpose computerised time-motion analysis system. The subjects analysed came from four broad positional classes; backs, midfielders, forwards and wing halves. For each gender, there were 10 subjects belonging to each positional group. The match time for the 80 subjects was distributed as follows; stationary 22.0+/-12.2%, walking 38.2+/-8.3%, backing 6.7+/-3.2%,jogging 18.9+/-7.8%, running 7.8+/-4.0%, shuffling 3.0+/-2.0%, soloing 1.1+/-0.8% and football 2.3+/-1.0%. The proportion of high intensity performed by men was 14.0+/-1.7% for backs, 22.1+/-2.6% for midfielders, 10.7+/-1.4% for forwards and 16.9+/-2.1% for wing halves. The proportion of high intensity performed by ladies was 9.1+/-3.4% for backs, 13.4+/-4.3% for midfielders, 8.6+/-4.3% for forwards and 11.5+/-5.0% for wing halves. Men performed a significantly greater proportion of high intensity activity than ladies (p<0.001). The proportion of high intensity activity was also significantly influenced by position (p<0.001). Midfielders performed a significantly greater proportion of high intensity activity than backs (p<0.01) and forwards (p<0.001). Wing halves also performed a significantly greater proportion of high intensity activity than backs (p<0.05) and forwards (p<0.001). Backs performed a significantly greater proportion of high intensity activity than forwards (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in the proportion of high intensity activity performed between the first and second halves by men (p>0.05) or by ladies (p>0.05).