Kildare's footballers have been using occlusion goggles as part of their championship preparations.

A self-confessed "data geek", Lilywhites manager Cian O'Neill told RTE's GAA Nua that the goggles, which block out some of the field of vision, are being worn in training to help improve the players' spatial awareness:

"We're always looking for those marginal gains," he said. "We use different types of ancillary equipment such as the occlusion goggles. These are fascinating tools that we use to develop visual awareness, spatial awareness, anticipation on the ball.

"Because they occlude the lower portion of your vision, a lot of it is in relation to developing the kick-pass, the hand-pass, a ball coming towards you and picking it up off the ground.

"Because you can't see the last three to four metres of that, or you can't see the ball actually striking your foot in the kick, it enhances the player's ability to do that under pressure, and at speed, when they haven't got the goggles on, which is of course what happens in competition."

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