Hastings Cup 2016 - Now back to normal

[ross4life]

It's far from a meaningless tournament. The u21 provincial Championships start in March and this tournament is good preperation for that.

Cavan have a good record in the Hastings Cup, holders for the past 3 years I think. Strong team again this year, with a lot of the panel from 2012 still available. What sort of outfit have Roscommon?

Cavan going for three in row this year. We won four in a row 2007-2010.

[ross4life]

So I can update this page, what is the Hasting's Cup?

An inter-county u21 football competition between the mighty underage footballing counties of Roscommon and Cavan Longford, Leitrim, Offaly and now Wicklow. It's organised by Longford and the final is always in Longford itself, no matter who is playing.

It's probably one of the most successful trans-province pre-season tournaments in the country, if not in attendance at least in helping prepare the counties for the start of their championships.

I see the Connacht Colleges League (secondary schools) and the Connacht Minor League (county minor teams) aren't on that list either so you've your work cut out for you, Eamon!

What other trans-province pre-season tournaments are there?

Apart from that, i wud say it is a very useful competition for the teams involved. I seem to remember micky harte winning this a couple of times with his all ireland u-21 teams of 2001-01, was there not a lot more counties involved then?

Cavan and ros are fairly strong at the age group, so that helps its credibility a bit

In the early 00s the likes of Fermanagh,Tyrone,Armagh,Sligo,Mayo took part in the tournament. Off the top of my head the North west cup is another tournament with Sligo,Derry,Fermanagh etc I'm not sure of other similar competitions.

[Syferus]

A very good competition however it comes at the wrong time to year. The GAA calander is a shambles and the pioneer pin brigade in croker should wipe the slate clean and start again. Too many competitions for 18-22 year age group. I would question why we have an U.21 grade at all.

The u21 grade is a far cry more popular than the Sigerson, and runs not just through county teams but clubs as well. I really wonder what those fools that tried to replace minor and u21 with an u19 were thinking when they see days like Roscommon v. Cavan and Roscommon v. Dublin, one a near sell-out and the other attended by about 10k people, and that was with one county whose traveling support isn't great at the best of times, nevermind at the u21 grade.

It's very obvious that it's Sigerson and co. that need to be moved backwards on the calendar and not the u21 tournaments, there's at least enough continuity between u21 and senior panels to make it the more agreeable not-ideal pairing for the January-April period.

[Aaron Boone]

Agree no time for Sigerson, it takes a week out of the NFL  Ireland doesn't do ex-grads going to college games.

[Celt_Man]

Isn't great a Monaghan based Inter County U21 Competition - the Shamrock Tournament maybe??

[INDIANA]

A very good competition however it comes at the wrong time to year. The GAA calander is a shambles and the pioneer pin brigade in croker should wipe the slate clean and start again. Too many competitions for 18-22 year age group. I would question why we have an U.21 grade at all.

The u21 grade is a far cry more popular than the Sigerson, and runs not just through county teams but clubs as well. I really wonder what those fools that tried to replace minor and u21 with an u19 were thinking when they see days like Roscommon v. Cavan and Roscommon v. Dublin, one a near sell-out and the other attended by about 10k people, and that was with one county whose traveling support isn't great at the best of times, nevermind at the u21 grade.

It's very obvious that it's Sigerson and co. that need to be moved backwards on the calendar and not the u21 tournaments, there's at least enough continuity between u21 and senior panels to make it the more agreeable not-ideal pairing for the January-April period.

There is a case though that if you have played senior inter county championship in my view you shouldnt be playing u21.  Thats the real issue for me. These guys are playing senior club, u21, senior county and Sigerson in the same window. Thats too much in my view.

[Rossfan]

A very good competition however it comes at the wrong time to year. The GAA calander is a shambles and the pioneer pin brigade in croker should wipe the slate clean and start again. Too many competitions for 18-22 year age group. I would question why we have an U.21 grade at all.

The u21 grade is a far cry more popular than the Sigerson, and runs not just through county teams but clubs as well. I really wonder what those fools that tried to replace minor and u21 with an u19 were thinking when they see days like Roscommon v. Cavan and Roscommon v. Dublin, one a near sell-out and the other attended by about 10k people, and that was with one county whose traveling support isn't great at the best of times, nevermind at the u21 grade.

It's very obvious that it's Sigerson and co. that need to be moved backwards on the calendar and not the u21 tournaments, there's at least enough continuity between u21 and senior panels to make it the more agreeable not-ideal pairing for the January-April period.

There is a case though that if you have played senior inter county championship in my view you shouldnt be playing u21.  Thats the real issue for me. These guys are playing senior club, u21, senior county and Sigerson in the same window. Thats too much in my view.

I think you'd need to change U21 to U 20 before introducing such a rule.
However it is time there was a reduction in the amount of grades/games/training that the talented 17-21 year olds are being saddled with and Indiana's suggestion would be one way of addressing that.
Also it would mean that the U21/20 and Senior Inter Co games could go ahead at the same time leaving more opportunities for more regular club fixtures.

[ck]

I would be inclined to agree with yee there. Moving to U.20 and moving Sigerson to pre christmas would relieve alot of the current issues. The trads in Croker will take some convincing at such radical proposals however

[Itchy]

Cavan 2-15 Leitrim 0-2.

Awful hammering for Leitrim, even if its only a pre season warm up.

[Syferus]

Longford 2-11 Roscommon 0-04

Incredibly slow start to the year for us but it's better to throw these results up early in year rather than late. We'll improve but we won't get a shot at Cavan now (or they us) which is probably the most disappointing aspect.

[Itchy]

Longford 2-11 Roscommon 0-04

Incredibly slow start to the year for us but it's better to throw these results up early in year rather than late. We'll improve but we won't get a shot at Cavan now (or they us) which is probably the most disappointing aspect.

Surprised with that result. I think if you are getting bet by 13 points this close to start of championship then I don't think you can be considered serious contenders.

[Syferus]

Armagh, 20 points, January 2006.

[Itchy]

Armagh, 20 points, January 2006.

If you think so fine, there are always exceptions I suppose. Seems unlikely to me is all.

[Syferus]

We took some drubbings in challenge matches last year too, it's never about where you start. Our Connacht semi-final opponents suffered a bad loss today as well so we have plenty of time before our likely Connacht final to get things right - none of last season's minor team featured today and there are plenty of very good players on that team that can come in and contribute immediately.

[ross4life]

Longford 2-11 Roscommon 0-04

Incredibly slow start to the year for us but it's better to throw these results up early in year rather than late. We'll improve but we won't get a shot at Cavan now (or they us) which is probably the most disappointing aspect.

Surprised with that result. I think if you are getting bet by 13 points this close to start of championship then I don't think you can be considered serious contenders.

Wake up call for the lads today. Probably the worst display by our U21s in competitive game since that awful showing v Mayo in 2007. Longford won the Leinster minor title in 2010 so i can imagine they had alot of that team  starting today. We have about 7,8 to return but one would have to worry about our strength in depth after a defeat like that.

The Cavan v Leitrim result wasn't a big surprise one team has been very strong at minor level over the last few years the other has been very poor.