There's the bullshit your reading in you own post, neither can enter JFC. its a case of trying to cater for two senior clubs ahead of the best interests of the division 4 clubs. no thanks
What’s the best interests of division 4 clubs/small clubs? The way I see it - every club needs approximately 3-4 players coming through each year to support/challenge the senior group already there. Look at the all conquering Kilcoo side of the last dozen years - 2-3 players are blooded each year and possibly 1-2 used in championship on a regular basis.
Clubs in division 4 may not have 4 players coming through every year but certainly every two years they do. Mitchell’s used to join up with Attical at underage (as shamrocks kept taking their players when they joined with them!!) - they always had 2-3 players each year playing regularly for the amalgamation so what happens to those players after minor? Why is their club not integrating them into a senior panel where you have a couple of players who can’t commit due to travel or injuries etc go out one door and fresh players come in through the other door.
In other news - is it true the Finn are now losing more players up the hill to Castlewellan?? Why is no one talking about this - where a big club is poaching players from a very small club??
[/quote]
Keep in mind that the clubs with only a handful of juvenile players playing within an amalgamation, may lose these players when they reach adult level due to studying or work commitments too. And with the way the rules are now regarding the age restrictions, smaller clubs don't get the chance to really integrate young players before these players make decisions on studying or work. Long gone are the days of getting players in at 16, who were fully integrated senior players by the time they were 18! Maybe that's for good reason, but it has had some impact in the last number of years.
Regarding the Finn, weren't they happy to take players from other clubs, including Castlewellan, for a long time? Swings and roundabouts maybe. Hopefully they have the numbers to stick it out as they have done well in recent years, last thing we want to see is another club struggling to field.
