Antrim Football Thread

[barnish oggie]

Any county can run a of any age competition surely?

You can have under 6 tournaments under 8's and so on

Any "tournaments" that are u12 and below technically have to be called by the 0.5 age as they aren't allowed to be competitive under that age group.

I was at a few this year, including a great LGFA one at St Galls, and I asked the question as to why they were all stated as U9.5, U10.5 etc and that was the reason given.

Otherwise the organisers would get in bother from the county.

That's news to me, but we certainly have age groups playing tournaments with under 8's I've seen them on our social media pages and at the top it says under 8's ... I know our May day tournament is p5 and covers kids in that year group rather the typical GAA calendar.. But Ive defo seen tournaments with those other groups I've mentioned

It looks to me that in the SW the age groups were u7.5, u9.5, U11.5 and so on. In Belfast they work at U8 and 10 level. Two different parts of the county working in different ages. Which ones better suited who knows but surely a joined up approach would be wiser.

Now you say that I think you are right.

There is a difference between Belfast and SW.

[Milltown Row2]

Any county can run a of any age competition surely?

You can have under 6 tournaments under 8's and so on

Any "tournaments" that are u12 and below technically have to be called by the 0.5 age as they aren't allowed to be competitive under that age group.

I was at a few this year, including a great LGFA one at St Galls, and I asked the question as to why they were all stated as U9.5, U10.5 etc and that was the reason given.

Otherwise the organisers would get in bother from the county.

That's news to me, but we certainly have age groups playing tournaments with under 8's I've seen them on our social media pages and at the top it says under 8's ... I know our May day tournament is p5 and covers kids in that year group rather the typical GAA calendar.. But Ive defo seen tournaments with those other groups I've mentioned

We've been invited to a few Belfast tournaments over the summer and they normally U10 or so for I always get asked about the .5's who'd miss out..

Is the Pat Sheehan not U10? Davitts one was the same?

You lot always brought older kids down anyways lol

[Upandover]

Only tournament we went to this year with the .5 rule in place was carryduff, every other tournament was either u8 or u9, ones hosted by johnnies, lamh dearg, sarsfields etc.

[JimStynes]

It should always be done that the children in the one school year can all play together.

[Kidder81]

It should always be done that the children in the one school year can all play together.

Hitting the like button here Jim

[barnish oggie]

It should always be done that the children in the one school year can all play together.

Totally agree.

Should be 0.5 age groupings that for all school children.....although not sure where to stop it as would it be u18.5 for minor?

Could work as long as you allow 18 and over to play senior

[Milltown Row2]

If you are born in July can you be in the same year as a kid born the following June?

[imtommygunn]

A June birthday shouldn't be the year "above" so to speak. There shouldn't be a scenario currently where a school kid is a year older than his peers...

However I was first year at queens so was Cormac McAnallen and he was playing minor whenever there were upper sixths too old to play minor so there are exceptions to every rule...

[Milltown Row2]

A June birthday shouldn't be the year "above" so to speak. There shouldn't be a scenario currently where a school kid is a year older than his peers...

However I was first year at queens so was Cormac McAnallen and he was playing minor whenever there were upper sixths too old to play minor so there are exceptions to every rule...

My wife is August and her friend is June, they were in the same year in school, why I'm asking, and I know it was a few years ago (and then some) but if it still applies then you'll have a few kids that physically will be a year 'bigger'

I'm not sure if that was the reason for the dates falling in January that suited some but not others

[delgany]

If you are born in July can you be in the same year as a kid born the following June?

School enrolment year is 2nd July to 1st of July the following year in North

[BrendanAntrim]

That's not strictly the case any more, parents now have a choice to hold a kid back a year if they judge that to suit their child better. Pretty sure that option is in place now
https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/school-age-bill-passes-final-stage

[stiffler]

Move the school year to calendar years and that's it sorted.

[Pocs pints and the gaa]

A June birthday shouldn't be the year "above" so to speak. There shouldn't be a scenario currently where a school kid is a year older than his peers...

However I was first year at queens so was Cormac McAnallen and he was playing minor whenever there were upper sixths too old to play minor so there are exceptions to every rule...

My wife is August and her friend is June, they were in the same year in school, why I'm asking, and I know it was a few years ago (and then some) but if it still applies then you'll have a few kids that physically will be a year 'bigger'

I'm not sure if that was the reason for the dates falling in January that suited some but not others

Sure if it's a calendar year cut off you can have a 1st January kid playing a 31st December kid so same issue. Its swings and roundabouts really, works itself out in the end. Playing with school age is a better solution I think as it is easier to tie in to school competitions.

The difficulty is what happens across county borders and in the 26, as their school age is slightly different. County team age grades also a factor. Say you have u16.5 and u18.5 but county is u17, or even u18, there are lads across 2 club age brackets affected and games being put off or finding an acceptable training schedule while factoring in two nights of club football becomes a headache. The provincial underage comps could be tricky too if there are counties operating different grades.

I've seen counties that do primary school age groups at go games level and then change to year born for competitive ages.

[Milltown Row2]

Yeah it's always been winners and losers the reality is though this recent attempt at 'fixing' the grades has been (imo) not great the gap between under 17 and under 20 or senior for some clubs is to long


At what age can a lad play senior soccer? Think I seen a lad was 15.5 playing senior recently

[delgany]

That's not strictly the case any more, parents now have a choice to hold a kid back a year if they judge that to suit their child better. Pretty sure that option is in place now
https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/school-age-bill-passes-final-stage

The child would still be over age for the GAA year group!