...I noticed Paul Bealin using this excuse at the weekend after Tyrone beat Westmeath comprehensively at the weekend. He claimed that his team's average age is 22/23 and so Tyrone are further ahead in their development - the latter part is true, but I'm not sure age has anything to do with it - I make the average age of the Westmeath team that started that game to be 24.7, which may be young or old depending on your point of view, but I suspect is not out of kilter with the norm in this day and age.
Hence for pig iron, I thought I'd ask the question - what is the average age of an intercounty football team these days? It doesn't need to be scientific, but we've a lot of counties on here - if everyone takes their own county team, picks a starting lineup from either last year's championship or one of this year's league games if ye were at full strength, and go the ages and the average. If we get over half the counties, then we have something worth going on.
I just think this is an easy excuse that a lot of managers wheel out, and while it's sometimes justified, in a lot of cases there are other reasons. Certainly I couldn't understand Paul Bealin saying it, after all his team had just lost an away game to Tyrone - it's not the result he would have wanted, but they are playing in some really good company right now. Results like that are part of the terrain when you play in division one.
Anyway, like I said, by my estimate the Westmeath team that started and their ages (in a lot of cases based on when they played minor or under-21, so not an exact science!)
Darren Quinn 24
Stephen Gilmore 22
Kieran Gavin 25
Kevin Maguire 23
Paul Sharry 25
John Gilligan 24
Jamie Gonoud 22
David Duffy 27
David McCormack 22
Callum McCormack 23
Ger Egan 23
Kieran Martin 24
Denis Glennon 29
James Dolan 24
Des Dolan 34
Average = 24.7
Now the Offaly team that started the game against Longford (a must win game, all under-21s were available for selection, the only notable injury absentee was Brian Darby)
Alan Mulhall 31
David Hanlon 22
Paul McConway 27
Daithi Brady 26 ?
Michael Brazil 23
John Moloney 24
Niall Darby 28
Eoin Carroll 19
Niall Smith 28
Conor McNamee 19
Anton Sullivan 23
Padraig Sullivan 24 ?
Peter Cunningham 20
Niall McNamee 29
Ciarán Hurley 22
There's actually a couple I'm not sure about in there, but I'm not too far off anyway. Average age 24.3.
Keep em coming people.
Probably Armagh's best 15 if all were fit:
McEvoy - 31
A Mallon - 31
Donaghy - 26
Morgan - 22
A Kernan - 30
McKeever - 31
Shields - 25
Harold - 25
E Rafferty - 19
T Kernan - 27
Dyas - 25
C Rafferty - 23
Clarke - 24
Campbell - 22
A Forker - 21
Average age = 25.1
Might be out a year on a few of the above ages, but I'd say it's pretty close. The absences of Kernan and McKeever throughout the league has probably brought that down a bit, particular with the likes of Findon (20), Grugan (22) and Hughes (23?) coming in as replacements.
Team v Kerry last week
S Connolly 24
M O'Grady 23
M Foley 30
F Conway 20
K Cribben 26
K Murnaghan 28
P Cribben 21
T Moolick 21
G White 26
C McNally 26
E O'Flaherty 26
S Hurley 21
P Brophy 20
T O'Connor 28
D Mulhall 22
Average 22.4 - a couple I'm not sure about, out by a year at most.
Every team in the country is young these days. Not many counties with average age over 24/25
Roscommon are so young our starting FB is still in the womb.
Quote from: Dinny Breen on March 21, 2014, 10:38:13 PM
Team v Kerry last week
S Connolly 24
M O'Grady 23
M Foley 30
F Conway 20
K Cribben 26
K Murnaghan 28
P Cribben 21
T Moolick 21
G White 26
C McNally 26
E O'Flaherty 26
S Hurley 21
P Brophy 20
T O'Connor 28
D Mulhall 22
Average 22.4 - a couple I'm not sure about, out by a year at most.
Maths a bit out there. Average age is 24.1
The following teams shall be referred to by the following names from now on.
Westmeath: Bealin's Babes
Kildare: Ryan's Runts
Kerry: Fitzy's Fledglings
Cork: Cuthbert's Chisellers
Antrim: Bradley's Bambinos (formerly White's Whippersnappers)
Dublin hurlers: Daly's Dumplings
Mayo's starting line up has to be one of the oldest in the country.
Cillian O'Connor is the only one under 24?
The "young team" excuse is easy enough to explain, its about deflecting pressure away from your players by saying they are young and so will improve. The player thinks, I'm only 23 so I can improve. Everyone is using it these days. Remember, when a manager is giving an interview he is doing it for his players not the fans or the media.
We know that Myles, and what Westmeath are doing with him in charge is beyond baffling. But for the sake of science, such as it is, here are the ages of the combatants in last year's All-Ireland Football Final, from the program.
Dublin
| Cluxton | 31 |
| McMahon | 26 |
| O'Carroll | 23 |
| Cooper | 23 |
| McCarthy | 23 |
| Brennan | 28 |
| McCaffrey | 19 |
| McAuley | 27 |
| O'Sullivan | 25 |
| Flynn | 27 |
| Kilkenny | 20 |
| Connolly | 26 |
| Mannion | 20 |
| Andrews | 25 |
| B Brogan | 29 |
Average age of 24.8
Mayo
| Hennelly | 23 |
| Cunniffe | 26 |
| Cafferkey | 26 |
| Barrett | 26 |
| Keegan | 23 |
| Vaughan | 24 |
| Boyle | 27 |
| A O'Shea | 23 |
| S O'Shea | 26 |
| McLoughlin | 24 |
| Higgins | 28 |
| Dillon | 29 |
| O'Connor | 21 |
| Freeman | 24 |
| Moran | 29 |
Average age of 25.2
No real difference between them.
Quote from: From the Bunker on March 22, 2014, 08:35:50 AM
Mayo's starting line up has to be one of the oldest in the country.
Cillian O'Connor is the only one under 24?
Adam Gallagher going to be a championship starter? Mayo are now a seasoned team and thats advantage over most of the sides the face.
Quote from: IolarCoisCuain on March 22, 2014, 01:20:13 PM
We know that Myles, and what Westmeath are doing with him in charge is beyond baffling. But for the sake of science, such as it is, here are the ages of the combatants in last year's All-Ireland Football Final, from the program.
Dublin
| Cluxton | 31 |
| McMahon | 26 |
| O'Carroll | 23 |
| Cooper | 23 |
| McCarthy | 23 |
| Brennan | 28 |
| McCaffrey | 19 |
| McAuley | 27 |
| O'Sullivan | 25 |
| Flynn | 27 |
| Kilkenny | 20 |
| Connolly | 26 |
| Mannion | 20 |
| Andrews | 25 |
| B Brogan | 29 |
Average age of 24.8
Mayo
| Hennelly | 23 |
| Cunniffe | 26 |
| Cafferkey | 26 |
| Barrett | 26 |
| Keegan | 23 |
| Vaughan | 24 |
| Boyle | 27 |
| A O'Shea | 23 |
| S O'Shea | 26 |
| McLoughlin | 24 |
| Higgins | 28 |
| Dillon | 29 |
| O'Connor | 21 |
| Freeman | 24 |
| Moran | 29 |
Average age of 25.2
No real difference between them.
Mayo won an under 21 AI title in 2006 that's 8 years ago, six of the above were on that team. 19, 20 and 21 year olds would be 27,28 and 29 today. Dillon is 31 and will be 32 at the end of the year. Andy Moran is older than 29, he played minor in 2001.
Out of interest, who is the oldest county player playing? Jonny Doyle?
Quote from: IolarCoisCuain on March 22, 2014, 01:20:13 PM
We know that Myles, and what Westmeath are doing with him in charge is beyond baffling. But for the sake of science, such as it is, here are the ages of the combatants in last year's All-Ireland Football Final, from the program.
Dublin
| Cluxton | 31 |
| McMahon | 26 |
| O'Carroll | 23 |
| Cooper | 23 |
| McCarthy | 23 |
| Brennan | 28 |
| McCaffrey | 19 |
| McAuley | 27 |
| O'Sullivan | 25 |
| Flynn | 27 |
| Kilkenny | 20 |
| Connolly | 26 |
| Mannion | 20 |
| Andrews | 25 |
| B Brogan | 29 |
Average age of 24.8
Mayo
| Hennelly | 23 |
| Cunniffe | 26 |
| Cafferkey | 26 |
| Barrett | 26 |
| Keegan | 23 |
| Vaughan | 24 |
| Boyle | 27 |
| A O'Shea | 23 |
| S O'Shea | 26 |
| McLoughlin | 24 |
| Higgins | 28 |
| Dillon | 29 |
| O'Connor | 21 |
| Freeman | 24 |
| Moran | 29 |
Average age of 25.2
No real difference between them.
Looking at the ages you have the Mayo team there, I think you're a year out in all of them, maybe I'm wrong.
Quote from: Stall the Bailer on March 22, 2014, 09:11:39 PM
Out of interest, who is the oldest county player playing? Jonny Doyle?
Barden of Longford?
I would say the Tyrone team that played Westmeath had a younger average age than Westmeath.
Cheers folks - appreciate all this, and will definitely use the info in the future.
Quote from: mylestheslasher on March 22, 2014, 08:39:12 AM
The "young team" excuse is easy enough to explain, its about deflecting pressure away from your players by saying they are young and so will improve. The player thinks, I'm only 23 so I can improve. Everyone is using it these days. Remember, when a manager is giving an interview he is doing it for his players not the fans or the media.
I get why he's doing it, but at the same time it would be nice to be able to call it out when it's complete horse manure, as I suspect that it is in this case. A year or so younger than the average (at best) is hardly the same as a team of toddlers, as the line is intended to convey.
Quote from: screenexile on March 23, 2014, 10:47:27 AM
Quote from: Stall the Bailer on March 22, 2014, 09:11:39 PM
Out of interest, who is the oldest county player playing? Jonny Doyle?
Barden of Longford?
Barden is 33, Doyle is 36..
It'd be hard to get a younger team that Clare lined out in the AI final last year, all early 20's with about only two exceptions in Bugler and Donnellan and they're not in their thirties yet either.
Anybody care to hazard a guess at the ages of the Tyrone team against Westmeath?
Morgan (0-3) 22?
A McCrory, 24?
R McNamee, 22?
R McKenna, 22?
C Clarke, 22?
Mattie Donnelly, 23?
P Harte, 23?
C Cavanagh (0-1), 27?
S Cavanagh (1-2), 30?
Ciaran McGinley (0-4), 22?
S McGuigan (0-1), 20?
C Grugan (0-1), 22?
K Coney (0-3), 23?
Mark Donnelly (0-2) 29?
C McAliskey (0-5) 22?
Quote from: nrico2006 on March 24, 2014, 10:51:01 AM
Anybody care to hazard a guess at the ages of the Tyrone team against Westmeath?
Morgan (0-3) 22?
A McCrory, 24?
R McNamee, 22?
R McKenna, 22?
C Clarke, 22?
Mattie Donnelly, 23?
P Harte, 23?
C Cavanagh (0-1), 27?
S Cavanagh (1-2), 30?
Ciaran McGinley (0-4), 22?
S McGuigan (0-1), 20?
C Grugan (0-1), 22?
K Coney (0-3), 23?
Mark Donnelly (0-2) 29?
C McAliskey (0-5) 22?
I'd say your too young by a few years anyway for McCrory. Also for Ciaran McGinley who I'd guess is at least 24 or 25. I'd say your also too young for McNamee and McKenna as well. I'd guess McNamee is around 23/24.
I think you are nearly a couple of years too young with almost all the Tyrone players there. Think this is more like it.
Morgan 23
A McCrory 26
R McNamee 23
R McKenna 22
C Clarke 22
Mattie Donnelly 24
P Harte 24
C Cavanagh 27
S Cavanagh 30
Ciaran McGinley 27
S McGuigan 23
C Grugan 23
K Coney 24
Mark Donnelly 30
C McAliskey 24
Quote from: smort on March 24, 2014, 11:16:49 AM
I think you are nearly a couple of years too young with almost all the Tyrone players there. Think this is more like it.
Morgan 23
A McCrory 26
R McNamee 23
R McKenna 22
C Clarke 22
Mattie Donnelly 24
P Harte 24
C Cavanagh 27
S Cavanagh 30
Ciaran McGinley 27
S McGuigan 23
C Grugan 23
K Coney 24
Mark Donnelly 30
C McAliskey 24
Still a young enough team, especially when you consider that Ronan O'Neill (22/23), Barry Tierney (22/23) and McCurry (u-21) have been starting most games this year.
Derry also have a pretty young team, but sure who hasn't these days?
Quote from: quiganmaster on March 24, 2014, 10:52:08 PM
Derry also have a pretty young team, but sure who hasn't these days?
I dunno hi. We are not that young..........
Let's go
All guesses btw
T Mallon (26) ; M Craig (25), C McKaigue (23), D McBride (25); K Johnston (20), G O'Kane (30), SL McGoldrick (26); F Doherty (32), P Bradley (30); C McFaul (19), M Lynch (26), E Lynn (27); B Heron (24), D Mullan (24), C O'Boyle (23).
Ave age : 25.3
I'd say your off a year or two on some there tickle, patsy wouldn't be 30? I think GOK is 28 and doubt Lynn would be 27? Anyway if you throw in McGuckin and Bell who would start, 22 and 20, then that would bring it down.
Quote from: quiganmaster on March 24, 2014, 11:16:40 PM
I'd say your off a year or two on some there tickle, patsy wouldn't be 30? I think GOK is 28 and doubt Lynn would be 27? Anyway if you throw in McGuckin and Bell who would start, 22 and 20, then that would bring it down.
Patsy and Gerard would probably be about thirty they won the All Ireland Minors in 2002 (pretty sure they weren't underage the following year ) Mark Lynch would be in round 28 as he was still U16 in 2002