Ulster Colleges

[Milltown Row2]

Picking players from the players that turn up at the trials has been done for years, schools parents and players know this.

Why is it a problem now?

My wee Johnny didn't get picked?

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

I think the issue is that Omagh were in the Hogan final a couple of days after the trials and therefore their players didn't attend.
At least that's what I heard. That should be easily avoided.

[Milltown Row2]

There were 2 x trials days with 60 students from Colleges at A,B & C grades at it, think 4 per school are invited. The 2nd trial took place the Wed after the Hogan. Tony Scullion in charge.

Benny is saying the second trial happened on the Wed after?

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

The first trial was the Wednesday before.
I think you do the first and get a call back for the second.

[Milltown Row2]

The first trial was the Wednesday before.
I think you do the first and get a call back for the second.

Not sure on that tbh.  I've done them in the past, been various different system used based on logistics pitches availability who's covering it and so on.

It's not just thrown together as I'm sure you know.

Dates in a GAA calendar year are getting squeezed every year

But for sure the Omagh lads would have taken the majority of spots.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Perhaps. Just going on what I heard and would make sense as to why Omagh didn't have a single player make the team.

[Saffrongael]

In the hurling you had to make the cut from the first trial to make the second, I'm sure the football is the same.

I know the first hurling trial was just a few days after St Killians All Ireland win. Maybe they could look at weighting it between performances in games, adjudicated by Ulster Colleges staff, and trial games at the end of the year. Especially when there are UCAS points now involved for the students.

[bennydorano]

If you read my post above there was a 2nd trial the Wednesday after the Hogan, presumably that was the day the Omagh players were invited, dunno if they attended. Up to the school to send 4 of their choosing.

Edit. To clarify: 2x trial days of 60 students per day, then there was a callback stage.

[Estimator]

The three schools that are conspicuous by their absence are from one particular county. Would the county management teams for the age groups involved have restricted the attendance at the trials for those on their respective county panels??

[Milltown Row2]

In the hurling you had to make the cut from the first trial to make the second, I'm sure the football is the same.

I know the first hurling trial was just a few days after St Killians All Ireland win. Maybe they could look at weighting it between performances in games, adjudicated by Ulster Colleges staff, and trial games at the end of the year. Especially when there are UCAS points now involved for the students.

The trials allows for the picking panel to all be together and make judgment collectively rather than trying to cover all the games.

Nothings perfect with regards to picking 'all stars'

Did it affect last years Omagh players? Dates different then I suppose

[thewobbler]

I've said it before and probably on this thread last year.

How they do these things in America is so much cleaner and more accurate.

Every week, each coach nominates players from the opposition for "team of the week". As far as I know they do not have to nominate any, and there's no upper limit to nominations per week in some leagues.

The players with the most nominations at year end become what they call All Americans, and what we call All Stars. Each league/tier has its own awards, and they have "first team" All Americans, and "second team" All Americans per tier when the league is big enough.

To be fair to the yanks - I generally hate how that country is run - they tend to have the most consistent, fair and even sporting structures imaginable. And this is a further example. Of course there'll be personalities, egos and vendettas between some schools/coaches, but it would be a smallminded and soon regretful coach to play this system unfairly, as other schools will notice and black ball them. 

[Nanderson]

I think back when I was in school a school that competed at A level could send 3 players, B level could send 2 players and a C level school could send 1 player

[bennydorano]

MacRory back in action, St Pats Armagh bt Colmans 2.7 to 0.6, absolutely awful to watch. Schools football needs the new rules to save it.

[Onthe40]

went to watch a rannafast game last week and pure muck too....schools football is not what it used to be....

[Wildweasel74]

Is it the cubs or whats actually been trained by the school management.