2014 All Ireland Junior Championship

mylestheslasher · August 10, 2014, 08:52:55 AM

The All Ireland Junior championship has been run since 1912 with the only gaps being 6 consecutive years around the time of world war 1 and war of independence and 4 years around world war 2. In the past it was seen as a stepping stone to playing senior championship and also the sign of a coming team but of late the amount of counties that subscribe to that thought is reducing. At the moment there is no Ulster Junior Championship run and there hasn't been since 1986. There are however championships run in the other 3 provinces but this year teams like Dublin, Roscommon etc have no entered. Cavan have been entering the Leinster championship each of the pasty 4 years and have to play all their games away from home. Below is a link to an article I came across on score.ie which does show how some of the top players have come through the junior championship.

http://www.thescore.ie/gaa-junior-football-championship-1489358-Jun2014

This weekend Cavan defeated Scotland in one semi final 1-17 to 0-6 and Kerry beat Sligo 2-21 to 0-10. I don't know a lot about the Kerry team but in Cavan the team is seen as a way to accommodate the U21 players of previous years and to give them a chance to show their ability at a higher level.

Personally, I think this tournament is worth having as it gives players a chance to represent their county that might not otherwise get the chance. I dont think there is huge training effort put in so its not a big strain on players and it gives counties that are not at the top a real chance of winning an All Ireland. If Cavan could win a national title in 2 weeks time it could be a big boost as that is something we have no done despite all our provincial success at underage.

What do other people think?

sligoman2 · August 10, 2014, 12:17:53 PM

We have to keep this competition, it's the only all ireland we can win

blanketattack · August 10, 2014, 12:32:27 PM

The Gooch is eligible to play in it next year.
Don't the Kilkenny footballers first team play in it?

Zulu · August 10, 2014, 12:42:46 PM

They do and they should be thrown out of it as a matter of priority as they make no effort whatsoever.

From the Bunker · August 10, 2014, 12:50:06 PM

Terrible there is no ulster championship! Loses a bit of credibility straight away.

Itchy · August 10, 2014, 01:05:52 PM

Since one province is missing anyway would this tournament not be a good place to trial an open draw format?

Zulu · August 10, 2014, 01:08:16 PM

Yep. The provincial championships are dead but we can only explore alternative options at a lower level and junior wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Syferus · August 10, 2014, 02:10:23 PM

It's became a nothing competition in recent years. When both smaller counties and supermassive ones like Dublin have reasons not to compete you know there's something fundamentally wrong with it. It's on life-support nearly as much as the Railway Cup is.

Itchy · August 10, 2014, 03:43:14 PM

Quote from: Syferus on August 10, 2014, 02:10:23 PM
It's became a nothing competition in recent years. When both smaller counties and supermassive ones like Dublin have reasons not to compete you know there's something fundamentally wrong with it. It's on life-support nearly as much as the Railway Cup is.

Maybe some counties like yerselves are being short sighted. What are all the Ros u21s of the last 4 years doing now if they can't make your senior panel?

Syferus · August 10, 2014, 04:10:11 PM

Quote from: Itchy on August 10, 2014, 03:43:14 PM
Quote from: Syferus on August 10, 2014, 02:10:23 PM
It's became a nothing competition in recent years. When both smaller counties and supermassive ones like Dublin have reasons not to compete you know there's something fundamentally wrong with it. It's on life-support nearly as much as the Railway Cup is.

Maybe some counties like yerselves are being short sighted. What are all the Ros u21s of the last 4 years doing now if they can't make your senior panel?

In America on J1s probably.

Not saying it's the best situation but there's something very rotten with the junior AI in its current form. It equates to at most four matches for Connacht teams (sometimes as few as three) and a totally fractured schedule. This year the Connacht semis were mid-week, the final a week and a half later and then how long did Sligo have to wait to play their AISF?

Junior panels (at least here) barely train a few times a year, it wouldn't be as effective at keeping overage players together as an U23 development panel playing challenge matches would be. That's how little use the junior AI is in its current form.

It has emotional value (we know that ourselves, we used to be very strong at junior level until we stopped bothering), particularly to lads who have little chance of representing their county at senior but as a developmental panel it has minimal worth at best.

Captain Obvious · August 10, 2014, 04:18:29 PM

Kerry are getting plenty of Senior players out of this competition if it works for them.......

Ciarrai_thuaidh · August 10, 2014, 04:41:36 PM

Can't understand why more counties don't use it properly as a development tool to be honest. Kerry and Cork have certainly done this to good effect. Dublin and a few other counties have put a decent effort into it at various stages.
I'm sure the Ulster counties could put out very decent teams of Intermediate/Junior players aswell, which would make it a very decent competition.

mylestheslasher · August 10, 2014, 09:34:24 PM

Quote from: Ciarrai_thuaidh on August 10, 2014, 04:41:36 PM
Can't understand why more counties don't use it properly as a development tool to be honest. Kerry and Cork have certainly done this to good effect. Dublin and a few other counties have put a decent effort into it at various stages.
I'm sure the Ulster counties could put out very decent teams of Intermediate/Junior players aswell, which would make it a very decent competition.

How do you rate this Kerry team? Cavan are a lot weaker than they were for the Leinster final as a few lads got a run with the seniors.

rodney trotter · August 10, 2014, 09:43:46 PM

KERRY: S Óg Ó Ciardubháin (Cordal); K Quirke (Duagh), B O'Mahoney (John Mitchels), K O'Dwyer (Waterville), M Mangan (Milltown/ Castlemaine), J Sherwood (Firies), J Walsh (Knocknagoshel), A Garnett (Spa), A O'Sullivan (Tuosist), N O'Mahony (Spa), N Ó Sé (Piarsaigh na Dromada), P O'Donoghue (St Mary's), D O'Callaghan (St Pat's Blennerville), M O'Donoghue (Spa), C Cox (Listowel Emmets).

Subs: C Kerins (Milltown Castlemaine) for D O'Callaghan (45); E Hickson (Annascaul) for K Quirke (50), M Brennan (Churchill) for A Garnett (52), E Walsh (Knocknagoshel) for A O'Sullivan (60), C Moriarty (Milltown Castlemaine) for N Ó Sé (60).

CAVAN: J Farrelly (Kingscourt); J Morris (Arva), R Dunne (Redhills), F Slowey (Ballyhaise), D Barkley (Ramor United), K Brady (Mullahoran), E O'Connell (Castlerahan), S Gaffney (Kill), B Murray (Killygarry), P O'Connor (Cavan Gaels), M Reilly (Killygarry), K Fannin (Drumgoon), O O'Connell (Castlerahan), M Dunne (Cavan Gaels), D Sexton (Cavan Gaels).

Subs: J Dillon (Kingscourt) for R Dunne (ht); N Reilly (Ballinagh) for E O'Connell (38), B Reilly (Kingscourt) for S Gaffney (39), C McClarey (Cavan Gaels) for K Fannin (51), N McKiernan (Lacken) for O O'Connell (57)

Cavan and Kerry teams that played in the All Ireland Junior Semi in 2012. A few of that Cavan team on again this year like Farrelly in goals, James Morris , Damien Barkey , Paul O Connor

Conor Cox was impressive that day and showed well for UCC this year and last year in the Sigerson. Is is still on the Kerry Senior panel?, he played a few early rounds of the league this year

Syferus · August 10, 2014, 09:47:43 PM

Quote from: rodney trotter on August 10, 2014, 09:43:46 PM
KERRY: S Óg Ó Ciardubháin (Cordal); K Quirke (Duagh), B O'Mahoney (John Mitchels), K O'Dwyer (Waterville), M Mangan (Milltown/ Castlemaine), J Sherwood (Firies), J Walsh (Knocknagoshel), A Garnett (Spa), A O'Sullivan (Tuosist), N O'Mahony (Spa), N Ó Sé (Piarsaigh na Dromada), P O'Donoghue (St Mary's), D O'Callaghan (St Pat's Blennerville), M O'Donoghue (Spa), C Cox (Listowel Emmets).

Subs: C Kerins (Milltown Castlemaine) for D O'Callaghan (45); E Hickson (Annascaul) for K Quirke (50), M Brennan (Churchill) for A Garnett (52), E Walsh (Knocknagoshel) for A O'Sullivan (60), C Moriarty (Milltown Castlemaine) for N Ó Sé (60).

CAVAN: J Farrelly (Kingscourt); J Morris (Arva), R Dunne (Redhills), F Slowey (Ballyhaise), D Barkley (Ramor United), K Brady (Mullahoran), E O'Connell (Castlerahan), S Gaffney (Kill), B Murray (Killygarry), P O'Connor (Cavan Gaels), M Reilly (Killygarry), K Fannin (Drumgoon), O O'Connell (Castlerahan), M Dunne (Cavan Gaels), D Sexton (Cavan Gaels).

Subs: J Dillon (Kingscourt) for R Dunne (ht); N Reilly (Ballinagh) for E O'Connell (38), B Reilly (Kingscourt) for S Gaffney (39), C McClarey (Cavan Gaels) for K Fannin (51), N McKiernan (Lacken) for O O'Connell (57)

Cavan and Kerry teams that played in the All Ireland Junior Semi in 2012. A few of that Cavan team on again this year like Farrelly in goals, James Morris , Damien Barkey , Paul O Connor

Conor Cox was impressive that day and showed well for UCC this year and last year in the Sigerson. Is is still on the Kerry Senior panel?, he played a few early rounds of the league this year

Conoreen Cox went to America for the summer IIRC.