John McEntee Under 20 article

[Cunny Funt]

Couldn't agree more.....this issue needs to be taken firmly in hand by HQ.

It has been taken in hand... they've introduced an U20 regional league that means these players will be playing more inter county football in May and June and less with their clubs...

Well aware of that....it's the training and challenge matches outside this period that is at issue here. Won't be much club action in those months anyway with seniors involved in provincial and qualifiers, that's the whole idea.

I think challenge games are not allowed now with the introduction of the regional league. The one problem i see with the league is the lack of sense scheduling it in the middle of exams for a lot of the players.

[TheClubman]

I would guess most college exams are over so you must mean leaving certs, I suppose? I think for the overall greater good of the association as a whole a few 18 year olds missing some U20 intercounty league games isn't the end of the world. There's no perfect world but this is a positive step towards freeing up more time for clubs. Sad to hear of teams training already but not surprising. I just hope the association is vigilant in tackling breaches of rules and sticks to their guns. No challenge games must be stuck to ridigly as well.

[Rossfan]

The Association's vigilance in enforcing rules and sticking to their guns will as ever depend on the size or influence of those breaching the rule.

[Cunny Funt]

I would guess most college exams are over so you must mean leaving certs, I suppose? I think for the overall greater good of the association as a whole a few 18 year olds missing some U20 intercounty league games isn't the end of the world. There's no perfect world but this is a positive step towards freeing up more time for clubs. Sad to hear of teams training already but not surprising. I just hope the association is vigilant in tackling breaches of rules and sticks to their guns. No challenge games must be stuck to ridigly as well.

With the minor championship changed to U17 the U20 competition was meant to be the age group for 18 year olds to play in. Missing out because those at the top schedule the U20 competitions during exams is wrong and a number missed out on the championship last year because of exams.

[LooseCannon]

I would guess most college exams are over so you must mean leaving certs, I suppose? I think for the overall greater good of the association as a whole a few 18 year olds missing some U20 intercounty league games isn't the end of the world. There's no perfect world but this is a positive step towards freeing up more time for clubs. Sad to hear of teams training already but not surprising. I just hope the association is vigilant in tackling breaches of rules and sticks to their guns. No challenge games must be stuck to ridigly as well.

With the minor championship changed to U17 the U20 competition was meant to be the age group for 18 year olds to play in. Missing out because those at the top schedule the U20 competitions during exams is wrong and a number missed out on the championship last year because of exams.

.

From helping out with the club, I’m reliably informed that it would be better if the grades remained the same, in terms of lads doing exams. Most people who sit exams are u19, while junior certs would be u16, whereas previously u19 would be the first year of u21, and u16 generally didn’t come into the reckoning with minor, now nearly half a minor team would be u16, and a good few u20s would be u19. The age-grade change is an absolute disaster.

[befair]

The real problem is not the relatively few ho have too many demands, but the vast numbers who drift out of the game completely after minor level; many reasons for this, of course, but one is that they don't get regular football. In soccer they're guaranteed a game every week. Once again, the elite are being obsessed about, and the vast majority suffer

[TheClubman]

I would guess most college exams are over so you must mean leaving certs, I suppose? I think for the overall greater good of the association as a whole a few 18 year olds missing some U20 intercounty league games isn't the end of the world. There's no perfect world but this is a positive step towards freeing up more time for clubs. Sad to hear of teams training already but not surprising. I just hope the association is vigilant in tackling breaches of rules and sticks to their guns. No challenge games must be stuck to ridigly as well.

With the minor championship changed to U17 the U20 competition was meant to be the age group for 18 year olds to play in. Missing out because those at the top schedule the U20 competitions during exams is wrong and a number missed out on the championship last year because of exams.

.

From helping out with the club, I’m reliably informed that it would be better if the grades remained the same, in terms of lads doing exams. Most people who sit exams are u19, while junior certs would be u16, whereas previously u19 would be the first year of u21, and u16 generally didn’t come into the reckoning with minor, now nearly half a minor team would be u16, and a good few u20s would be u19. The age-grade change is an absolute disaster.

I couldn't agree more. It's a nonsense in my eyes. They were all set to bring in is as mandatory at club level at congress but must have got negative feedback because it was withdrawn. They'll have everything lined up to ram it through at a special congress later on this year no doubt.

[The Trap]

All the GAA care about are the elite (I hate that word) players and money and once again Congress showed this. The headline was the Dublin 2 home fixtures but hidden away were:
under 20s can now play senior and under 20 championship - these "elite" players will never be seen at the club but who cares about that
under17s cannot play club senior/reserve football - this is to protect the elite under17s from burn out but to hell with the majority who never get enough games and the small club who might need these players

Meanwhile all club players are looking forward to 4/5 games in April and then nothing to July/August while the elite 2% make the GAA loads of money.

[johnnycool]

All the GAA care about are the elite (I hate that word) players and money and once again Congress showed this. The headline was the Dublin 2 home fixtures but hidden away were:
under 20s can now play senior and under 20 championship - these "elite" players will never be seen at the club but who cares about that
under17s cannot play club senior/reserve football - this is to protect the elite under17s from burn out but to hell with the majority who never get enough games and the small club who might need these players

Meanwhile all club players are looking forward to 4/5 games in April and then nothing to July/August while the elite 2% make the GAA loads of money.

A bit contradictory there but nothing new in the GAA world.
Can't wait for the outrage when some U20 player is "forced" to play two games in x number of days because there's few dates to get these competitions played.

[Captain Obvious]

All the GAA care about are the elite (I hate that word) players and money and onc again Congress showed this. The headline was the Dublin 2 home fixtures but hidden away were:
under 20s can now play senior and under 20 championship - these "elite" players will never be seen at the club but who cares about that
under17s cannot play club senior/reserve football - this is to protect the elite under17s from burn out but to hell with the majority who never get enough games and the small club who might need these players

Meanwhile all club players are looking forward to 4/5 games in April and then nothing to July/August while the elite 2% make the GAA loads of money.

A bit contradictory there but nothing new in the GAA world.
Can't wait for the outrage when some U20 player is "forced" to play two games in x number of days because there's few dates to get these competitions played.

Can only play if their senior team is knocked out of the championship as far as I know. U20 is a poor mans U21 championship anyway.

[johnnycool]

All the GAA care about are the elite (I hate that word) players and money and onc again Congress showed this. The headline was the Dublin 2 home fixtures but hidden away were:
under 20s can now play senior and under 20 championship - these "elite" players will never be seen at the club but who cares about that
under17s cannot play club senior/reserve football - this is to protect the elite under17s from burn out but to hell with the majority who never get enough games and the small club who might need these players

Meanwhile all club players are looking forward to 4/5 games in April and then nothing to July/August while the elite 2% make the GAA loads of money.

A bit contradictory there but nothing new in the GAA world.
Can't wait for the outrage when some U20 player is "forced" to play two games in x number of days because there's few dates to get these competitions played.

Can only play if their senior team is knocked out of the championship as far as I know. U20 is a poor mans U21 championship anyway.

It is but with county panels getting younger than ever due to the commitments required then it was right to have some sort of regulation in place to prevent overlaps, and then to water it down for whatever reason as well.

And yet there's no mention of club games in this mix either.

It's as if those in power are only interested in the intercounty game.
Keep up that attitude and we'll end up like rugby with a few elite provinces/teams and the structures underneath left to wreck and ruin.