Change underage back to u14,16,18

[tbrick18]

Something not adding up there.

Every county has to have u13, u15 and u17
Most counties have u11.5, u9.5 and u7.5 below that based on school ages but its not prescribed
Every county has to have one age grade above u17 to bridge to senior
Each county decides on additional grades beyond that. Big counties run the even numbered age grades also.

I think he means they were playing U12 (maybe 12.5s?) and with the restructure he went to 15s instead of 14s. Some counties went a year later than others

Yeah that's what I meant.....only you said it better
With the restructuring, i didn't realise there was an u13.5 grade, and certainly within the club at the time I was told he had to move to u15.5.
It might just be an anomaly of when his birthday is and not what happened the majority.

[johnnycool]

Something not adding up there.

Every county has to have u13, u15 and u17
Most counties have u11.5, u9.5 and u7.5 below that based on school ages but its not prescribed
Every county has to have one age grade above u17 to bridge to senior
Each county decides on additional grades beyond that. Big counties run the even numbered age grades also.

I think he means they were playing U12 (maybe 12.5s?) and with the restructure he went to 15s instead of 14s. Some counties went a year later than others

Yeah that's what I meant.....only you said it better
With the restructuring, i didn't realise there was an u13.5 grade, and certainly within the club at the time I was told he had to move to u15.5.
It might just be an anomaly of when his birthday is and not what happened the majority.

Are you in Armagh where I think they went the school year all the way up?

[tbrick18]

Something not adding up there.

Every county has to have u13, u15 and u17
Most counties have u11.5, u9.5 and u7.5 below that based on school ages but its not prescribed
Every county has to have one age grade above u17 to bridge to senior
Each county decides on additional grades beyond that. Big counties run the even numbered age grades also.

I think he means they were playing U12 (maybe 12.5s?) and with the restructure he went to 15s instead of 14s. Some counties went a year later than others

Yeah that's what I meant.....only you said it better
With the restructuring, i didn't realise there was an u13.5 grade, and certainly within the club at the time I was told he had to move to u15.5.
It might just be an anomaly of when his birthday is and not what happened the majority.

Are you in Armagh where I think they went the school year all the way up?

No, but not a million miles away. Tyrone for my sins.

[cornerback]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

[Brendan]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

[tbrick18]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

Tyrone has u10.5, u12.5 then u14s, u16s, minor.
For those with a bad birthday coming out of u14s, they only get 1 year at u14s then straight into u16s.
Not great for development of your mid/lower tier players and contributes to a drop off in numbers imo.

I personally think the even numbers the whole way up are a better fit.

[Goals_Will_Come]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

Tyrone has u10.5, u12.5 then u14s, u16s, minor.
For those with a bad birthday coming out of u14s, they only get 1 year at u14s then straight into u16s.
Not great for development of your mid/lower tier players and contributes to a drop off in numbers imo.

I personally think the even numbers the whole way up are a better fit.

Tyrone also just played 5 rounds of an U13 League as well. Good to see it back in the calendar.

[Brendan]

Derry went from 2 u14 leagues of clubs with 2 teams playing on the same night in 2024 to only 1 this year so player drop off is definitely affected by this

[cornerback]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

Tyrone has u10.5, u12.5 then u14s, u16s, minor.
For those with a bad birthday coming out of u14s, they only get 1 year at u14s then straight into u16s.
Not great for development of your mid/lower tier players and contributes to a drop off in numbers imo.

I personally think the even numbers the whole way up are a better fit.

Tyrone also just played 5 rounds of an U13 League as well. Good to see it back in the calendar.

Noticed this from clubs posting on facebook... is this to sort seedings/leagues for incoming u14?  Is Tyrone u12.5 league football and no championship?

[oakleafgael]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

Tyrone has u10.5, u12.5 then u14s, u16s, minor.
For those with a bad birthday coming out of u14s, they only get 1 year at u14s then straight into u16s.
Not great for development of your mid/lower tier players and contributes to a drop off in numbers imo.

I personally think the even numbers the whole way up are a better fit.

Tyrone also just played 5 rounds of an U13 League as well. Good to see it back in the calendar.

Noticed this from clubs posting on facebook... is this to sort seedings/leagues for incoming u14?  Is Tyrone u12.5 league football and no championship?

It's played as Go-Games. Clubs grouped based on numbers, no scores officially kept etc.

[GTP]

Derry went from 2 u14 leagues of clubs with 2 teams playing on the same night in 2024 to only 1 this year so player drop off is definitely affected by this

Was under 14 not the same this year in Derry, with 12 teams in U14A1 and of those 11 fielded a second side in the U14A1B?
IMO for some of the less talented players the difference from Go-Games (non competitive u12) to u14 is significant and the lack of competitive matches at u12 doesn't help player retention or development.
 

[Fr. Cyril McDuff]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

The U12.5 league in Derry was organised by the clubs, there was no county board involvement. It was a series of challenge games, mostly 13 a side on shortened pitches with the option of playing 15 if numbers allowed. No scores kept (though all the lads playing always know the score, same as gogames). It did tend to be the bigger clubs, think there were around 10 clubs involved, who had enough to field a team of mostly first years. Worked pretty well to give those lads who weren't ready for U14s some football and as a bridge from 9 a side Gogames to full pitch 15 a side games - it's a big jump. Apparently the Derry youth officers are looking at the U11.5-U14 situation at the moment.

[Brendan]

Derry went from 2 u14 leagues of clubs with 2 teams playing on the same night in 2024 to only 1 this year so player drop off is definitely affected by this

Was under 14 not the same this year in Derry, with 12 teams in U14A1 and of those 11 fielded a second side in the U14A1B?
IMO for some of the less talented players the difference from Go-Games (non competitive u12) to u14 is significant and the lack of competitive matches at u12 doesn't help player retention or development.
 

Yeah I mean in 2024 there was A1 and A1b, then an A2 and A2b

[cornerback]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

Tyrone has u10.5, u12.5 then u14s, u16s, minor.
For those with a bad birthday coming out of u14s, they only get 1 year at u14s then straight into u16s.
Not great for development of your mid/lower tier players and contributes to a drop off in numbers imo.

I personally think the even numbers the whole way up are a better fit.

Tyrone also just played 5 rounds of an U13 League as well. Good to see it back in the calendar.

Noticed this from clubs posting on facebook... is this to sort seedings/leagues for incoming u14?  Is Tyrone u12.5 league football and no championship?

It's played as Go-Games. Clubs grouped based on numbers, no scores officially kept etc.

I would've thought it was a push to keep the go-games format for first years (and will be second year by the time the season ends)... maybe this is why Tyrone have brought back the u13 league to bridge into competitive games.

I'm a big advocate of the go-games format but looking in, with primary school tournaments and the tournaments that clubs organise (and tell everyone to keep the photos off social media), that kids are mostly ready for competitive action after P7.

[johnnycool]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

I know of clubs exploring the option of going to the Inishowen u12 league but apparently the county board are starting to listen to the clubs re the u12 situation

Tyrone has u10.5, u12.5 then u14s, u16s, minor.
For those with a bad birthday coming out of u14s, they only get 1 year at u14s then straight into u16s.
Not great for development of your mid/lower tier players and contributes to a drop off in numbers imo.

I personally think the even numbers the whole way up are a better fit.

Tyrone also just played 5 rounds of an U13 League as well. Good to see it back in the calendar.

Noticed this from clubs posting on facebook... is this to sort seedings/leagues for incoming u14?  Is Tyrone u12.5 league football and no championship?

It's played as Go-Games. Clubs grouped based on numbers, no scores officially kept etc.

I would've thought it was a push to keep the go-games format for first years (and will be second year by the time the season ends)... maybe this is why Tyrone have brought back the u13 league to bridge into competitive games.

I'm a big advocate of the go-games format but looking in, with primary school tournaments and the tournaments that clubs organise (and tell everyone to keep the photos off social media), that kids are mostly ready for competitive action after P7.

Kids are by nature competitive at any age, it's the ballbags along the line are the issue.