AI u20 2026

[Armagh18]

Spillane is right in that the structure wants looking at but not sure his suggestion of playing it at the same time as the seniors will be preparing for all ireland quarter/semi finals is going to work.

Structure needs looking at but worth noting HQ have been trying to scrap the U20 for U19.  Personally I won't have scrapped the U21 grade.

Did Kerry with their size and pick really need Thomas Kennedy to overcome Cork in the Munster final? Roscommon with a much smaller pick have no U20s on their senior panel.

Didn't manage to see any the games last night but Roscommon can be very pleased with their campaign, have a great trait of coming back into games where they looked like they'd be beaten. Watched a good few games in Connacht and thought Mayo had a team capable of winning an All Ireland,  Rightly so they'll be questioning their management again.

Mayo plenty of good forwards in Berine,Lydon,Kobe etc but they simply weren't good enough defensively to be capable of winning the All-Ireland.  Two Finalists Tyrone,Kerry are on a different level defensively and while we have a more offensive game now a good defence still wins any All-Ireland.

Thats a fair point, surely Kerry had others they could have played and left Kennedy out for that game but I suppose the lad is happy enough.

Tyrone have obviously improved big time from I saw them, looked very ordinary against Armagh in Ulster

[God14]

A good few lads wouldnt have been considered starters at beginning of the year, now showing up very well
Aodhan Quinn, if he was a month younger he'd still be on the minor team instead of the 20s. Superb footballer.
Enda Donaghy very very good also. Hope to see all 5 Donaghy brothers on the Loughmacrory team this year. Adrian McGurren sort of come from nowhere as well - maybe some eyebrows were raised when he made the panel after the McRory cup final, where Liam McGeary Lorcan McMurray and Eoin long all starred yet none made the cut. Paul Dook judgement spot on again.

[Blowitupref]

Will be interesting to see do they put the final on before the Tyrone v Roscommon game in the Hyde on Sun 24th May or will they put it on the Sat as expected which will be tough for Tyrone fans to travel two days in a row.

Not confirmed yet but I would expect Wednesday evening the 20th in Portlaoise.

On another note Down 0-22 Wexford 1-15 in the B All-Ireland semi-final.  Will play Sligo in the final.

[Fuzzman]

Strange how things pan out.
Tyrone beat Down to finish only third and Down managed a draw v Cavan who beat Tyrone.
Yet here both are now in the A & B finals.

1    Armagh   3   3   0   0   78   46   +32   6   Advance to Semi-Finals
2    Cavan   3   1   1   1   50   70   -20   3   Advance to Quarter-Finals
3    Tyrone   3   1   0   2   71   61   +10   2
4    Down   3   0   1   2   55   77   -22   1   

[Goals_Will_Come]

Will be interesting to see do they put the final on before the Tyrone v Roscommon game in the Hyde on Sun 24th May or will they put it on the Sat as expected which will be tough for Tyrone fans to travel two days in a row.

Not confirmed yet but I would expect Wednesday evening the 20th in Portlaoise.

On another note Down 0-22 Wexford 1-15 in the B All-Ireland semi-final.  Will play Sligo in the final.

Saturday 30th May be my guess. Be no midweek game with the travel involved, especially middle  of exams and cannot play it 23rd or 24th with both team's Seniors playing.

[Aaron Boone]

It's a surprise that Cavan didn't kick on from that impressive Tyrone win. 

[thebigfullforward]

How do these Tyrone teams compare to the Cork team in the mid 80s that won 3 in a row and the Kerry team in the 70s that won 3 in a row?

[thebigfullforward]

Just shows you how a winning mentality can make a team play with confidence and belief.
Talk earlier this year was that this Tyrone U20 team are not as good as last year and have brought in a few of last years winning minors like Colton and Aodhan Quinn. Young Concannon who many say has been their best player until he got injured is also an exciting prospect. I've not seen him myself.
With him and McCullagh out most of the season they've done very well to make it to the final with very tough games in Ulster.

Kerry haven't won the U20 All-Ireland since 2008 I believe which is surprising. I'd say they will be chomping at the bit to get revenge for the last few years and even how we beat them last year in the minors will still be hurting them.

Will be interesting to see do they put the final on before the Tyrone v Roscommon game in the Hyde on Sun 24th May or will they put it on the Sat as expected which will be tough for Tyrone fans to travel two days in a row.

Shea McDermott has had a great tournament and scored a cracking goal last night despite four defenders around him. He was well marked last night in fairness so it just shows this team has scores all around the team.
Will be interesting to see does Conor O'Neill and McCullagh play much for the seniors later this year or maybe they won't get the chance.

One of the best players in the county league last season with Ardboe in my opinion. Didn't really standout in the first round of Championship against Errigal but then again nobody did I suppose apart from Darragh Devlin

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Word down here is final will be Friday 29th or Saturday 30th now. Better than jamming it in midweek at least which would be extremely unfair on players, management and families especially but also supporters.

Semi finals and finals of this competition should be on weekends, I would've thought that was obvious and fair but of course the GAA have their own agenda of pushing for U19 to be the Grade after Minor so no suprise they'd treat the competition poorly.

Anyway, another Kerry v Tyrone final. Kerry have some good players but a few bad injuries unfortunately at the wrong time. Killian Dennehy is a huge loss. But just have to drive on.

[Armagh18]

Word down here is final will be Friday 29th or Saturday 30th now. Better than jamming it in midweek at least which would be extremely unfair on players, management and families especially but also supporters.

Semi finals and finals of this competition should be on weekends, I would've thought that was obvious and fair but of course the GAA have their own agenda of pushing for U19 to be the Grade after Minor so no suprise they'd treat the competition poorly.

Anyway, another Kerry v Tyrone final. Kerry have some good players but a few bad injuries unfortunately at the wrong time. Killian Dennehy is a huge loss. But just have to drive on.

Why on earth you'd bring in u19 unless you're also bringing back u21 I have no idea. It's already a massive step for u20's to a senior team never mind reducing it again.

[O’neill Army]

Spillane is right in that the structure wants looking at but not sure his suggestion of playing it at the same time as the seniors will be preparing for all ireland quarter/semi finals is going to work.

Structure needs looking at but worth noting HQ have been trying to scrap the U20 for U19.  Personally I won't have scrapped the U21 grade.

Did Kerry with their size and pick really need Thomas Kennedy to overcome Cork in the Munster final? Roscommon with a much smaller pick have no U20s on their senior panel.

Didn't manage to see any the games last night but Roscommon can be very pleased with their campaign, have a great trait of coming back into games where they looked like they'd be beaten. Watched a good few games in Connacht and thought Mayo had a team capable of winning an All Ireland,  Rightly so they'll be questioning their management again.

Mayo plenty of good forwards in Berine,Lydon,Kobe etc but they simply weren't good enough defensively to be capable of winning the All-Ireland.  Two Finalists Tyrone,Kerry are on a different level defensively and while we have a more offensive game now a good defence still wins any All-Ireland.

Thats a fair point, surely Kerry had others they could have played and left Kennedy out for that game but I suppose the lad is happy enough.

Tyrone have obviously improved big time from I saw them, looked very ordinary against Armagh in Ulster

In fairness those 3 all Ireland winning teams in the last 4 years have looked very ordinary when playing in the group stage in Ulster. But whenever it's came to knockout games they always seem to get over the line.

A lot of credit obviously has to go to paul Devlin who surely has to be the front runner to be the next senior manager.

[square_ball]

Noticeable in the business end of the Ulster & AI that Tyrone are set up very defensively. Getting their 11 players back and setting a screen around the arc with each player given their zone to defend. Its made the Derry/Donegal/Monaghan/Kildare attacks very slow and laboured and then are able to break fast once there is a turnover. Couple of good individuals but very much a team effort this year. Previous years Canavan and McElholm were the jewels in the crown.

[Rossfan]

Seems Final will be getting a weekend slot 16 or 18 days after the semi finals!!
Makes last Wednesday's fixtures all the more galling.

[EoinW]

Word down here is final will be Friday 29th or Saturday 30th now. Better than jamming it in midweek at least which would be extremely unfair on players, management and families especially but also supporters.

Semi finals and finals of this competition should be on weekends, I would've thought that was obvious and fair but of course the GAA have their own agenda of pushing for U19 to be the Grade after Minor so no suprise they'd treat the competition poorly.

Anyway, another Kerry v Tyrone final. Kerry have some good players but a few bad injuries unfortunately at the wrong time. Killian Dennehy is a huge loss. But just have to drive on.

Why on earth you'd bring in u19 unless you're also bringing back u21 I have no idea. It's already a massive step for u20's to a senior team never mind reducing it again.

A foreign perspective: U20 does seem young.  In Canada Junior hockey is U21.  Junior lacrosse U22.  The US NCAA system basically translates to U22.

[EoinW]

Seven minutes into extra time I thought Roscommon were in great shape.  They had the momentum of their 2nd half comeback. they only trailed a point and would have the wind for the final 10 minutes.  Then Kerry got two quick points right before the break.  That seemed to shift momentum. Then the first Kerry goal...