Motion 50: The following five motions are all from the Minor Review Committee. The first (50) proposes that the age of eligibility to play senior club football and hurling be raised from over 16 to over 17, and for inter-county from over 16 to over 18. At U21 level, it proposes that club players be over 16 and that inter-county players be over 18. (Minor Review Committee).

Motion passed. Alright for the super Dublin clubs but what about the small rurals clubs struggling to put out 15 bodies??

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 28/02/2015 21:50:26    1697775

Rural clubs allowing youngsters to line out for a senior team is often an act of necessity rather than choice and a short term solution to what will be a long term problem.
For me a more practical solution for struggling rural clubs is either amalgamation or reducing the teams to 13 a side or even 12 a side.
I know most of ye would be opposed to that but needs must.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 28/02/2015 22:02:35    1697784

When does the above motions come into force?

lillyboy (Kildare) - Posts: 429 - 01/03/2015 08:03:44    1697785

This is a serious issue. I played a junior championship match ttwo the year before last against a very small club who had only 12 players. I probably shouldn't even share this but we loaned them enough players to complete the fixture l. The players they had ranged from about 14-50 I'd say. The only other solution is to try to increase catchment areas for such clubs but this can only work for the less isolated ones.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 2624 - 01/03/2015 08:24:49    1697786

Agree with you JonCarter.

Player burnout is the priority. You shouldn't ask 16 year olds to play 4 games a week so a parish can keep its identity. As you said there are two simple solutions.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 01/03/2015 09:12:23    1697793

Most young players in rural clubs don't get ENOUGH games. There are so few minor or U21 club games in some counties.
they are not on county minor, U21 or third level teams.

Playing on the second or third team in a club helps them improve

A simpler solution would be to limit how many teams they can play on.

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 01/03/2015 10:01:20    1697806

Valley84

If they do not get enough games, then it is a problem for games organisers.

I listened to an interview with Damien Sheridan (Longford games developer) and he was saying how they ran a very successful tournment between the better Leitrm and Longford underage clubs- where everybody benefited from it. it then ran foul of GAA board bureacracy and was cancelled. this is crazy -reducing good quality games. however when we hear stories of 18 year olds having hip replacements due to burn out, we must act.


the simplest rule to enforce would the one that has been proposed.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 01/03/2015 10:28:48    1697813

it seems they have legislated for the 5% of GAA players who play too many games because they are on county squads, school squads and third level squads
what about the 95% who don't get near enough club games

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 01/03/2015 10:59:31    1697820

I played my first adult match when I was 15. I was physically developed and was well able for it. At 16 I started in an Intermediate county final. I am from a rural club, but not one which always struggles with numbers. People develop at different ages. Playing when I was young actually did me the world of good. There was no drawback to it. Waiting an extra year or two to play would have meant I concentrated on rugby instead. All GAA rules now are made with the top intercounty sides in mind. No consideration is given to weaker counties, never mind to clubs. Another ridiculous rule.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2550 - 01/03/2015 12:02:13    1697840

I don't buy the small rural clubs argument. Often times the young lads are displacing older players who because the young lads are there give up earlier than what they should be doing. Perhaps it will also force clubs to try and maintain the older players being involved and playing longer - clubs putting young lads into Junior B teams etc are only at one thing and thats trying to win the championship with them - its nothing about development of the young lads. There are only a couple of lads still playing that I played with, perhaps if the encouragement was there some of them would have stayed playing and not put on the pounds they have!

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1799 - 01/03/2015 12:42:57    1697852

some clubs only have a junior team

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 01/03/2015 12:49:08    1697855

Hard to know. The rule that a player playing senior had to be over-16 only came in a few years ago & while some protested at the time, I think it's fair to say that's it a good rule. However, raising the limit by another year may not be helpful for smaller clubs. Also, hurling in weaker counties will further struggle by placing these extra restrictions on clubs & county squads.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 01/03/2015 14:27:45    1697909

Do these motions come into effect right away or are they deferred until next year?

PastThePost (Tyrone) - Posts: 187 - 02/03/2015 13:06:18    1698283

What have Dublin "super clubs" to do with it! It was passed at congress where I think there was one delegate from a Dublin "super club".

What way did your own delegates vote Hugh?

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 02/03/2015 13:33:32    1698308

Good point zinny. There are lots of examples of what you are talking about where club minors are used to bolster junior hurling and football teams. To the detriment as you say of genuine juniors who are not so 'junior' any more but who keep these teams going.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 02/03/2015 13:40:41    1698312

I blame those pesky Dubs, everything thats not right in the world is down to Dublin grrrr

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 03/03/2015 13:35:25    1698709

Sorry to repeat a previously asked question but does anyone know when this rule change is effective from?

downredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 567 - 03/03/2015 14:09:57    1698729

Difficult to see how raising by a year will help. There is a serious drop off in games once you hit U-17 level. Really only have minor to play in, and mighnt make the U21 team. At least U-16 can play that and minor so more games. There is no under 17 championship in Laois(just a one day blitz) and Minor is run as knock out at end of summer. Realistically its the player who loses out here as may only play 1 championship match this year and then be idle all year before and after. As a member of a small rural club back training for the past few weeks it'll be hard to tell the couple we have coming up that they will have to sit on their hurls for the year. But sure maybe they can go play soccer or rugby.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 03/03/2015 14:16:38    1698735

Amalgamate is the only option I see for many clubs. As the country continues to shift from rural to an now majority urban society and climbing, I see town and city clubs getting bigger and new clubs forming but many country clubs will continue to struggle....

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 03/03/2015 15:44:38    1698777

I imagine it'll come into force next year.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 03/03/2015 15:48:28    1698779