Down manager Conor Laverty has described the rule that prohibits players at U20 level from playing in the senior inter-county championship within a seven-day window as “a disgrace”.

Laverty guided Down to a second Ulster U20FC title in three seasons last night when his side overcame Derry by 2-11 to 0-9 at Armagh’s Athletic Grounds.

Speaking to TG4 afterwards, he blasted the rule which will see U20 stars Odhran Murdock, Ryan Magill, Paddy McCarthy and Oisin Savage ineligible to play in this Sunday’s Ulster SFC semi-final against Armagh.

“I think it’s a disgrace that the young fellas aren’t able to play,” stated Laverty, who also manages the county’s senior footballers.

“Lads can play in competitions earlier in the year night after night, come to training and whenever it comes to the biggest days of the year that they’ve worked hard for all their lives [and] the young lads are deprived. We’re depriving our most talented players of that chance.

“We should have some lads playing last weekend and playing tonight and playing at the weekend. It’s very unfortunate for them. I feel that the GAA have put in a rule there that they haven’t put much thought into and it’s really disappointing. It was a very hard decision and we asked the players themselves and took their thoughts into consideration. Only one of the lads would have been in the mix to start.

“We felt we had to be true to them and maybe let them play out their last time at underage.”

“I think It’s a disgrace”
Conor Laverty very strong on rule restricting U20’s playing championship & seniors - skip to 3 mins left for that part of interview pic.twitter.com/kTfA0X4R42

— Thomas Niblock (@thomasniblock) April 26, 2023

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