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Its really to give the minor player another avenue, more than likely most minor players in there last year wont be playing with a first team unless they are at a low grade, and the 46 hours is to allow a minor to play Junior B on a Friday night if he played Minor on Wednesday. To be honest I have no issue with it, at the minute the minor championship in my opinion is a joke, development league played earlier in the season, pintless games with no league final, championship comes around, 3 games in a group, yet again pointless as everyone gets through and then one competitive match maybe in a quarter final. So realistically, 4 games, one competitive. So the more games they play the better even filling in on second and third teams at a weekend.
alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 568 - 26/11/2025 11:25:34
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Replying To alwaysasub: "Its really to give the minor player another avenue, more than likely most minor players in there last year wont be playing with a first team unless they are at a low grade, and the 46 hours is to allow a minor to play Junior B on a Friday night if he played Minor on Wednesday. To be honest I have no issue with it, at the minute the minor championship in my opinion is a joke, development league played earlier in the season, pintless games with no league final, championship comes around, 3 games in a group, yet again pointless as everyone gets through and then one competitive match maybe in a quarter final. So realistically, 4 games, one competitive. So the more games they play the better even filling in on second and third teams at a weekend." Thats 18 yo sorted now what about 15 16 17 yo whose championship is run the same way
Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 500 - 26/11/2025 13:34:25
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Fantastic for the Martins to be in a Leinster final.
They will however need to improve somewhat to get the better of Ballyhale.
They struggled in their last game but they are capable of much better as they have proved in the past.
One thing that struck me in the game against Naas was the fact that the Martins didn't score any goals. It didn't really matter as it happened.
Naas were very limited and were outclassed.
The Kilkenny men will no doubt bring their A game to croker and will be a formidable force.
The Martins are a serious outfit and will throw everything at them.
Rory Won't get the same freedom as he did last week but if the whole team play to their potential I give them a good chance of victory.
It would be a great shot in the arm for Wexford hurling if the team bring home the silverware.
Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 564 - 26/11/2025 16:13:13
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Replying To alwaysasub: "Its really to give the minor player another avenue, more than likely most minor players in there last year wont be playing with a first team unless they are at a low grade, and the 46 hours is to allow a minor to play Junior B on a Friday night if he played Minor on Wednesday. To be honest I have no issue with it, at the minute the minor championship in my opinion is a joke, development league played earlier in the season, pintless games with no league final, championship comes around, 3 games in a group, yet again pointless as everyone gets through and then one competitive match maybe in a quarter final. So realistically, 4 games, one competitive. So the more games they play the better even filling in on second and third teams at a weekend." Thing about the minor championships (and indeed, U16s) is that they can't start until after the State exams are over in June, because of how the better 16- and 17-year-olds are involved in inter-county minor before that. It's the same thing as how the split season also affects the adult grades.
And if you had a system where half the teams went out after the group stage and only the top two went through, then you'd have a situation where half the teams in the county would be finished by around middle of August, after only starting at end of June.
So allowing for that, how would you run it?
And either way, the point I made previously still stands. Some go mad over 19- and 20-year-olds being asked to play midweek as well as weekends in some weeks, while others are going out of their way to find a way for 17- and 18-year-olds to play midweek and weekends every week.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3289 - 26/11/2025 17:47:38
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Thing about the minor championships (and indeed, U16s) is that they can't start until after the State exams are over in June, because of how the better 16- and 17-year-olds are involved in inter-county minor before that. It's the same thing as how the split season also affects the adult grades.
And if you had a system where half the teams went out after the group stage and only the top two went through, then you'd have a situation where half the teams in the county would be finished by around middle of August, after only starting at end of June.
So allowing for that, how would you run it?
And either way, the point I made previously still stands. Some go mad over 19- and 20-year-olds being asked to play midweek as well as weekends in some weeks, while others are going out of their way to find a way for 17- and 18-year-olds to play midweek and weekends every week." If our club minors were allowed play club adult it would definitely help our intercounty u20s. Which in turn would help our Seniors. We arent far off winning things, but we are still that little bit off. Anything that might help bridge that gap has to be considered.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17689 - 26/11/2025 22:11:44
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Plenty of talk about the difficulties involved in minors playing adult, and very little about the benefits. I did post about the benefits to our intercounty teams, particularly the u20s, but also the Seniors. Seems to have got lost in the nether.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17689 - 27/11/2025 09:48:24
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Replying To Viking66: "Plenty of talk about the difficulties involved in minors playing adult, and very little about the benefits. I did post about the benefits to our intercounty teams, particularly the u20s, but also the Seniors. Seems to have got lost in the nether." We have to go back to allowing 18 year olds play adult. You can see lads are behind at under 20 because other counties players have gained extra years experience playing at adult level. Its hard enough without trying to play catch up!
Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 760 - 27/11/2025 10:08:17
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Thing about the minor championships (and indeed, U16s) is that they can't start until after the State exams are over in June, because of how the better 16- and 17-year-olds are involved in inter-county minor before that. It's the same thing as how the split season also affects the adult grades.
And if you had a system where half the teams went out after the group stage and only the top two went through, then you'd have a situation where half the teams in the county would be finished by around middle of August, after only starting at end of June.
So allowing for that, how would you run it?
And either way, the point I made previously still stands. Some go mad over 19- and 20-year-olds being asked to play midweek as well as weekends in some weeks, while others are going out of their way to find a way for 17- and 18-year-olds to play midweek and weekends every week." I see your point but the difference here is most of those 18 years will be on second and third teams, youd have to be an exceptional player to be playing lets on a intermediate or senior team. It would help the smaller clubs no end who would often be struggling for numbers on those teams.
Was the minor championship a few years back not have 8 teams per division with two divisions, with top four qualifying to meet top 4 other side while bottom 4 meet other bottom 4 for a shield. It ran on a bit longer but at least there was 7 meaningful games. Or even have 6 teams per division, top 4 into quarters, bottom two on each side into shield?
If they want to play a league earlier in the year thats fine, but at least have a final or something, they have nothing there at the minute.
alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 568 - 27/11/2025 10:34:30
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Replying To Viking66: "Plenty of talk about the difficulties involved in minors playing adult, and very little about the benefits. I did post about the benefits to our intercounty teams, particularly the u20s, but also the Seniors. Seems to have got lost in the nether." I'm well on record in the past of saying I don't see how it could work from a fixtures point of view, but I'm not actually putting up an argument against it here. We'll see how it plays out at Convention, which is the only place that really matters anyway. But my two main points here are:
1 - Does nobody else see the irony of such widespread opposition on the one hand of asking U21 players to play midweek & weekend in some weeks, while on the other hand, there are growing calls for a system where Minors would be asked to play midweek & weekend in every week?
2 - If the current Minor championship is indeed "a joke" (as the other poster says above), what other ways are there of running it, especially when you consider that the split season and the State exams mean that you can't start until end of June if clubs are to be able to use their county players in the Minor club championship?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3289 - 27/11/2025 10:46:48
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@alwaysasub - On your first point, I don't see how there's much of a difference at all. Many of the 19, 20 and 21-year-olds being asked to make up an U21 team are also "only" playing for the second or third team at adult level. But there are still complaints over asking such lads to play both midweek & weekend in four different weeks. Surely there's an irony in the clamour to have even younger players play midweek & weekend every week?
On your second point, you seem to be basically describing this year's minor championship:
- Divisions of 8, split into two groups - e.g. four in Div. 1A, and four in Div. 1B
- Three group games each
- They then all play each other in quarter-finals. Winners go to Cup semi-finals, losers go to Shield semi-finals.
- Five guaranteed championship games in each code for each club. Finalists get six games. Not seven, but am not sure how'd you get seven in the way you outline either.
But wondering about your use of the word "meaningful". You said first it was a joke because everybody goes through anyway. But now you're describing a system where everybody also goes through, but seems you're now counting every game as meaningful after all?
Also important to note that the way it ran this year is the way it's run for each of the past few years since we changed from U17 back to U18. Any previous system you're referring to would either have been during the U17 years (2018 to 2022), or else before there was a split season at all, and you could play a number of Minor Club Championship games starting around early March and on a couple of weekends in April and May as well, in between county matches.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3289 - 27/11/2025 11:58:35
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Replying To Pikeman96: "I'm well on record in the past of saying I don't see how it could work from a fixtures point of view, but I'm not actually putting up an argument against it here. We'll see how it plays out at Convention, which is the only place that really matters anyway. But my two main points here are:
1 - Does nobody else see the irony of such widespread opposition on the one hand of asking U21 players to play midweek & weekend in some weeks, while on the other hand, there are growing calls for a system where Minors would be asked to play midweek & weekend in every week?
2 - If the current Minor championship is indeed "a joke" (as the other poster says above), what other ways are there of running it, especially when you consider that the split season and the State exams mean that you can't start until end of June if clubs are to be able to use their county players in the Minor club championship?" Do you not agree it's a bit of a joke at the minute? How about what I proposed above, in a Divison two groups of 6, top 4 in a group into quarters, bottom 2 into quarters. At least there is something to play for. Yes it might go in a few weeks longer. I'm sure there are other solutions to at least make it somewhat competitive. These guys are 17 to 18 year olds. They aren't children, not everyone gets a medal.
My own opinion I don't agree with minors with Wexford not being allowed to play with clubs before the exams. It's minor not adult, but that's another days argument.
Yes of course there is a sense of irony but what I would say is that u21s close to the age will be playing with first teams while most of not all minors will be playing with second and third teams, where it's less competive.
alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 568 - 27/11/2025 13:37:19
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The elephant in the room for me is still the obsession with games and games and who cares if they're meaningless as long as there's games
For me if minors are allowed play adult then we have an issue. I love the idea of it, I think they should be allowed but as things currently stand we struggle to integrate u21 so will face further issues with integrating minors.
One solution would be to reduce the amount of games at adult level in particular hurling but this goes against the obsession there is with more games for the sake of having more games.
tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1598 - 27/11/2025 13:53:00
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Replying To Afinestick96: "We have to go back to allowing 18 year olds play adult. You can see lads are behind at under 20 because other counties players have gained extra years experience playing at adult level. Its hard enough without trying to play catch up!" We are behind at minor and that`s why we are behind at under 20!!!!
I Would be interested in how people see this benefit playing out and what teams have progressed because of it?
Tipp have just decided last night to go back to under 18 but I was told that the main reason they did was because of the fact that other counties are at Under 18.
Wexford had a system for a few years where 18 years could play adult and club games were at under 17.
I have said before that Wexford needs to look further down to under 10-14 for the problems.
wexfordwin (Wexford) - Posts: 195 - 27/11/2025 13:55:47
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Replying To Pikeman96: "I'm well on record in the past of saying I don't see how it could work from a fixtures point of view, but I'm not actually putting up an argument against it here. We'll see how it plays out at Convention, which is the only place that really matters anyway. But my two main points here are:
1 - Does nobody else see the irony of such widespread opposition on the one hand of asking U21 players to play midweek & weekend in some weeks, while on the other hand, there are growing calls for a system where Minors would be asked to play midweek & weekend in every week?
2 - If the current Minor championship is indeed "a joke" (as the other poster says above), what other ways are there of running it, especially when you consider that the split season and the State exams mean that you can't start until end of June if clubs are to be able to use their county players in the Minor club championship?" I agree 100% its going to make Fixtures an even harder job than it is already. But hopefully the gains will make it worthwhile.
I do think if some motion to let minors play adult doesn't get passed this Convention then there will be one passed next time.
If we let 17 year olds play adult, without ensuring the necessary Garda vetting and Safeguarding is in place, then everything will be fine until there's an incident. Then there will be an almighty mess, too big to sweep under any carpet. Surprised noone has flagged this up already for the u21 Championship tbh.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17689 - 27/11/2025 15:05:25
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Replying To wexfordwin: "We are behind at minor and that`s why we are behind at under 20!!!!
I Would be interested in how people see this benefit playing out and what teams have progressed because of it?
Tipp have just decided last night to go back to under 18 but I was told that the main reason they did was because of the fact that other counties are at Under 18.
Wexford had a system for a few years where 18 years could play adult and club games were at under 17.
I have said before that Wexford needs to look further down to under 10-14 for the problems." Been beating that drum for years as regards your ladt point. The ASH is a step in the right direction, but maybe needs to be expanded to more age groups, as winter hurling in Clare for all age groups seems to have had a positive effect.
The main objection to minor at u18 in Tipp was the fact that you can't have proper championship for lads until u14 with even years, they will probably do something like we do at u12.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17689 - 27/11/2025 15:09:28
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@alwaysasub - I think the current structure is among the best of what can be done when you weigh up all the considerations. I'm not saying it's perfect, but I don't think it's "a joke" (or even "a bit of a joke") either.
Your idea has some merit but it doesn't quite stack up. Think about it, if two groups of six in each division - top four in each group could go to quarter-finals all right. But you say bottom two also into quarters - what quarters? If two go that way from Group A, and two more go from Group B, best you can do is Shield semi-finals, not quarter-finals.
Leaving that aside though, the idea does have some merit. Did you put it in for the Coiste na nOg AGM that's happening next week?
However, on your thing of "a few weeks longer" - bear in mind too that Schools GAA constantly pushes for the Minor club championships to be finished earlier, to avoid a situation of people over a Minor team in a county semi-final or final telling lads not to train or maybe even not play with the school that week. I have a certain opinion on that myself, but that's one for another day.
On a couple of other things:
- On your bit about not agreeing with county Minor players "not being allowed" to play with their clubs before State Exams (i.e. during the county part of the split season) - when are they supposed to do it? Wexford Minor teams were involved in either hurling or football championships this year all the way from end of March to end of May. Footballers started March 30. Hurlers started April 20 and played six weekends in a row. Where would you fit in club matches that the county players could line out in?
- Not sure I'd agree that Junior or even Junior B is any less competitive than Senior or Intermediate. A lower standard all right, but every bit as competitive. A Junior player wants to win every bit as much as a Senior player does.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3289 - 27/11/2025 15:37:15
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Replying To tearintom: "The elephant in the room for me is still the obsession with games and games and who cares if they're meaningless as long as there's games
For me if minors are allowed play adult then we have an issue. I love the idea of it, I think they should be allowed but as things currently stand we struggle to integrate u21 so will face further issues with integrating minors.
One solution would be to reduce the amount of games at adult level in particular hurling but this goes against the obsession there is with more games for the sake of having more games." This is exactly it. We all know that there are good Minors out there who would be well able to "cut it" at Senior level. But the issue is the sheer number of games and how they'd all have to work around each other.
If we allow Minors to play adult, and keep the championship structures we have, then a lad turning 18 during the Summer would be facing:
- a guaranteed five matches in Minor Hurling championship. Maybe more.
- a guaranteed five matches in Minor Football championship. Maybe more.
- a guaranteed six matches in Adult Hurling championship (assuming he lines out somewhere from Senior down to Junior A). Maybe more.
- a guaranteed five matches in Adult Football championship (again assuming he's somewhere from Senior down to Junior A). Maybe more.
So, 21 matches, all between end of June and about the middle of September - i.e. a span of about 12 or 13 weeks. How long would it be before there'd be calls for change again, for player welfare and protecting against burnout? Particularly if these lads are expected to attend one or two training sessions each week as well?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3289 - 27/11/2025 15:46:26
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Another thing that occurs to me, and am looking at this from the point of view that sometimes things should be questioned, instead of being allowed to just become accepted as "truth" - it's the notion that allowing Minors to play adult would help "smaller" clubs to field a second or third team.
Let's just say you're one of these "smaller" clubs and you did indeed have trouble fielding a second or third team this year.
But if you fielded at Minor at all, then surely you already have four, five or six lads coming up, who will be turning 19 next year, who will therefore be overage for Minor, and who can make up the numbers on the second or third team instead.
Are you saying that even getting these four, five or six still won't be enough, and you need another few from the next year down as well?
If so, there are bigger issues in that club with player retention.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3289 - 27/11/2025 15:51:15
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Replying To Pikeman96: "@alwaysasub - I think the current structure is among the best of what can be done when you weigh up all the considerations. I'm not saying it's perfect, but I don't think it's "a joke" (or even "a bit of a joke") either.
Your idea has some merit but it doesn't quite stack up. Think about it, if two groups of six in each division - top four in each group could go to quarter-finals all right. But you say bottom two also into quarters - what quarters? If two go that way from Group A, and two more go from Group B, best you can do is Shield semi-finals, not quarter-finals.
Leaving that aside though, the idea does have some merit. Did you put it in for the Coiste na nOg AGM that's happening next week?
However, on your thing of "a few weeks longer" - bear in mind too that Schools GAA constantly pushes for the Minor club championships to be finished earlier, to avoid a situation of people over a Minor team in a county semi-final or final telling lads not to train or maybe even not play with the school that week. I have a certain opinion on that myself, but that's one for another day.
On a couple of other things:
- On your bit about not agreeing with county Minor players "not being allowed" to play with their clubs before State Exams (i.e. during the county part of the split season) - when are they supposed to do it? Wexford Minor teams were involved in either hurling or football championships this year all the way from end of March to end of May. Footballers started March 30. Hurlers started April 20 and played six weekends in a row. Where would you fit in club matches that the county players could line out in?
- Not sure I'd agree that Junior or even Junior B is any less competitive than Senior or Intermediate. A lower standard all right, but every bit as competitive. A Junior player wants to win every bit as much as a Senior player does." Not sure thats true tbh. Id have friends playing Junior B who would like to win but arent overly bothered if they don't. I know a good few current Senior and Intermediate players, and they are nearly unapproachable if they lose.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17689 - 27/11/2025 17:18:35
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Another thing that occurs to me, and am looking at this from the point of view that sometimes things should be questioned, instead of being allowed to just become accepted as "truth" - it's the notion that allowing Minors to play adult would help "smaller" clubs to field a second or third team.
Let's just say you're one of these "smaller" clubs and you did indeed have trouble fielding a second or third team this year.
But if you fielded at Minor at all, then surely you already have four, five or six lads coming up, who will be turning 19 next year, who will therefore be overage for Minor, and who can make up the numbers on the second or third team instead.
Are you saying that even getting these four, five or six still won't be enough, and you need another few from the next year down as well?
If so, there are bigger issues in that club with player retention." I think that players playing up purely to make a team up isnt good grounds for those players to play up. They have to be big enough and good enough in the first place.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17689 - 27/11/2025 17:21:24
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