Not long ago a Limerick delegate at congress put a proposal that the minor grade be moved to u19 and the U21 grade be abolished. While it was defeated I admired the vision behind such a suggestion. Many talented GAA players are lost in the year after school when they begin working or attending college. Having a big emphasis on U19 grade would put more pressure on young players to continue playing with the lads they grew up with. It would keep the tight underrage bond that players have for their own clubs intact for one more year. U21 is a directionless grade and a black hole for average players who have no firm direction in the vital period of 18 to 21. Its time to revisit this option and try it out. Many counties and clubs need a change to the current format as we are hemoraging players who play up to minor and drift away never to play again.

87LK100 (Limerick) - Posts: 65 - 03/12/2010 14:53:09    827162

not sure if abolishing the u21s is the answer but introducing u 19 is a good idea. lads who go to clooege will have u19 football but lads who don't, won't.

lads who don't make the college team may give up so a club u 19 grade would be useful.

I believe that the 2 year gap in most counties leads to drop off. u 12 to u14; the lads who were on the u 12 team are are u 13 will struggle for the most part to get on the u14s and so, apart from a short u13 catch weight summer tournament will be efectively without football for a year. same applies at 15 17 and 19 so at each of these critical points in the development of our players we have drop off. The present system caters for early developers but mitagates against late developers or average players. when a player drops out anywhere along the way we will never know if he would have made it as a senior or we lose their contribution as a club member.

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 03/12/2010 15:35:25    827201

Well if your going to be putting pressure on young lads foe a start they wont want to play. I dont see how and Under 19 team would be any different then an Under 21 team. Some lads who are 20 21 might not be up to playing seinor so a few more years playing with lads there own age will help to bring them on

moomoo (Kerry) - Posts: 4023 - 03/12/2010 15:44:25    827208

I would bring in a u19 but would never scrap the under 21 as i think it is a very valuable competiton.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 03/12/2010 15:51:12    827212

Will someone tell me how they see Under 21 as a valuable grade to have? As an under 21 player i would love to see the back of it, for small rural clubs it puts more strain on players who play minor, under 21 and with their mens teams at the same time, along with county hurling or football and sometimes both. Add this load to the schools or colleges teams that lads play with and you have players playing far too much.

77981301 (UK) - Posts: 79 - 03/12/2010 16:12:58    827236

People who say that U21 scraped clearly have never played the game. From my own point of view its the most hotly contested of all the championships in Laois and is thoroughly enjoyable. My own club take the comp very seriously and Is a strong indicator of how players will match up at senior level. If anything raise minor to U19 Level.

Number7 (Laois) - Posts: 45 - 03/12/2010 16:14:50    827237

argee with Number7 there changing minor to under 19 would be a better idea

moomoo (Kerry) - Posts: 4023 - 03/12/2010 16:35:01    827265

The u-21 and minor grades need to kept

gaaman091 (Donegal) - Posts: 42 - 03/12/2010 16:37:55    827267

To make a statement that 'anyone who says it should be scrapped must never have played the game' shows how wrong number7 is. I am speaking from my own experience from last year when i had 10 matches in 14 days so something in my opinion has to be scrapped. I played for the following teams last year- Club minor hurling and football, under 21 hurling and football, intermediate hurling and football (our clubs first teams), and county under 17 hurling and football. i would like to ask number7 what his schedule is or are you even under 21 youself?

77981301 (UK) - Posts: 79 - 03/12/2010 16:51:26    827279

In Kerry anyway minors are not aload to play in the Under 21 county championship so the same could be looked at in other county's to cut down players playing so many games

moomoo (Kerry) - Posts: 4023 - 03/12/2010 17:00:13    827288

Moomoo that wouldn't work in most places as clubs need 17 and 18 year olds to field a team. our own club had 9 minors on the under 21 panel out of a panel of 22.

77981301 (UK) - Posts: 79 - 03/12/2010 17:51:18    827327

I would change both grades to U.19 and U.23 to improve the standard and give lads room to breathe !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 03/12/2010 18:17:04    827348

slasher

what an insight you have

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 03/12/2010 18:41:26    827367

Cavan_Slasher
County: Cavan
Posts: 6550

827348 I would change both grades to U.19 and U.23 to improve the standard and give lads room to breathe

The problem you would have then some players over 21 play or are in the senior squad .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 03/12/2010 19:17:10    827383

77981301
County: UK
Posts: 4

827279
To make a statement that 'anyone who says it should be scrapped must never have played the game' shows how wrong number7 is. I am speaking from my own experience from last year when i had 10 matches in 14 days so something in my opinion has to be scrapped. I played for the following teams last year- Club minor hurling and football, under 21 hurling and football, intermediate hurling and football (our clubs first teams), and county under 17 hurling and football. i would like to ask number7 what his schedule is or are you even under 21 youself?

Im sure no one is forcing you to play with all them teams!!

hightball (Laois) - Posts: 3 - 03/12/2010 19:24:59    827395

You might get a game then Ochonlir !!


Dell,

If you are good enough you can play senior at 17 !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 03/12/2010 19:59:14    827412

Great grade. Throws up fabulous games. Ask the Clare hurlers from last year if it is a directionless grade. Players need time to mature physically. Throwing them in to senior at nineteen is irresponsible. Leave the grade as it is.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6199 - 03/12/2010 21:00:29    827444

scrap it now all good players are playing at 17 on most club teams DELL i played at 16 boy was a good lol

finngold (Tyrone) - Posts: 28 - 03/12/2010 21:10:16    827447

U21 can be a bit of a disaster at club level. Usually only taken seriously by a couple of clubs. In Dublin it always kinda feels like a last minute job with the championship crammed in somewhere. I don't see the benefits of it at club level but maybe keeping it at county level would be good. At club level it just seems to put extra pressure on existing players and it can be a struggle to get lads out for it.

The idea ofminor brought to U19 has its merits but there'd need to be a proper U17 grade then also.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13846 - 04/12/2010 10:58:56    827486

Greengrass, I thought you had disappeared about the same time as Hooples did!

Seamus89 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 3848 - 04/12/2010 12:05:21    827501