Limerick GAA officials add to calls for the minor age grade to revert back to U18

LIMERICK GAA look set to join the growing campaign to revert the minor age grade back to U18.

New proposals from Croke Park were debated at this week’s October County Board meeting where the general consensus appeared very much against the new recommendations for U17 and U19 age grade competitions for hurling and football.

Up to 2017, minor was U18 but that was changed to U17, with the provision that minor players couldn’t play at adult level - thus ensuring the smooth running of both underage and adult fixtures, among other perceived positives.

However, officials and club delegates in Limerick appear keen for a change back to even age grades with inter-county competitions at U18 and U20, but with 18 year olds eligible to play adult competitions.

"A combination of factors for me has proven that it was a mistake initially to change the age grades and we opposed it at the time. We opposed it and it was still carried but I have no doubt that it is being revisited because there is a recognition that mistakes were made and it isn’t working," Limerick GAA chairman John Cregan told Tuesday night's meeting in the Woodlands House Hotel.

"We need a full picture from U12 up to wherever we are going up to - a full picture, not just picking one age but from start to finish to determine our age grades once and for all," he stressed.

"It’s no secret that we have been saying for a number of months if not for a couple of years that our preference would be to revert back to where the age grades were at minor being U18 and then U20/21. What GAA headquarters are trying to achieve is to decouple underage games from adult games and the decision to be made is what is the cut-off point. Smaller rural clubs may find it very difficult to field teams without having the benefit of an 18 year old to play adult," said the chairman.

"Saying that inter-county will be one thing and that counties can decide their own age grades is a cop out in my opinion. I think it should be regularised and the club age grades should be reflective of the county age grades."

Limerick GAA's Central Council delegate Paul Foley urged debate.

"There has been years of research and working groups with consideration, thought and science - change is never easy," said the Patrickswell man as he outlined the recommendations from Croke Park.

While club delegates were in support of the return to U18 and U20, they were fearful of any moves to stop 18 year old playing adult competitions.

"Rural clubs are facing a tough time as it is to try and field adult teams and your 18 year olds are vital to keeping the whole thing going. We have 17 year old that play junior soccer and I don’t see any reason why 18 year olds can’t play adult grade," said Eoin Barry of Dromcollogher-Broadford.

Former Limerick GAA Treasurer Owen Hayes said: "An 18 year old can vote and if he or she can vote surely they can make a decision to play hurling and football at adult level with their clubs".

Vincent Kiely of Feenagh-Kilmeedy added: "If 18 year olds can’t play adult level, they will be lost and clubs will disappear because they won’t be able to field teams and we will lose more players because they will go to other codes."

Colm Barry of Ahane supported the chairman’s call to revert to U18.

"We are going to lose players hand over fist if we don’t revert what has been done. The Harty Cup went up to U19 and the minor went down to U17 - how can any of that make sense?," said Barry.

John Cregan agreed that 18 year olds playing or not playing adult competitions was "going to be the biggest stumbling block".

"I think the reason it’s being revisited is because there is an awareness now that there was a mistake made to change it at all in my opinion," said the chairman.

He explained: "When it came to All-Ireland final day for U17 I think it was felt that it would be grossly unfair to put them in before 40-50,000 or 60-70,000 people and that has been recognised because those games have been played in smaller venues as stand alone games. When you mention the age grade being U17 many of those are 16 year olds and they were faced with playing Munster finals, Leinster finals and All-Ireland finals and all that brings huge pressure to bear on those kids".

The chairman said that making 18 year olds ineligible for adult competitions was a "road we don’t want to go down".

"We don’t want to set out to do harm by what we are suggesting,” he said of pushing for a return to U18.

“We will be pushing our preferred view. The sub-committee that is in place has invited counties to give their views and I have spoken to the chairman of that committee and we will make every effort to use whatever influence we can for a change back. We haven’t finalised our discussions but we were anxious to get the views of club delegates. The consensus gathering is that we would revert to even ages - U12, 14, etc, U18 and onto U20. There will be a further opportunity for discussion and we will go and meet with the committee once again," said the chairman.

"In my personal view it should revert to U18 and the 18 year old should have a choice but that’s different to the view being expressed by Croke Park."