GAA says return to minor curtain-raiser for senior finals 'not currently feasible'
The 2025 All-Ireland minor football final was played at St Conleth's Park in Newbridge. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The GAA says that a return to staging the All-Ireland minor football and hurling finals before the senior deciders at Croke Park is "not currently feasible".
The traditional practice of using the minor finals as the curtain-raisers for the senior showpieces fell away when the minor grade dropped from U18 to U17. The last minor deciders to serve as the appetisers were the 2019 finals.
Last year's minor football final, in which Tyrone defeated Kerry, was played at St Conleth's Park in Newbridge while the hurling final, which saw Waterford beat Clare, was played at Semple Stadium.
"At today’s meeting of Ard Chomhairle a report examining the possible alignment of minor and senior All-Ireland finals was presented and adopted," the GAA said in a statement.
"It proposed, that while keeping an open attitude to the staging of curtain-raisers before finals, the possible fixing of minor finals before senior finals, as was previously the practice, is not currently feasible.
"Pre-match arrangements centred around the ‘Warm Up Show’ as per recent years, will continue."
Meanwhile, it was also agreed on Saturday that inter-county players will be allowed to return to training for the 2027 season on November 20. At the Ard Chomhairle meeting, the Gaelic Players Association also presented a "synopsis of its activities, including a financial overview of its operations."
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
