Brennan vows to revisit burnout issue

THE idea of an Under-19 grade died a quick death at Special Congress on Saturday but plans are already afoot to readdress the question of burnout, with the possibility of an U-17 competition replacing minor just one of the ideas in the pipeline.

Defeated, as expected, by 115 votes to 58 two days ago, both the president Nickey Brennan and Director General-elect Paraic Duffy remain determined to persist with burnout proposals until the matter is suitably addressed.

Brennan said after Saturday’s Congress that the pair would be like “two dogs with a bone” and the Burnout Task Force chairman Dr Pat O’Neill has also indicated his willingness to continue with his work.

Brennan indicated that he envisaged a new Task Force being up and running within months and Mayo secretary Sean Feeney’s suggestion of an U-17 grade is one of the most intriguing possibilities in their next brief.

The U-21 grade would remain untouched.

“That is definitely worth looking at,” said Duffy. “We had discussed it before. Another one is the area of age restriction where players would be kept playing games within their own age group. We will look at a variety of areas.”

A dozen delegates spoke on the U-19 motions in Croke Park. Dessie Farrell called the level of burnout a “scandal” while Galway secretary Bernie O’Connor claimed approval of an U-19 grade would result in a drain of players from the association.

In spite of such divergent views, all agreed that action needed to be taken but the mechanism suggested — to scrap the U-21 and minor grades — was simply unpalatable to most.

Kilkenny chairman Ned Quinn, speaking on behalf of the Hurling Development Committee, voiced his opposition to the abolition of the U-21 grade in hurling specifically, claiming it was a critical tool in maintaining and expanding the game through to senior levels.

“I wasn’t surprised (at the vote),” said Brennan. “I was aware some of the big hitters would be difficult to get through but I was encouraged overall and we will keep cracking at it.”

Both Brennan and Duffy were heartened by aspects of the debate, particularly the input from Roscommon who gave their approval to the two-year U-19 experiment, despite the fact that their 2006 All-Ireland winners will be coming into their peak as U-21 players this coming season.

Roscommon’s mandate to support the motions was decided after the county board had viewed the evidence, some of it of a very graphic pictorial nature, of the effects burnout is having on young players.

Outgoing Director General Liam Mulvihill also suggested that the association would produce DVDs which would be circulated to coaches and managers throughout the country to increase levels of education on the subject.

While obviously disappointed with the outcome, Dr O’Neill accepted the result of the votes with little difficulty but Brennan admitted that it was depressing to see the recommendations of such an eminent Task Force rejected.

“That would be a fair comment. We wanted all the motions to be passed. The ones pertaining to U-19 failed and maybe emotion overtook some counties. Some delegates were mandated without people having examined the facts. It is frustrating but I would still like to look at the positives.”