Timing of U21 clash questioned

TIPPERARY’S Seamus Callanan has questioned why the Premier and Cork U21 sides are being asked to play their opening championship fixture just three days after the counties’ senior brigades go head to head.

Liam Sheedy’s side faces Cork at Semple Stadium on Sunday, and the same venue will welcome the U21s of Declan Carr and John Considine the following Wednesday.

Ten players are dividing their services between the two Premier hurling panels this summer. Up to five will do likewise for Cork. All now face a demanding schedule after four weeks of relative inaction.

“When the U21 is knockout it is something that could be looked at,” said Callanan.

“I don’t think there is any harm in having the U21 ten days after it (the senior game). There is obviously a reason for it but we have club championship the following Sunday as well so that is three matches in a week and it is hard to do it.

“It’s hard to manage. We’re focusing all this week and the last few months on the Cork match but we have to change the focus and be ready for the U21 on Sunday evening and rest and get ready. It’s vitally important.”

Callanan was one of six ‘ambassadors’ present at the launch of the 2009 Bord Gais Energy U21 Hurling Championship at Croke Park yesterday. All will be supporting an array of activities planned to promote hurling and the competition itself. Others included Galway’s Joe Canning and Kilkenny’s Richie Hogan, as well as Antrim’s Arron Graffin, who will be returning to HQ in two weekend’s time for his county’s historic bow in the Leinster Championship.

Anthony Daly’s Dublin will provide the opposition on a day when the footballers of Meath and Dublin will also be on view and Graffin believes the powers-that-be should indulge in even more structural tinkering.

“Both our minors and U21s should be playing in Leinster as well. If we want to progress and develop up north we need to be able compete in Leinster against teams like Wexford.”

Meanwhile, Galway will not make their entrance into the U21 championship until August 22, by which time the competition will have been trundling along for over 13 weeks.

“You don’t complain when you win it and you do complain when you don’t win it,” said Canning.

“That’s just the way it is, we have to just get on and play the games. It’s not up to the players.

“Obviously, we’d like to get a few more games under our belts just to get used to things, to get the team going. You’re hoping in one sense that everything goes well on the day.”

Joining their senior colleagues in the Leinster Championship would seem the obvious remedy but officials in the province are wary of Galway’s strength at the underage grades.

Continued Canning: “It would probably give us a few more matches, give us a better level of where we’re at and settle the team a small bit. A few years ago, when we did win the 21s, we had three or four changes from the semi-final for the final. That was just the way it happened.”

Whatever happens, Canning will be overage for the grade as of next year but he remains a steadfast supporter of a level which was targeted for a merger with minor a few years back.

“It’s a very good competition. If it was disbanded … you have loads of guys going away now at 21 or 22 years of age because they have no work. A lot of guys now do actually stay around to hurl with the county.

“It’s keeping a lot of guys in the game. I’d guarantee you if it was taken away you’d find the guys progressing onto the senior team would be way down in terms of numbers from what it is at the moment. So, I’d keep it in, totally.”