U21 football championship may earn reprieve
The Cavan man insists the timing of the competition must be reviewed but having spoken to various counties, on a recent tour of the four provinces with director general Páraic Duffy, he appreciates there is little demand to end the competition, which began in 1964. Such a motion would require two-thirds of delegates support at Congress in February.
“I’d have to take note there is a strong feeling the U21 competition shouldn’t go. I have to be honest and admit that.
“I’m not so sure it can be retained in its current format, maybe a different time of year. But that is something that both Páraic (Duffy) and I will have to review.
“We have to take on board the views of counties and I’d say a good number of them wouldn’t like to see the U21 championship disappear.”
There appears to be backing for the pitch to make both football and hurling’s minor grades U17. The GPA have suggested U21 be reduced to U20 to reflect such a move.
“We’re only still in the stage of completing our listening process,” highlighted Ó Feargail.
“Páraic, in fairness, put the work in to the designing of the paper so he’ll have to have a key role in looking again at that. I wouldn’t like to preempt what we’ll do. I would acknowledge that, from what we’re hearing about the U21 championship, we need to have something. That (U20) could be one of the possibilities.”
The eradication of the U21 championship is one of several recommendations set out by Duffy to address player burnout and welfare issues.
Aside from that and the call to end the All-Ireland junior football competition, Ó Fearghail says the document has been received well by counties.
“When Britain said to me that they wouldn’t like to see the junior championship go because they are a part of it, I agree with them. I think they’re right.
“The counties haven’t a big interest in junior but we could review that, make it a genuine junior championship for 10 or 11 of the weaker counties with the same standard.
“At the moment anyone can play junior. It could be the second 15 or it could be the junior clubs.”
The calendar season is a key component of Duffy’s paper although Cork are one of a number of dual counties to have come out strongly against the idea.
Ó Fearghail remarked: “It doesn’t have to go to Congress. It’s a decision for Central Council. We’ll discuss it. I think there is still a strong body of opinion feels that the GAA is certainly big enough and able enough to run its fixtures in a calendar year. Most people are beginning to see that. Some people don’t, I accept that, but very few. I wouldn’t see any watering down of that.”
On Sunday, Cork chairman Ger Lane told club delegates at the annual convention that sacrificing the club finals was a backward step.
Ó Fearghail countered: “I’ve said at the regional meetings, to all four, we will never abandon St Patrick’s Day. It would be crazy for the GAA to have Croke Park closed on St Patrick’s Day. We’re never going to do that.
“We’re simply saying that there is no need for the club finals to be played that day.
“There used to be 70-80,000 at inter-provincial finals on St Patrick’s Day; I’m not saying it could be that but… we have so many fixtures at the moment, that’s why we’re having this document.
“There is 1.25 million people in Dublin on St Patrick’s weekend so we will always have a substantial Croke Park event on that day but there is no reason why we couldn’t have the same and more as is currently attending our club finals under lights in Croke Park, festival atmosphere, in December. I’ve no doubt it will work. No doubt.”
Ó Fearghail took exception to Dublin secretary John Costello’s “Scrooge” comments about the GAA last week.
Costello hit out at the sum of money Dublin received for their participation in the close to sold-out All-Ireland semi-final replay with Mayo.
“I was disappointed,” said Ó Fearghail. “We have nearly a million members, they are all valued. The people here working for the GAA in Texas are as important to be as my own club at home.
“It’s disappointing if any of our counties feel we’re like ‘Scrooge’. That’s the end of it — I wouldn’t be in the business of going around slapping fellas in the hand for saying something...
“I think it’s very unfair (what Costello said).
“We do try to distribute our wealth as best wepossibly can and I said when we came in as president that we’d try to shift the balance ever so slightly to give a bit more funding to our weaker counties.
“It wasn’t a weaker county that complained about the funding they’re getting so I disappointed with those comments because Dublin do well from Croke Park and Dublin are good for Croke Park and for the association.”
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