McCarthy gathers group to tackle underage proposals
Weighing up options: GAA President Larry McCarthy at the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Cork and Clare at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Pic: by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
GAA president Larry McCarthy has appointed a committee to come up with underage grade proposals before the end of the year.
A Special Congress is expected to be called this autumn to debate the recommendations from the group, which includes the four provincial chairmen – Ger Ryan (Munster), Ciarán MacLaughlin (Ulster), John Murphy (Connacht) and Pat Teehan (Leinster).
A number of motions on the grades were discussed at Congress in Mayo in February but did not receive the required two-third support. The Central Council proposal to introduce an U19 grade at inter-county level was also withdrawn but on the understanding a committee would be set up to develop ideas.
It is hoped that the body will be able to produce a report as quickly as the one that delivered the All-Ireland senior football championship blueprint for Congress three months ago. The four provincial chairmen were also part of that consultation.
Meanwhile, Sunday week’s Munster SHC final is set to be a 45,775 sell-out in Thurles after 11,000 terrace tickets sold out in as many minutes on Friday morning.
In a statement released this morning, it was confirmed the Killinan and Town End terrace tickets at FBD Semple Stadium sold out rapidly.
The press release read: “The allocation of 11,000 Terrace Tickets which went on sale at 10am this morning for the Munster Hurling Final via participating Centra and Supervalu outlets in addition to Ticketmaster sold out in 11 minutes.
“All remaining tickets are with the participating county boards (Clare and Limerick) and Season Ticket holders. It is not expected that any tickets will be returned from the County Boards and in that event, the Munster Hurling Final will be a sell-out event on Sunday week June 5 at FBD Semple Stadium.”
Health and safety protocols have cut the capacity of the venue, which attracted 50,000-plus crowds on four occasions in the 2000s – the 2000 and ‘06 Cork-Tipperary finals and the 2003 and ‘04 clashes between Cork and Waterford. The Cork-Clare provincial deciders there in 2017 and ‘18 both drew attendances of over 45,000.
The last Clare-Limerick Munster SHC in 1995 attracted 46,361 to Thurles.
D. Fahy (Ardrahan); L. McInerney (Loughrea), S. Murphy (Clarinbridge), D. Counihan (Clarinbridge); B. O’Donovan (Gort), O. O’Gorman (Kilconieron), J. Lonergan (Turloughmore); C. Trayers (Turloughmore), P. MacCarthaigh (Sarsfields); O. Burke (Pádraig Pearses), R. Burke (c, Oranmore-Maree), C. Lawless (Athenry); R. O’Donnell (Oranmore-Maree), A. Niland (Clarinbridge), C. Dolphin (Mullagh). C. Wilde (Turloughmore), J. Wallace (Ballygar), S. Concannon (Craughwell), S. Power (Ballinasloe), C. Killeen (Loughrea), S. Walsh (Moycullen), C. Gilligan (Craughwell), S. Keane (Sarsfields), J. O’Malley (Kilnadeema/Leitrim).
