Motions in Meath and Tipperary bid to restore minor level to U18

Motions to revert minor level to U18 in Meath and Tipperary will be tabled at their forthcoming county conventions. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Motions to revert minor level to U18 in Meath and Tipperary will be tabled at their forthcoming county conventions.

Walterstown in Meath and Tipperary’s competitions control committee are calling for U18 to be restored. While the vast majority of counties have either never changed from U18 or returned to it in recent years, the likes of Clare, Laois, Leitrim and Wicklow have also stuck with U17 only.

Tipperary’s fixtures body seek the under-age grades to change to even years from U12 to U18 followed by U21 from 2026 (U19 would be abolished entirely), while Mid Tipperary club Boherlahan-Dualla propose the alterations be implemented for the following year.

In an online presentation on their social media channels, Walterstown cited a Gaelic games youth participation survey by Ulster University, which found only 27% of boys continue to play Gaelic football or hurling after U17.

“Seventeen is too early,” the club’s presentation states. “They’re not yet physically or psychologically ready for adult football or hurling. So why are we pushing them out of under-age football or hurling a full year too soon?

“The elite players will be fine. They’ll always come through. They’ll make adult teams early no matter what rule or regulation is in place. This is about everybody else. The majority. The lads who love the game but need that extra year of structure before facing adult football or hurling.” 

Walterstown cite Galway as one of the counties who also abide by U17 but point out they “look after their players far better” with U19 championships run in July whereas Meath’s take place in October and November.

The majority of counties decouple from the adult club grades at 17 while counties such as Antrim, Dublin, Longford and Westmeath do so at 18.

Meanwhile, GAA president Jarlath Burns will be the guest of honour and keynote speaker at the annual Kilmichael commemoration on Sunday, November 30.

Burns will talk at the event remembering the ambush in the War of Independence on November 28, 1920, the week after Bloody Sunday, when Tom Barry led a group of 36 local Irish Republican Army volunteers, killing 17 members of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Three volunteers also died.

Burns also delivered the speech remembering the death of Seán Treacy on Dublin’s Talbot Street the morning of this year’s All-Ireland final between Tipperary and Cork. Also a protagonist in the War of Independence, Treacy was killed a month by the British Secret Service before Bloody Sunday while also fatally shooting one of them.

Elsewhere, FBD Semple Stadium has been confirmed as the venue for Sunday week’s AIB Munster Club SHC final between Ballygunner and Éire Óg, Ennis. The game will throw in at 3pm and will be televised by TG4.

UPCOMING FIXTURES.

Saturday, November 29.

AIB Munster Club IHC final: O'Callaghan's Mills (Clare) v Upperchurch-Drombane (Tipperary), TUS Gaelic Grounds, 5pm.

AIB Munster Club JHC final: Kilbrittain (Cork) v Kilrossanty (Waterford), Mallow, 1pm.

Sunday, November 30.

AIB Munster Club SHC final: Ballygunner (Waterford) v Éire Óg Inis (Clare), FBD Semple Stadium, 3pm.