Munster GAA to table motion to return minor inter-county level to U18

Kerry's Gearóid White with Ronan Hayes and Cathal McCarthy of Cork. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Munster GAA will table a motion to return minor inter-county level to U18 at Congress in February.

The exact wording of the proposal has yet to be confirmed but a recommendation to end the championships at U17 level will be forthcoming.

At least one decoupling condition will be attached to the motion. It is likely the province will insist a player lining out in the U18 minor championship may not be permitted to play for his club’s adult team during the inter-county competition.

The Munster Council have yet to agree if an U17 player will be prevented from also lining out at U20 inter-county level. Such a prevention would ensure the best young players are not overloaded but that criterion is still being debated.

At club level, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford had been adopting U18 as their minor grade and on Thursday, Tipperary agreed to follow suit in 2026. 

Two years ago, Clare clubs voted against a motion to switch to even grades, but that subject is due to be revisited.

After a tight Congress vote in 2016, the last minor championship at U18 took place the following year.

The lower age minor grade, which was introduced on the premise of supporting player welfare and avoiding players participating in two grades, eventually contributed to the minor finals being removed as the curtain-raisers on All-Ireland senior final days. It was felt that the pressure on younger adolescents was too much.

The previous attempt to return the U18 minor grade at inter-county level was defeated at Congress in February 2023 when just over two-thirds of delegates vote against the motion. 

Cork GAA chief executive Kevin O'Donovan was one of those who spoke in favour of the proposal put forward by Kerry, Longford and Tyrone.

In his annual report released last week, Kerry secretary Peter Twiss said the switch to U17 at inter-county level had not been successful. 

“The dropping of the age grade from U18 to U17 and the decision to take the minor finals away from being the curtain-raiser games on the All-Ireland final day have not worked. It is now time for the association to review those decisions.

“Even though there’s only a year’s difference in age, the contrast between U18 competition and U17 is quite stark, while the progression to U20/U21 level seems so distant for an U17 player when compared to that of an U18 player.

“Furthermore, taking the minor finals away from All-Ireland final day, has left a huge void on the day itself and denied our top underage stars an ideal stage to showcase their great skills and talents.” 

The absence of All-Ireland final curtain-raisers is expected to be discussed at Central Council in Croke Park on Saturday. The last minor deciders to take place before the senior finals occurred in 2019.

Tipperary become the 22nd county to operate even under-age grades. Another seven-stage competition at odd and even grades while just four now apply odd ages.

In Tipperary, the U18 grade will be under the remit of the senior county board with cross-divisional U17 football and hurling leagues continuing next year while Féile and Peil competition will continue at U15.