Prenty warns minor return to U18 will bring fixture problems

Connacht GAA chief executive John Prenty is fearful there will be more fixture clashes and too much burden on young footballers and hurlers

Connacht GAA secretary John Prenty Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Moves to return minor level to U18 have been criticised as shortsighted by Connacht GAA chief executive John Prenty.

Munster GAA propose minor return to U18 at inter-county level but insist decoupling would remain for the course of the All-Ireland competitions. Players would not be eligible to line out for their club at adult level for the duration their county remains in the minor championship.

Prenty is fearful that pushing the minor grade to U18 across the board will lead to more fixture clashes and overburden young footballers and hurlers.

“Decoupling is at the heart of our ability to provide games and to minimise the negative impact on the adult games programme,” he writes in his annual report to provincial convention. “There appears to be moves afoot at the upcoming Congress to move the Minor Age from U17 to U18, which does not take into account the reasons that we changed to U17 in the first place.

“Decoupling was brought in to completely separate the underage and adult grades and to have no clashes between underage and adult fixtures.

“If we are to move the minor age to U18, is there an appetite to decouple at 18 which, in effect, will prove to be a huge problem for many small clubs who will have problems fielding at adult level without U18 players?

“We must be careful what we wish for by moving to U18 with the bottom line being that decoupling MUST be a part of any option to avoid the problems of the past (overtraining/overuse/fixture planning, etc).”

Prenty also has concerns about the fixture schedule put in place by the development competitions control committee (CCC). The first round of the football academy games are scheduled for Saturday, April 21.

“In my opinion, the coming year will see some challenges with the calendar which has been produced by the Development CCC,” Prenty remarks.

“The academy dates do not take fully into account the issues on the ground in having academy squads ready to play so early in the year.

“I am concerned that not all of our counties will be able to meet all of the dates in the early part of the year. We must remember that most of our counties will not have a full panel for the U17 championship comprised of all 17-year-olds.

“Many of our counties will pull from 15 and 16-year-olds and one can see many of these issues highlighted in the recent report of the demographic committee.”