That’s not what’s on the menu though.
It’s a straight choice that’s being voted on.
Many are arguing though that 18 is too young for adult grade, so it goes round in circles. Some argue that there is no route for kids once they leave U17s and others then argue that after U18 is too late to start in.
The one thing I do mainly disagree with though is that it will finish smaller clubs. The age grade for adult is anywhere from 18 to 35 (say on average). If one years eligibility would finish a club, then there are problems with the club. And I say that coming from a club with the second lowest population in Wexford, with us also having 5 18 year olds in our first team squad this year. If those lads werent eligible this year would it have finished us? Not a chance. They are a big addition, but we would have been perfectly fine without them.
Round and round we go.
As an aside.
Even with the separation of under age from adult the intention was to no play the minor hurling finals until the 22 or 29th of October this year. Fixed for 15th in the end.
And the schools going mad at it.
Sure tis all madness.
Imagine a club folding because the middling 18 year old can’t play adult. That club probably should fold.
We finished up for the year last week, was looking after 4-7 year olds in a non-traditional hurling area. Was an uphill task at times, hard to get games due to lack of clubs nearby and boys getting hurls 6 inches too long for them for Christmas and struggling with them all year. But we got great numbers and they stayed coming every week.
Onto 8-9 year olds next year, should be far less time spent tieing laces but no doubt there will be other problems iv not thought about.
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Is that Fethard? I didn’t realise it was such a small place. That makes those couple of underage Premier Football winning teams from the last decade or so all the more remarkable.
What everyone is forgetting is that in most counties these teenagers are 90% at least dual players. Add in the fact that when minor was u18 they were playing colleges, and dancing to the tune of 2 minor code managements, the first team management of their preferred sport and tagging along with an adult team of their second sport. All in the name of the club. They were putting up serious mileage.
I’m certain that those crying foul now were also in the stop burnout camps before changes were made.
AFAIK, Newtown’ is primarily hurling ie not a dual club therefore their young lads have less demands on them but how do you run a separate grade to suit non dual clubs?
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Yeah we had a panel of 18 when we won it last year and a panel of 19 when we won it before that. Also a panel of 19 another year we lost to shels. Scraping numbers together but a good core group of players each year, none of those teams ever crossing over each other.
I see that cunt Brian Cuthbert who started this whole u17 debacle now says it can go back to u18 but they are not allowed to play senior. Also adds he is from Bishopstown who are one of the biggest clubs in Cork and the Country.
I really fail to understand how u18 competitions cannot happen mid week and the players up to the age can play Senior or Junior at the weekend. This is already happening in my own club at u19 level and we are managing fine.
The young lads themselves no the initial priority is their own age group but get the bonus of playing adult at the weekend. It really is bonkers stuff that a lad could be 18 on the 1st of January, have a full years university, smoking, drinking etc and not allowed tog for his clubs senior or junior team.
this comes back to a fairly simple fact, that pretty much no club manager will play an 18 year old in his first year at senior who doesnt train with the adult team. So as much as yes, it would be fine to play a game midweek, then a game at the weekend, they will not be training. And you and I know, that wont happen. They will be made train with their adult team the night before or after minor games and they will still have the same workload as the adult team, but adding in their underage game midweek too. In an ideal world, that wouldnt happen, but club managers are cunts
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It’s well & good to say play U-18 midweek & Adult at weekend. When are these lads supposed to train with those teams.
It won’t happen & if the lad is good enough to play senior. The senior mgt will want first call on him.
2 Barrs players Ben O Connor & William Buckley playing senior H&F. this year and still only 18 years of age.
If the age grade was U-18 who would get call on these lads Senior mgt or Minor mgt.
U-18 has to be decoupled from Adults.
If Under 18’s can’t play adult, it would be detrimental to their development. It would be even worse than the current mess. Their egos would be out of control still being the big fish in the small pond. Drinking, college, driving etc. with only a minor championship that they might be too cool for to play in.
The great thing about young lads training/playing with adults is it gets them to cop on and not take too much out of the ball or they’ll be killed by a shoulder from some 30-year-old.
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Integrating lads into the adult teams is the key the retaining them
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If you can keep a lad interested and training up to 21, you’ve a good chance of retaining him is what I have seen.
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That’s bang on. Last line especially.
When you’re on €150 a night winning is all that matters.
And the schools. Don’t forget the schools.
And the whinging when important club games are played under lights. As per some other thread.
Do you take a Derek McGrath-style, holistic approach to your GAA management activities?
Yeah. I haven’t a fucking clue what’s going on about everything.
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From my own experience the vast majority of clubs managed the old system fine. Players played minor and Senior at the same time.
I managed our own 19s last year and we had 6 players on senior panels whilst another couple played junior. They played with us on a Wednesday after doing the ball work with the seniors on the Tuesday. Friday night they had light training and a senior game at the weekend. It worked great and the players improved immensely from playing with men. This will also work when it returns to u18.
I also think there’s too much knowledge in clubs regarding loading players correctly, for example any of my 19s never took part in any of the runs the seniors did. There was actually a few occasions when the senior manager told the boys to step out even though they wanted more. It’s all about communication and for some 18 year olds they could play 5 matches a week.
I really cannot understand a system where you must be 19 to play adult hurling. I think it ties into a lot of aspects of modern society where parents are very protective over their kids to the point they are soft as butter.
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If lads can’t play Adult Club until 19, they’ll be 25 before they get a look in with the County.
When lads could play adult club at 17 they were ready for Inter County at 19 or 20. When it changed to 18 to play Adult Club it went to 22 or 23 before they were ready for Inter County.
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Is that the same Brian Cuthbert who struggled as Cork senior football manager?