GAA to propose under-20 inter-county football championship

The GAA will propose the introduction of an under-20 inter-county football championship at next month’s congress. This is a compromise on the proposal to abolish the under-21 championship, which was contained in November’s discussion paper on Player Overtraining and Burnout and the GAA Fixtures Calendar.

According to a statement from the GAA on Saturday afternoon the original idea has been re-considered after, “the consultation process and other feedback revealed a concern at the gap that would be created in an elite football player’s development pathway by ending age-based inter-county competition at under-17. As a result, we have produced a revised proposal to create a developmental under-20 championship that would eliminate some of the difficulties currently facing elite players in the under-21 grade”.

The under-20 championship will be played midweek in June and July and players involved with their county’s senior county team will not be eligible.

Another of the discussion paper’s proposals was compulsory extra-time in all championship fixtures including the All-Ireland final. This too has been watered down with the amended proposal allowing for extra time in All-Ireland and provincial finals.

Should the proposal be accepted by congress, it would mean nine matches per season requiring replays if they finish level - as opposed to 54 under current rules.

Another compromise on the discussion document’s proposals sees the abolition of the All-Ireland junior inter-county championship being reconsidered with the likelihood that an emended form of the championship will be retained to meet the needs of the British counties and weaker home counties.

These amended proposals were circulated to the counties at Saturday’s Central Council meeting for discussion before congress.

There was also reference to the controversy over the affiliation of the Irish Guards to the London GAA. A motion to reverse the affiliation of the British army regiment team was withdrawn last week on the instructions of Croke Park and association Director General Páraic Duffy.

In a meeting with the London officials and the chairperson of the proposing Granuaile Hurling club, Duffy pointed out that GAA rules do not allow for the proposed rescindment of the decision to approve its affiliation.

According to the GAA statement: “Central Council will work with London County Committee and the Granuaile Hurling club to resolve issues or concerns arising from this affiliation.”