Flexibility’ needed in debate over underage grades- McAvoy

THE hot-topic of debate over the underage-grades within the GAA will ‘require flexibility on all sides,’ Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy has stated in his report to next week’s annual Convention of the provincial body.

There has been a huge push among many clubs, with Errigal Ciaran among the most vociferous, to revert back to Under-18 level for Minor football.

Back in 2018 the inter-county age grade moved from Under-18 to Under-17 and subsequently GAA policy was adopted so that club games must be operated at U-13, U-15 and U-17 levels and at least one underage grade above U-17.

A number of GAA Reports which had been commissioned over the previous decade helped inform this decision – these included the Report of the Taskforce on Player Burnout (2012), ‘Keeping Them in the Game’ (2013) and The Report of the Minor Review Workgroup’ (2015).

Brian McAvoy admitted in his annual Report that the switch has had mixed results even if the intentions at the time were laudable.

“ The overwhelming evidence was that the demands on our most talented players was both damaging and unsustainable and complimentary to the move from U-18 to U-17 at minor level, was that decoupling would remain at U-17, meaning that all minor players were no longer eligible to participate in adult competitions.

“ The rationale for moving minor to U-17 (and decoupling at 17) was based on solid rationale but for a variety of reasons counties have struggled to provide meaningful competition(s) at an underage grade above U-17.

“This has resulted in some players, who would previously have had an extra year at minor level, struggling to compete at adult level and therefore choosing to forego their GAA playing career.”

While acknowledging that many people have voiced their opinion that the minor grade needs to return to U18 level the Ulster Secretary revealed that the problem of burnout among young players would quickly resurface.

“ There is strong evidence pointing out that fewer clubs’ games have been conceded at U-17 level than what was previously the case at U-18 level.

“ However, if there is a return to U-18 at club level and decoupling remains at 17, we are largely back to where we were before the change was made, with too many players facing the demands of being part of multiple teams across minor and adult levels (the only significant difference being that if inter-county minor remains at U-17, as seems likely, the elite minor player in his final year at inter-county would not be playing adult).

“There is no easy solution to the conundrum and if there is a solution that addresses all the concerns which have been raised, then I haven’t found it yet. It will require flexibility on all sides and, hopefully, we can arrive at a place where workable accommodation can be found,” he concluded.