DERRY football’s U20 manager Paddy Bradley has expressed his frustration at the lack of clarity around the resumption of play for the younger county grades and says there is growing concern over whether the U20 and minor championships will be played in 2021.
Currently, the Irish Government has only given exemption to the senior inter-county grade to resume, even though all club players will return to training today in the north and April 26 in the south.
In last week’s press briefing, the GAA said it could provide no dates for the U20 and minor championships until the Irish Government give the green light – but the Association insisted the 2021 competitions would be played as well as the outstanding championship games from 2020.
At the briefing, the GAA mapped out fixtures for club and county for 2021 and explained how it was forced to reduce the inter-county season from 27 weeks to 20 due to the ongoing concerns of COVID19.
The GAA’s Director of Games Fergal McGill told reporters: “On the 2020 minor football and hurling – we still plan to finish them whenever the government allows us to finish them but at the moment the exemption is only for senior inter-county.
“We also plan to play 2021 competitions in U20 minor football and hurling and minor football and hurling but we can’t give you dates for those at this moment in time until we’re informed when they’re allowed to happen.”
It is assumed the club-only season will kick in as early as August, with the senior inter-county programme going with a reduction in League games, played on a regional basis, and a straight knock-out football Championship.
The Senior Hurling Championship will operate a Qualifier system similar to 2020.
But there is growing concern among the U20 and minor grades following last week’s briefing.
Derry’s U20 boss Paddy Bradley said the situation was “very frustrating” and explained the challenges in trying to keep players engaged via remote training.
“In Derry, the players have been training remotely now for four months,” he said.
“We, as a management team, are sending in programmes for them to follow but I know there is frustration as they are not working towards any dates.
“On social media, you can see different managers all over the country questioning this. There also seems to be fear that the competition might never be played which would be very detrimental to their development.
“Most of these boys missed out on school and university football last year too.”
Meath’s new U20 football boss Bernard Flynn echoed similar sentiments over the weekend by tweeting: ‘How in the name of God can you tell a 16/17-year-old kid it’s okay to go back training on the 26th of April but you tell an 18/19-year-old he can’t.”
Bradley believes it would take a maximum of five weeks to run off a straight knock-out competition at U20 level.
“A county U20 set-up is now prepared in a similar fashion to a senior set-up,” said the Glenullin man.
“I don't see any reason why they couldn't be granted elite status and the competition be given a defined date range in the calendar. A straight knockout competition would take a maximum of five weeks to run off.
“These lads are craving for football. Coming out of minors this is a crucial stage in their development. All the players and management want is some clarity.”
Ulster’s 2020 U17 football Championship has yet to be concluded with semi-final games between Derry and Tyrone and Monaghan versus Fermanagh still outstanding.
Bradley added: “The Derry U17 management team await confirmation on whether last year’s competition will be finished.
“We are trying to keep boys engaged in following a strict training programme but we have no answers for them when they ask when will we actually see a game.”
