2014 club u21 championship

Seamus::::::::::: a proposal for ur club AGM ??

Im pretty sure We (Club) have raised this issue previously with the CB, but to no avail.. I suppose its worth a re visit.
Im hearing the Co. u21 Panel has being shortened to 40 and training has started.. Good to see the Lads are at it early.

Raised with some Officer or at a CB Meeting where the club delegates are the vast majority..........and can accept the idea or not ????....

Don't see it as a particularly important age group at all. If a young fella isn't able to step up to adult football aged 17/18, playing one to four U21 matches in October and November (or February and March) isn't going to make him be able for the step up when he's 21/22.

Having said that, I'd just leave it where it is. I think it suits grand to play it when the adult and minor is virtually completely finished except for teams in Leinster. Any other time of year will just cause hassle with other teams. In my experience, almost all the players involved at U21 level play either adult football, whether that's at first, second or third team level, or minor football.

Just regarding playing it in spring, if you left the Aldrige cup etc at the same time they're currently at, straight away that causes a clash with the inter-county U21s.

Personally I think U21 is a very important stepping stone for Players stepping up from Minor to Senior, and while your point is taken about 2nd and 3rd Adult Teams, the smaller Clubs dont have that luxury, and are lucky to have a 2nd Team at all..
We as a small Club have struggled to convert Fellas from Minor, as for our 2nd Team, a major struggle, as these are played on Tuesday Nights, and Fellas who are in Galway / Limerick / Dublin etc in College or in the Army etc arent gonna travel for Junior League Matches..

I don't think there is any other time in the calendar to fit in the 21 championship in fairness.

Spring - County 21s

Summer - Senior Club Leagues and County senior team

Autumn - Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championships

Unfortunately that only leaves the winter time to play it, I agree though it is a very important competition for getting lads that may have quit after minor back playing football and hopefully transitioning them onto a clubs senior team for the following year.

Have to agree with Seamus on this one i believe the u'21 competition is more important than than the Aldridge Cup especially for the smaller clubs that play B and C minor championship but Senior Football. It is hard to get an 18 year old from B and C championship to Senior Standard and if this competition was played in February / March (eventhough it will clash with county) it would mean that the 18/19/20 year olds could be training with the adult teams in the club at this stage which would help the key transition from 17-21 year olds especially for the smaller clubs.

There possibly would even be a way for incorporating the Aldridge Cup with the U'21's on alternative weekends maybe (change format of Aldridge / Keogh Cup to same as U21).

Not sure what the awnser is, but "leaving it where it is", is far from ideal, and for Me this Competition is just an after thought, and dosent rank very high on the CB's radar.. Wouldnt mickeys idea, or something along that line be worth trialing at least ?.

what I love about the u21s championship is its played in the winter and the matches are usually played in bad conditions which usually gives good hard fought matches. and the fight and passion is almost brought up a notch...

on the idea of u21s being a stepping stone to senior.. it most definitely is a stepping stone to senior and to go from minor to senior is a step to far for a lot of minor lads that are playing B and C championships... I played my first year of senior in my last year of minor and the pace was very difficult to keep up with but playing u21s with lads that might have been playing senior for a couple of extra years with more experience that aren't much bigger than yourself definitely makes for a good stepping stone for young players

While some Fellas will go straight into Senior from Minor, others take time, as has being said on here many a time, Players develope differently.. Sur even the great JD didnt play Co. Minor, and only made the u21s on His Final Year I believe..

I hear that suncroft have given TMH a walkover in the B QF set for tomorrow

Thats shocking.. There were a good few walkovers last Weekend also.

Yeah, it looks like between both B competitions, only 4 of 8 quarter finals were actually played, while in the first round 6 of 8 games were played. That's way too high a level of walkovers.

Fixtures this weekend
A semi final
Maynooth vs Castledermot in Naas @2.30

B semi finals
TMH vs Confey in Celbridge @2.30
Raheens vs Sallins in Clane @ 2.30

B shield semis
Carbury vs St.Edwards in Johnstownbridge @2.30
Aylmer Gaels vs Rathangan in Monasterevan @2.30

C championship
Rheban vs Caragh in Rheban @2.30

any prediction for the maynooth v castledermot game. I heard the maynooth Leixlip game was an absolute cracker, was told Maynooth are a good team but arent too strong in midfield

A quarter final between Sarsfields and Moorefield is also on Saturday at 2.30 in Moorefield

[quote="topcat"]A quarter final between Sarsfields and Moorefield is also on Saturday at 2.30 in Moorefield

Will that be a Moorefield team without their senior players ???

I suppose that is a matter for Luke Dempsey and his u/21 counterpart to sort out amongst themselves. I would imagine the players want to play.

Celbridgelad wrote:

any prediction for the maynooth v castledermot game. I heard the maynooth Leixlip game was an absolute cracker, was told Maynooth are a good team but arent too strong in midfield

It was an absolute cracker alright, it went down to the wire. both set of lads left it all on the pitch. a dirty wet, windy day. end to end stuff.

B championship games postponed I think

After all the lies and whinging about the Sarsfields 'super', 'most talented' minor team ever. They havent done too well. Struggled to beat Athy in the minor final. Hardly touched the ball in the senior final then beaten again by Moorefield in the U/21 today.
Maybe they should have kept the mouths shut & not spun all those yarns in the run up to the co final.

While we must always work towards the future I think is fair to say were the balance of power currently lies in Newbridge ( if not even Kildare).

Moorefield have now beaten Sarsfields in the senior and senior reserve 'A' finals and in the U/21 championship.

I am now thinking 'lets live for the present'.

Good triple header ahead in hawkfield on Saturday should be 3 top quality games

Mikeys wrote:

Good triple header ahead in hawkfield on Saturday should be 3 top quality games

Yeah good to see.. As long as their not all on windswept pitch No. 4.