The GAA’s annual Congress started today in Carlow and delegates have approved some major changes on its first night.
The Under-21 All-Ireland Championship has been abolished, and will be replaced with an Under-20 Developmental Football Championship from 2018, a motion endorsed by former GAA president Liam O’Neill, Director-General Pauric Duffy and Jarlath Burns. The main crux of the argument for the change was that it would help avoid player burnout.
The motion exceeded the two-thirds majority needed to come into force:
In order to reduce the number of games, any draws after extra-time at the new Under-20 grade will be settled by a sudden death free-kick competition, which sounds like it will be fun.
In a similar move, the minor grade will be changed from Under-18 to Under-17 grade, to avoid player burnout along with reducing the amount of players ignoring their Leaving Cert in favour of a Minor Championshipa
In a similar move, the minor grade will be changed from Under-18 to Under-17 grade, to avoid player burnout along with reducing the amount of players ignoring their Leaving Cert in favour of a Minor Championship.
Changing times for the GAA………
