Waterford GAA thread - mod warning post #1 and #51

willbeuptuesday

Two excellent posts, I agree with a lot of what is said but for me the biggest problem is not coaching and games its the structures we are all expected to work with. Last Saturday my U10's played Ballinacourtney in the first found of the U10 football league (which to be fair was organised by coaching and games in response to clubs demanding it). Bord na Nog is organises along the same lines as the county board ie.. east and west, this is keeping clubs of a similar level apart and preventing the development of kids in Waterford. For example this year my U11's played four football and four hurling games in the Town and Country league, why can't we have all county competitions in which clubs of a similar level play against each other? This will allow administrators to structure all county leagues in both codes and give the kids more games!! The notion that clubs can't travel East to West is Bulls**t, they have no problem traveling in other codes. When Coaching and Games organise blitzes in Carriganore Clubs from all over the county show up. There is too much wasted administration in Waterford and as for this famous review, are they going to talk to clubs? I have n't heard of them talking to anyone, have any of you? I made my feelings clear to Sean Michael Regan last Saturday at the game, which was probably a bit unfair given he is only one person doing his best but my frustration is huge. The talent is there it just needs a platform to develop and what we have at the moment is nowhere near good enough.

mountgomery burns

hardybuck wrote: »

What you'd have in other counties are divisional sides, but for some reason there is a total rejection to their value in Waterford. This would allow the clubs to continue to retain their individual identity at adult level while allowing the serious players an opportunity to step up and achieve their potential at a higher level.

The biggest issue for me is the total lack of games in a regular season - particular for young guys between 18-21. A guy coming out of minor might get one game at U19 level, and then if he's not in a senior or decent inter setup he's thrown to the wolves in junior competitions with sparse and sporadic fixtures.

I think clubs here have to share the blame as clubs seem to be able to hold up competitions if all their lads aren't available for some reason. In counties like Cork and Dublin they simply won't allow an U20 football competition, or a junior championship, to be held up because of a guy playing minor hurling with the county side - but that kind of messing seems to be allowed in Waterford.

The status of football in the east of the county is particularly dire, and hurling isn't too far behind outside of the big three in the city.

Edit: Solutions have to involve organising more games. In football I would be an advocate of a south east league for clubs in Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, South Tipp and even a few KK teams if they wanted to come down. This requires interest within the clubs however.

U19 grade should be scrapped immediately for an U20 competition.

Should also be 7 a side competitions trialled and held as social competitions. This side of the sport seems to have been badly overlooked, and things like tag and social rugby have brought huge numbers out to play rugby in all parts of the country - the same could work in the GAA.

I agree entirely on the second and third paragraph.

On the first one however, how many counties have group teams participating where clubs combine and then field their own Junior team? There's a long standing tradition in Cork and Kerry and so it seems to work, but it was trialled and did not work in Waterford. That's not to see it could never work but I would be assuming its the answer to all problems.

And the issue highlighted, Kill/Fenor/Bonmahon etc don't have enough players to field standalone teams so this wouldn't address that problem. It was mentioned above that these clubs have 20% of the playing populations, that's not correct. It's 20% of the clubs, have they even 5% of the county population across those areas?

The only solution is permanent amalgamation, but to be honest it's very easy for me to suggest that, much harder to tell clubs with pride and tradition that that is reality.

deisedude

mountgomery burns wrote: »

The only solution is permanent amalgamation, but to be honest it's very easy for me to suggest that, much harder to tell clubs with pride and tradition that that is reality.

Thats the only viable solution too I think. Its worked well in Laois. Both teams in the recent hurling final were amalgamations I think.

hardybuck

mountgomery burns wrote: »

I agree entirely on the second and third paragraph.

On the first one however, how many counties have group teams participating where clubs combine and then field their own Junior team? There's a long standing tradition in Cork and Kerry and so it seems to work, but it was trialled and did not work in Waterford. That's not to see it could never work but I would be assuming its the answer to all problems.

And the issue highlighted, Kill/Fenor/Bonmahon etc don't have enough players to field standalone teams so this wouldn't address that problem. It was mentioned above that these clubs have 20% of the playing populations, that's not correct. It's 20% of the clubs, have they even 5% of the county population across those areas?

The only solution is permanent amalgamation, but to be honest it's very easy for me to suggest that, much harder to tell clubs with pride and tradition that that is reality.

Well in Munster you've got it in Cork and Kerry, but you've also got it in other counties like Clare where the tiny village of Ballyea, from an isolated football area in the west of the county, won a Munster senior club hurling title but had guys from other football clubs in the area togging for them. A bit like the Gaultier setup.

If a group setup encouraged some lads to stay with the sport rather than leaving it, then the clubs would have more players to choose from.

While I don't think we should get bogged down in this, just because it didn't work before it doesn't mean it wouldn't work again if given the proper supports.

Not sure if permanent amalgamation with each other would work, or if Fenor should go into Tramore, Bunmahon go to Stradbally etc.

thesaturdayman

mountgomery burns wrote: »

I agree entirely on the second and third paragraph.

On the first one however, how many counties have group teams participating where clubs combine and then field their own Junior team? There's a long standing tradition in Cork and Kerry and so it seems to work, but it was trialled and did not work in Waterford. That's not to see it could never work but I would be assuming its the answer to all problems.

And the issue highlighted, Kill/Fenor/Bonmahon etc don't have enough players to field standalone teams so this wouldn't address that problem. It was mentioned above that these clubs have 20% of the playing populations, that's not correct. It's 20% of the clubs, have they even 5% of the county population across those areas?

The only solution is permanent amalgamation, but to be honest it's very easy for me to suggest that, much harder to tell clubs with pride and tradition that that is reality.

re kill fenor bonmahon etc. you are missing the point, there are soccer teams in these and other areas that field 11 players + subs so there are people in the areas! the difference being that these soccer clubs compete against teams of equal ability not against the villas and the bohs of the world! Back to Easter and Western boards.

If you measure population by clubs then 20% is correct.

when it comes to voting - 1 club = 1 vote so that is also correct.

when it comes to a vote at county board level the voting is Gerrymandered - by this i mean Old Parish who probably have 100-200 people max in the area not to mind 30 people in the club have the same voting ability and capacity as say Tramore who have 10,000 in their area and circa 300-400 members.

Hardly fair proportional representation?

I have seen instances first hand where clubs particularly the west, making decisions about senior football clubs speaking specifically to the all county junior football attached comp - or Junior B as the board called it for short, it took us 4 years to get this through and its the best adult competition around - well it was until the board for no good reason split into two groups.

You had a game every friday from May to July knock out in August.

Clubs up west and i can name them specifically knocked it year on year even though it had no impact or bearing on them they feared it would impact their precious divisional boards - That vote was lost every year by about 5-6 votes and the same clubs voted it down year on year when it had no material impact on them until it eventually got through 6-7 years ago.

As regards the review - ha itll be a frosty day in Satins office when Sean michael or pat flynn step out of their comfort zone and come to clubs - they will get some serious home truths considering they are entirely part of the problem!

we have 3 paid secretaries doing fixtures in this county. I rest my case your honour.

emergingstar

re the the underage i think 11-12 a side games on reduced pitches could help clubs stand on there own

hardybuck

To help structure constructive debate, suggested solutions include:

- Clubs permanently merging

- Divisional sides, underage and adult, and clubs continue to play in standalone competitions

- Move to 11 or 12 a side games for certain juvenile competitions

- More social GAA to encourage greater participation and among a greater spread of individuals

- South East League or Munster League (either in hurling and/or football)

- More fixtures, and more regularly, at all levels and adherence to a regular season

- Abolish U19 grade and introduce U20 grade

Obi1mikal

First of all I would like to say that this is the best and most productive conversation I have ever seen in this forum and fair play to saturdayman for starting it and for the contributions of all of the others, there are some excellent points being made.

I am not involved with the underage teams in my club and havent been in a long time as I am now mainly involved with adult teams, but the idea of teams playing all county leagues so that teams of a similar skill level can play each other is a very good idea. With regards to the amalgamations personally I think a mid county team consisting of the teams mentioned above to play senior championship is a very good idea and will strengthen the county as a whole while also allowing clubs to keep their tradition and compete in the competitions that they are already in. As i said i dont know much about underage but maybe this amalgamation should be made for them aswell while also give the clubs a 10/12 league against teams of a similar standard.

I saw a call for the u19 to be scrapped with an u20 instead, this needs to happen immediately. I was asked to step in as a selector with my u19 hurling team this year and from what I have seen so far the whole thing is a farce, it was just thrown together and thrown in at the end of the year. It is not even straight knock out like the u21. From speaking with the lads involved who were involved last year at u18, they told me that last years minor championship was one of the best ever with often only one score between teams. Why not have a proper championship again at u19 and just use the dates and fixtures from the u18 last year that worked fine.

Lastly on this i was there this year as the u20 county team were easily beaten and this years u19s are next years u20's and yet stephan gough has not been given a proper championship in which to pick his panel for next year.

(Lets keep these kind of topical debates going here)

Deisefacts

Obi1mikal wrote: »

First of all I would like to say that this is the best and most productive conversation I have ever seen in this forum and fair play to saturdayman for starting it and for the contributions of all of the others, there are some excellent points being made.

I am not involved with the underage teams in my club and havent been in a long time as I am now mainly involved with adult teams, but the idea of teams playing all county leagues so that teams of a similar skill level can play each other is a very good idea. With regards to the amalgamations personally I think a mid county team consisting of the teams mentioned above to play senior championship is a very good idea and will strengthen the county as a whole while also allowing clubs to keep their tradition and compete in the competitions that they are already in. As i said i dont know much about underage but maybe this amalgamation should be made for them aswell while also give the clubs a 10/12 league against teams of a similar standard.

I saw a call for the u19 to be scrapped with an u20 instead, this needs to happen immediately. I was asked to step in as a selector with my u19 hurling team this year and from what I have seen so far the whole thing is a farce, it was just thrown together and thrown in at the end of the year. It is not even straight knock out like the u21. From speaking with the lads involved who were involved last year at u18, they told me that last years minor championship was one of the best ever with often only one score between teams. Why not have a proper championship again at u19 and just use the dates and fixtures from the u18 last year that worked fine.

Lastly on this i was there this year as the u20 county team were easily beaten and this years u19s are next years u20's and yet stephan gough has not been given a proper championship in which to pick his panel for next year.

(Lets keep these kind of topical debates going here)

Well said. Cork are having trial training sessions for next years u-20 hurling and football squads over the next few weeks. Here in Waterford tonight we’ve a clash between next years minor squads as both teams have training sessions organised.

PTH2009

Some great ideas here but all and good posting here

These should be passed on to club delegates pronto and put in front of the CB

thesaturdayman

PTH2009 wrote: »

Some great ideas here but all and good posting here

These should be passed on to club delegates pronto and put in front of the CB

Been there and done that. They rubbish you and then proceed to discredit and publicly humiliate and undermine you.

It starts at the top table and is echoed by a chorus of croneys.

JesusRef

An ex clubmate is involved at U11 in Fermoy

This is the Go games in Cork, loads of games....

Games can be 7 to 11 a side

Clubs also hold 4 or 5 multi club blitzes on top of these games

hardybuck

thesaturdayman wrote: »

Been there and done that. They rubbish you and then proceed to discredit and publicly humiliate and undermine you.

It starts at the top table and is echoed by a chorus of croneys.

Alternatively perhaps one of the local journalists might be interested in a few lines.

They've got feck all GAA news to be reporting this time of year. It's also a great time of year to be taking stock of the current year and planning for the next.

Damian Tiernan would be one of your own who could lend a sympathetic ear?

thesaturdayman

hardybuck wrote: »

Alternatively perhaps one of the local journalists might be interested in a few lines.

They've got feck all GAA news to be reporting this time of year. It's also a great time of year to be taking stock of the current year and planning for the next.

Damian Tiernan would be one of your own who could lend a sympathetic ear?

Local journalism - Thomas keane - did anyone read his previews of the football games in the munster express this week?

"football is stronger in the west" for a start, its a nothing waste of time statement secondly - isnt u13, 14, 15, minor, intermediate & senior titles are in the east, the junior attached was played by two eastern teams and who is in the junior proper Ballyduff and someone else - but yea its stronger in the west alright Thomas.

Keyes, Fanning a waste of time from what i see, nobody actually challenges the status quo just panders to the board and hides behind excuse after excuse.

and re damien i doubt it tbh based on our own experiences with him. Was he not looking for Liam cahill to come on and explain why noel connors was dropped off panel?

there is no objective opinion around the place. Anytime i pipe up on twitter im cut down by the same sneery county board gob****es who are kept relevent and in a job by the powers that be.

whats the saying - the fish rots from the head down.

Edit - to add to this, i provided a lot of the local journalists 6+ months ago the original michael walsh report and recommendations to the board - got it from the man himself - there wasnt so much a single letter printed, a word challenged nor was it discussed in any forum.

So much for local journalism & #buyapaper movement.

Deisegodeo

It's odd that divisional teams have never worked in Waterford. Particularly as, in my view, one of the best moves made in local gaa in the past 20 years was to enter the amalgamated west Waterford schools and then the dungarvan schools in the harty cup. So successful was the move that powers that be outside the county proceeded to ban it happening again.

I understand that schools is different and is already made up of different club players, but with the right buy in and desire to compete at a higher level, surely it could be replicated somewhere through the club scene in Waterford on some level.

Stopitwillya

Stopitwillya wrote: »

Increase standards by creating 4 new group teams from intermediate and junior clubs. Put our 4 GPO's in charge of each area/group team this creating accountability. Do the same for football. Play group team games midweek.

Posted this three weeks ago for adult senior hurling and football.
If rural teams underage are struggling this could be done underage for teams playing b and c and enter an underage group team in the a competition.

Also important that a new hurling team is created in Dunmore east. Population increasing significantly in the town.
Another team needs to be created on the Dunmore road. Not sure where they could play but the pick that Ballygunner have is ridiculous. Not ballygunners fault they are winning everything of course. Great club. The GAA should try purchase the unused soccer Astro turf pitches off waterpark rugby club, develop them into a GAA pitch and try create a new team.

mountgomery burns

thesaturdayman wrote: »

re kill fenor bonmahon etc. you are missing the point, there are soccer teams in these and other areas that field 11 players + subs so there are people in the areas! the difference being that these soccer clubs compete against teams of equal ability not against the villas and the bohs of the world! Back to Easter and Western boards.

If you measure population by clubs then 20% is correct.

when it comes to voting - 1 club = 1 vote so that is also correct.

when it comes to a vote at county board level the voting is Gerrymandered - by this i mean Old Parish who probably have 100-200 people max in the area not to mind 30 people in the club have the same voting ability and capacity as say Tramore who have 10,000 in their area and circa 300-400 members.

Hardly fair proportional representation?

I have seen instances first hand where clubs particularly the west, making decisions about senior football clubs speaking specifically to the all county junior football attached comp - or Junior B as the board called it for short, it took us 4 years to get this through and its the best adult competition around - well it was until the board for no good reason split into two groups.

You had a game every friday from May to July knock out in August.

Clubs up west and i can name them specifically knocked it year on year even though it had no impact or bearing on them they feared it would impact their precious divisional boards - That vote was lost every year by about 5-6 votes and the same clubs voted it down year on year when it had no material impact on them until it eventually got through 6-7 years ago.

As regards the review - ha itll be a frosty day in Satins office when Sean michael or pat flynn step out of their comfort zone and come to clubs - they will get some serious home truths considering they are entirely part of the problem!

we have 3 paid secretaries doing fixtures in this county. I rest my case your honour.

I'm not missing your point, but I think there are too many clubs for the population base. Look I'm sure there are outliers in other counties were clubs strive to field teams and achieve beyond their means (we have some in Waterford sure) but just for a comparison say there was 8 standalone clubs listed (counting Newtown/Ballydurn as one) in an area with let's say approximately 5,000:

- In Tipperary, Clonmel has a population of 17,000 according to the 2016 census (reality is it's a decent bit bigger) There are 3 clubs in the immediate vicinity of the town.
- In Kilkenny there are 3 clubs in the town
- In Tramore, double the population attributed to the afore mentioned areas in Waterford, there is one club

If there's 8 clubs fielding teams that's a minimum of 120 players. The equivalent would be 11 soccer teams. I'm not familiar with it myself but would be astounded if there are that many soccer teams based in the listed areas.

There's other points in there at I'm not sure if they are new arguments or addressing someone elses post but not really relevant to the above.

I agree re the Junior B competition its a great competition, I think it was expanded to two groups compared to 2017 as more clubs have entered teams? Open to correction on that.

The biggest issue that adult competition faces is the hiatus to suit County players. It's a big problem nationwide and not one with an obvious solution, you made a very good point before on this that you have to be fair to County players as well re the overload of games the likes of Tadhg De Burca and Jamie Barron would have had in April in between inter county league and championship. I also would fully endorse a revamp of the league's with 4 divisions equally divided, with promotion and relegation giving teams a chance to actually compete for something. There was an attempt to address that with Intermediate and Junior leagues several years ago but they went the wrong way about it.

The biggest challenge though interest in the County faces with comparison to soccer is regular scheduling of games in the primary competition, the championship. The hiatus means lads can't even plan holidays properly and when they're asked to commit the way they are then eventually a lot of lads put the foot down. And to a fair degree hands are tied with the overlap in the inter county season for those scheduling the fixtures.

I'll put one more thing to you, coaches at adult level have to take some responsibility for the waning interest in the lower level of the games. There are lads playing junior being asked to give a mad level of commitment, drinking bans, training on bank holiday Monday mornings, training and matches 5 days a week. All ego driven, win at all costs mentality. It's the antithesis of what sport is about really, soccer is much better at catering to all levels and recognizing people playing to enjoy the thing.

thesultan

I actually think there are too many ages at say 10s,11s and 12s and then nothing after 19. East West thing is a joke was quoted here but not very logical to have a far west team playing a city team when the game could be on at half six on a Tuesday.

cul beag

Great debate. And I agree fully regarding the local hacks( Pity Liam Mulcahy from Tallow when he was their PRO wasn’t still writing his opinions because at least he got to ruffle some feathers with some excellent opinions and options, but ultimately they fell on deaf ears) The problem would be solved if parish rule was implemented and instead of having 8-10 clubs in an area you might have 4-5. Unfortunately because of dinosaurs existing in all clubs this will never happen. The mindset of players is changing also and gone are the days of keeping the thing going for the sake of the club so as to stay in existence. The landscape is changing in every way and until drastic action is taken this demise will be greater than it already is and ultimately it will be too late to take action when it finally comes. Ballygunner probably have a population to pick from larger than the most of West Waterford but yet we insist on keeping at least 12-15 clubs in that area in existence so to fill the bank account of the western board when they fix the local derbies to draw the crowd. But all we’re doing is moving the chairs around on the Titanic because for all the minimal success some of these will have, the juggernaut in the city is getting bigger by the year and will be unstoppable unless the mindset changes.
I fully get the success you get with your own club is the best feeling but somewhere someone has to look at the bigger picture and see that trying to beat your near neighbours might be winning you the battle but certainly not the war.

conor05

How do people on here think the Munster intermediate club match between Ballysaggart v Causeway (Kerry) will go in Fraher Field this Sunday?

Two evenly matched clubs I’d imagine

Mastermcgrath

Great balanced reading here for once. The demographics of rural Ireland has changed in the past 20 years and has a profound effect on the GAA. Only problem is the GAA hasn't moved with the times and is still being run by many of the same people of the same mindset of the 70s, 80s and 90s.
The recession of the late noughties meant a lot of young people left rural parishes and towns never to return, which leaves a generational gap which will be more evident in the coming years, smaller families, with smaller playing pools and equally important less volunteers that are required to run our games adequately.

For me, club amalgamations is the way forward. Use Laois as an example. In the early noughties a number of hurling clubs broke down barriers to join with neighboring parishes for the common good of hurling in the county. Rathdowney & Errill, Clough & Ballacolla, Borris-in-Ossory & Kilcotton were all stand-alone clubs which all made the decision to join with each other amidst much push-back at the time from within the individual clubs. I heard an interview with Ross King last week saying he seen people celebrating the clubs recent county final win that hadn't been at a game in years out of protest for Rathdowney 'selling out' to their neighbors and rivals. Credit to the people that had the foresight at the time to overcome the small town syndrome. Its taken a while but all these clubs have won co. senior titles since the amalgamations and Laois hurling looks to be headed in the right direction.

For me the group teams do not work because the tradition is not there in Waterford. Its not something you can just switch on and expect players to buy into. In Cork the divisional sides have been in existence since nearly the beginning of the GAA, and young hurlers grow up in Cork dreaming of being selected to represent Imokilly, Avondhu or whoever else. Similar to football in Kerry.

JesusRef

Some clubs in rural Waterford are in such a bad state that almalgamations wont even save them.

They have been decimated for young men and women to coach and take on the club in the future and also the children of these people as players.

Laois is slightly different in that people can stay connected with their home club as it is near Dublin.

Heaps of lads commute back to waterford to play, but once their playing days are up they will then connect with the club in the new area they have settled (Cork, Dublin etc)

thesaturdayman

I dont believe mergers are necessarily the answer.

Clubs need an identity. They need to be a fabric of the community and not thrown together in some sort of hap hazard forced marriage - simply because it suits and the numbers add up. Financially it would be hard to pump money into some peculiar set up!

In the instance i previously gave, what would work for me would be the following - although it would require logic and thought!

I will speak specifically to football as its something i know most about;

Kill, Bonmahon, Dunhill, Fenor compete in 13 a side championships at their respective levels - be it intermediate or junior & then be included to play as part of a group team - St Marys or whatever at Senior level - keep senior at 12 teams except include 4 grouped teams - making it 8 standalone clubs for both codes.

Similarly Newtown, John Mitchells, compete at 13 a side champ at their levels & maybe roll them into a grouped side at senior involving maybe Ballyduff lower, butlerstown etc (chop and change the clubs to suit) the premise stands.

Down west - and this mightnt be the most popular suggestion - Old parish to assist Ardmore at Top level but play standalone 13 a side also.

Its win win for me, clubs keep identity and lads get to compete against the best around.

The underage group side that involves colligan, kilgobnet etc should be merged into an adult senior side.

In the City, St Pauls, St Saviours, Erins Own & Ferrybank merged into a senior hurling team keep their own status also i.e. have them at inter or 13 a side levels.

Clubs keep their identity and players get the opportunity to play at the higher level also - The GDA idea managing them was a good one.

There was a lad under Dereks tenure from Erins Own a wade chap - dont know anything about him , but obviously he had some talent that derek saw presumably he was in DLS college but the jump up from what he was doing to intercounty was probably insurmountable, playing him in the inter co league would be like throwing him to the wolves.

Similarly Colin Dunford in 2015 was electric against Wex, burst onto the scene - but never trained on? Why? Cant blame derek forever, maybe the level of his club was the issue? He had no exposure to top club level hurling - didnt have a hope of ever getting up senior club level!

Similarly that lad O Brien from Ferrybank, Michael Harney, so many others besides. I think if you give lads the opportunity hurling or football to develop and flourish they will. I see lads in my own club, middling junior players at 19 are very competent Senior standard players by 22 why? Cos they train with seasoned footballers they get to play league games and a decent junior championship.

Clubs absolutely need an identity, it binds community, the whole GAA ethos, however lads need to be given the opportunity to compete with those better then them, things have moved on from the days of St Brendans and all these things. Group sides should really be looked at to improve standards.

No offence to a club like say Tallow - whats a good year? A respectable Q final result - i.e. not hammered - a bad year? Losing a relegation final. Imagine what winning a good premier intermediate championship and being competitve in Munster would do for them?

Imagine what it would do to a club like Ballyduff Upper? TBH I think its the best thing for them going down.

It eventually worked wonders for Ballyduff Lower, relegated from Senior to Junior in a short space of time, re built and are now genuinely pushing to get back to Senior again.

Easy for old fellas in their 70s to take about senior this and senior that, but the reality is players want to be 1. competitive but 2. be given a chance to compete once or twice a year in the higher grades.

all county leagues, different champ formats and different champ entry propositions all work.

JesusRef

Examples in Kilkenny also;

Gaelic Games had been played in the parish of Ballyhale long before the Shamrocks club was established. By the early 1970s there were two competing clubs in existence in the parish, Ballyhale and Knocktopher, however, they were both facing extinction. A third club, Knockmoylan, had ceased to exist at some time in 1959. Because of the situation facing both clubs they decided to amalgamate in 1972 under the new name of Ballyhale Shamrocks

JesusRef

I looked at the parish map there, I wonder why it was'nt implemented?

Tallow is a tiny Parish,

Some parts of Cork, Tipp and Kilkenny are in the Waterford Diocese..... probably was too
messy

emergingstar

When is the convention for motions (if any) will be heard

willbeuptuesday

This is exactly the mindset that holds WATERFORD back!! WATERFORD is a small county and believe it or not it’s 2019, they have no problems in other codes travelling east to west. The problem is the lads brought up in the East/West traditions. The kids will travel anywhere especially at this age. The fixtures can be fixed for weekends that’s what we have paid administrators for. I train U10’s/11’s we have played teams from Wexford, cork, Dublin, Tipperary, Kilkenny as well as clubs from Clasmore to Passage, thankfully they did not have this mentality!! This need to change and it should start with peoples mindsets, they make longer journeys in Cork, Tipperary, Kerry but then again they expect to win.

thesultan wrote: »

I actually think there are too many ages at say 10s,11s and 12s and then nothing after 19. East West thing is a joke was quoted here but not very logical to have a far west team playing a city team when the game could be on at half six on a Tuesday.

thesaturdayman

willbeuptuesday wrote: »

This is exactly the mindset that holds WATERFORD back!! WATERFORD is a small county and believe it or not it’s 2019, they have no problems in other codes travelling east to west. The problem is the lads brought up in the East/West traditions. The kids will travel anywhere especially at this age. The fixtures can be fixed for weekends that’s what we have paid administrators for. I train U10’s/11’s we have played teams from Wexford, cork, Dublin, Tipperary, Kilkenny as well as clubs from Clasmore to Passage, thankfully they did not have this mentality!! This need to change and it should start with peoples mindsets, they make longer journeys in Cork, Tipperary, Kerry but then again they expect to win.

Park rangers (passage) u12s can play Railway / abbeyside.

Ferrybank u12s can play Dungarvan all for 6.30pm kick offs on other side of county mid week in soccer.

but its a big issue for the gaa? no it isnt. Its a mindset permeating from a rotten pre historic culture.

willbeuptuesday

100% agree this where we need a leader at the top to create structures that clubs will buy into, these dinosaur managers will get their answers from the kids and parents when they don’t want to travel for a game. If the games are worth playing they will travel anywhere, we need meaningful all county leagues and a separate championship when the leagues have finished.

thesaturdayman wrote: »

Park rangers (passage) u12s can play Railway / abbeyside.

Ferrybank u12s can play Dungarvan all for 6.30pm kick offs on other side of county mid week in soccer.

but its a big issue for the gaa? no it isnt. Its a mindset permeating from a rotten pre historic culture.

cmcm3

Come on though, Ferrybank to Dungarvan is hardly the other side of the county.
Tallow/Ballyduff/Ballymacarbry etc. to Passage/Ballygunnar/Tramore etc. are a big enough old drive, maybe an 1hr15 at that time of the evening.