Reserve football a way to solve decoupling issue-Derek Crilly

With only a few days to go until this year’s Louth GAA County Convention, there are plenty of questions, motions and debates which are sure to get the delegates riled up. You would expect nothing more from what is the biggest local GAA meeting of the year.

However, if the last County Board meeting is anything to go by, one topic that is sure to get people’s attention is that of the possible switch back from U17 to U18 competitions. A change that has been recommended by the GAA Age Grades Taskforce.

Their recommendation for this change comes with one big caveat. Those aged 18 or younger could no longer play adult football. That new restriction on underage players has become known as decoupling, an issue that has divided opinions.

This comes as the GAA looks to make sure players are not overly stretched, playing way too many games, and thus effecting both their physical and mental development.

But with many clubs relying on a regular influx of minor talent to fill adult teams, their exclusion has become a huge worry ahead of the motions on this topic going to Convention and Congress.  

Derek Crilly, the Louth GAA Development Officer, has mooted one way of solving this issue and it involves putting more importance on the reserve leagues in the county.

In his eyes, allowing them to at least partake at this level of the game, could be the best of both worlds.

“This is something I have advocated for, but it doesn’t seem to have a huge pile of support, the idea of second teams competing in the first team leagues” explained the former county star.

“It happens in other counties and maybe that is avenue to explore, and it might come back up for discussion.

“But I suppose the thing that was coming up at county board meetings was that the Junior leagues, the reserves teams, can be a really good breeding ground for young guys coming through.”

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Of course, for this to work it would mean some big changes to the current structures. For second team football to become more relevant, the Stabannon Parnells clubman feels they need to be allowed gain promotion and take on other side’s first teams in Divisions 3B and above.

Another factor holding back the use of the lower leagues and Junior championships as way of nurturing young talent outside the Senior ranks is the fact they are played at such different times.

Crilly would like both sides of the game to be played closer together, as to negate one group of players at a club finishing their season while the other group are scrambling for numbers to have meaningful training.

“The problem is it is very hard for teams to have two sides going throughout the year. That’s especially true when you look at the fact the reserve leagues can have a seven or eight week break.

“If this is what you are targeting as your development platform, then it probably needs to run more regularly. A lot of clubs are struggling with this right now.

“So maybe we are better focusing the middle part of the year on Senior and Reserve leagues, play them both out and get a more consistent fixture list for them. Or maybe just look at putting your reserve teams in the main league.

“The likes of the Martins, the Mary’s, this is an issue affecting them. St Pat’s too, as they have plenty of young players. The Gaels are another. Their second teams going up divisions would be beneficial.”