Search
15 Jan 2026
Search
15 Jan 2026
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Picture by Louth GAA
Louth GAA clubs are set to return to even age grades for juvenile competitions starting next season.
The Newtown Blues club proposed the motion which was passed with 86 votes in favour and 30 against at the 2024 Louth GAA Annual Convention in O'Connells GFC, Castlebellingham on Tuesday night.
This change means league and championship club competitions will now be held at U14, U16, and U18 levels, however, the inter-county Minor grade will remain at U17, as per national regulations.
The Blues presented an argument for the change and highlighted the difficulties players encounter while moving from the U17 to the adult grade.
They contended that many young players are being lost during this crucial time. Secondary School representative, Paul Gallagher, and Cooley Kickhams supported the motion.
But not everybody was persuaded as the chairman of the Minor Board, Kevin Gordon, voiced his concerns and referenced the success of odd age this year.
Gordon mentioned the recent success of the county teams and the competitiveness of club competitions as proof of the existing system working.
He also warned returning to even age grades could cause a delay in the start of the U16 and U18 competitions.
The change back to even age classes in 2025 was supported by the majority of clubs' backing for the Blues' proposal despite Gordan's concerns.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
