Ball Clubs continue to feel the pinch as grades are altered

WEXFORD’S LOVE affair with the Under-21 grade in the county at club level has been mixed, so one is not surprised at the muted response to the last year of this particular grade which has ended with a whimper.

Some officers in the county down through the years felt it was a distraction, with the club championships fitted in wherever the space allowed.

Many were completed in the depths of winter when of no benefit to clubs, players or the inter-county set-up. But to many it was a grade that still provided entertaining games, often of greater standard and significance than those witnessed at adult levels.

And it also attracted huge crowds to the inter-county schedule where games provided all the skill, excitement and drama that one generally associates with Senior, but on so many occasions is witnessed during the Under-21 campaigns.

It’s worth recalling that on its inception in 1964, Kilmore/Rathangan were the first county champions, winning both hurling and football. But while the grade did not crown Wexford with All-Ireland glory that year, the county won its only All-Ireland title in 1965, but still managed huge success at provincial hurling level. Football was the poor relation though, just managing a single provincial title during all those years right through to 2017.

The decision of the G.A.A. to abolish the grade and replacing it with Under-20, while also reducing Minor from Under-18 to Under-17, has made for some uncomfortable discussions in clubs.

Many home truths were spoken. There is only so much that coaches can do, but putting the new systems in place so as not to impact on clubs could prove a serious test, particularly for rural outfits already experiencing the player drain.

One has to concede too that at under-age level, particularly Minor and Under-21, the games of hurling and football in the major towns have become deflated.

Wexford are some way from challenging at Minor level in either code. The county has reputedly an excellent coaching structure in place. The endeavour and enthusiasm is there but the supply line of quality players is fast drying up, if one is to gauge from the most recent performances.

Yet when Wexford should be streamlining coaching and pushing it ahead in each district, it should not now be a case of amending budgets and tampering with the Under-14 academy, but driving forward and giving the required resources, financial or otherwise, to help address the drop in standards at Minor level and under.

This is a critical time for under-age in Wexford with the change in the age structures, and the struggles being felt by clubs with a record number of amalgamations, so it is not an opportune time to just trundle along in favour of a healthy financial income at the year’s end.

Summer has arrived. This is supposed to coincide with a step up in coaching, but Wexford is prepared to stifle the Under-14 academy when it’s needed most.

Wexford coaching had five years of progress, contesting at provincial Minor final level, and winning three successive provincial Under-21 hurling titles, but this is now steering alarmingly off course. It’s certainly a trying time for Coaching Officer Bobby Goff and his committee.

Meanwhile, it’s still red faces all round for Wexford G.A.A. having just produced its annual club directory.

The book is supposed to have all information up to date, but the latest issue is excruciatingly embarrassing for the new officer board.

Included in the Wexford G.A.A. Supporters’ Club Committee they have Diarmuid Devereux still as County Chairman, although he retired from office on completion of five years last December.

On the inter-county managers’ page there is Kevin Kehoe listed as manager of the Minor football team, although John Nolan of St. James’ will be taking his second game in charge this Saturday.

Of even more embarrassment is the inclusion of the contact details of a deceased gentleman on the media/communications page, which must be considered a big insult to his family.

Also of significance is that the post of Children’s Officer, one of the more important positions, is still left vacant months following the resignation of Joe Kelly, while no Coiste na nOg P.R.O. is listed.

Clearly there’s more pain on the menu for Wexford G.A.A.