Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy says bringing the U20 football championship forward to February / March is placing even greater demands on young players.

Writing in his annual report, McEvoy states: “There is no doubt that playing the U20 season simultaneous with the senior inter-county season created challenges, but bringing forward the U-20 championship has merely replaced one problem with a bigger one.

“While moving the start date forward may address the cost and ‘senior clash’ scenarios, it certainly didn’t address the issue of player welfare and young players being pulled from ‘pillar to post’.

“It actually compounds the problem. The timing of the U20 Championship now puts it on a direct collision course with Sigerson, Freshers and second level football competitions.

“Sigerson will be completed in the month of January at the very time when county U20 squads are at the height of their Championship preparations. Freshers football is also being played at the same time as the U-20 Championship, while the provincial second level schools’ competitions are also at the business end as the U20 Championship gets underway.”

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