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Hurling In A Different County

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Thanks for all the replies. Yes, I can see why this rule is there. I know it's against the GAA ethos but I really believe that in this modern age you should be allowed to play for whatever club you want. Also, linking hurling and football is a bit non sensical given that they are separate sports. In fact, I doubt if this would be a problem if the child was female??! Are the LGFA and Camogie linked in such a way? liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 175 - 21/10/2021 15:22:27 2386666 Link
LGFA and Camogie Association are completely different organisations. I don't know what their eligibility rules are, though. It might still be the case that you have to join a club in your own county. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 21/10/2021 16:20:39 2386684 Link
I remember reading many years ago that the late, great Mattie McDonagh played minor football for Galway and minor hurling for Roscommon in the same year (about 1955, if memory serves me right). I think he was from the Ballygar area, on the Galway-Roscommon border. Maybe different rules applied at that time. midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 541 - 21/10/2021 21:24:32 2386734 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "There's not. And while it might seem like a good idea, problem in Wexford anyway would be finding dates to play it, particularly if you were going to try it at any of the underage levels (U13, U15 or U17). In 2019 (the last pre-Covid year), our championships at those ages involved regular games in both hurling and football for all clubs from mid or late April all the way through to late September or beyond. My own club's U13s, for example, had a total of 16 championship matches (9 hurling, 7 football) between group stages and then knock-out in either cup or shield, over about 20 weeks. Was much the same at U15 and U17 level. Hard to see where you'd find dates for a cross-county league as well." ah fair enough so. I wouldn't see much of a benefit to it for Wexford clubs either to be honest. Victorious87 (Wicklow) - Posts: 597 - 22/10/2021 09:55:11 2386747 Link
I was reading this post with great interest as my son is in the same situation. He currently plays his hurling just over the border as there is no hurling club anywhere near in the county. Imo the gaa should look strongly about changing this rule as currently its forcing kids away from the game. Hurling is already a minority sport in Ireland and outdated rules like this do not help the situation. Unusedsub (Carlow) - Posts: 77 - 22/10/2021 12:27:33 2386799 Link
On the one hand, to anybody saying "you should be able to play where you like", I'd say be careful what you wish for. If that really was the case, there's absolutely no guarantee anybody would ever actually choose to play for your own club. In particular, the most talented lads in your own area might choose to go play for a bigger club somewhere else, if they thought there'd be a great chance of success there. On the other hand, in a case where there's genuinely no hurling club close by in somebody's own county, there could be provision for them to cross a county boundary to play all right. Seems that's already the case with that Leitrim/Roscommon arrangement. They'd have to be genuine cases, though. Obviously I don't know the Carlow or Wicklow areas in question here, but couple of examples, all the same: 1 - I don't think Kildavin/Clonegal in Carlow play any hurling after U11. Would make sense to allow older players there to travel just down the road to Bunclody in Wexford, at least up to U17 if not actually at adult level, instead of having to travel further in their own county. 2 - On the other hand, it wouldn't be as clearcut somewhere like Arklow in Wicklow. A lad there might be playing football with Arklow Gers/Ballymoney, but obviously can't hurl with them because they're a football only club. Not as straightforward to say "right, you can go down to Gorey to hurl instead", because that's ignoring how he's got Arklow Rock Parnells hurling club on his doorstep. Anyway, it's open to all clubs and therefore all members to kick off a request for a rule change or a special provision like that Leitrim/Roscommon one. It's coming up to County Convention time everywhere, and that's the place to bring and proposals for rule changes. Would expect that a request for a special provision could be brought anytime. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 22/10/2021 14:42:25 2386830 Link
Replying To liam500: "Wonder if anyone has an opinion on this. We are a football only club in Wicklow. One of our young lads (u13) who is mad into the hurling plays with a club in the next county (a tier 1 hurling county). Someone just told me that this is illegal and he must play for a hurling club in our own county (a tier III hurling county). I know that he will stop hurling if this is the case and I don't have the heart to tell him. Anyone know what options we have here?" There are exceptions to this rule all over the country. Lads in Roscommon play for Southern gaels in Athlone. They play in the Westmearh championship. These lads play County hurling for Roscommon and football for their Roscommon club. Lads in North Roscommon play hurling for Carrick Hurling who are a leitrim club. They play in Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim afaik. There are other Lads playing for Tooreen and Ballyhaunis in Mayo. If his home club don't have a problem with it leave it alone. Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 15 - 22/10/2021 15:42:16 2386840 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "On the one hand, to anybody saying "you should be able to play where you like", I'd say be careful what you wish for. If that really was the case, there's absolutely no guarantee anybody would ever actually choose to play for your own club. In particular, the most talented lads in your own area might choose to go play for a bigger club somewhere else, if they thought there'd be a great chance of success there. On the other hand, in a case where there's genuinely no hurling club close by in somebody's own county, there could be provision for them to cross a county boundary to play all right. Seems that's already the case with that Leitrim/Roscommon arrangement. They'd have to be genuine cases, though. Obviously I don't know the Carlow or Wicklow areas in question here, but couple of examples, all the same: 1 - I don't think Kildavin/Clonegal in Carlow play any hurling after U11. Would make sense to allow older players there to travel just down the road to Bunclody in Wexford, at least up to U17 if not actually at adult level, instead of having to travel further in their own county. 2 - On the other hand, it wouldn't be as clearcut somewhere like Arklow in Wicklow. A lad there might be playing football with Arklow Gers/Ballymoney, but obviously can't hurl with them because they're a football only club. Not as straightforward to say "right, you can go down to Gorey to hurl instead", because that's ignoring how he's got Arklow Rock Parnells hurling club on his doorstep. Anyway, it's open to all clubs and therefore all members to kick off a request for a rule change or a special provision like that Leitrim/Roscommon one. It's coming up to County Convention time everywhere, and that's the place to bring and proposals for rule changes. Would expect that a request for a special provision could be brought anytime." I'd agree with what you said tbf. The problem my son has is the distance to the next hurling club, the fact that he's played with the same hurling club since he was six and that there really isn't any conflict as his football club are exclusively football and the hurling club exclusively hurling. The rule states gaa club but imo should separate hurling and football in such circumstances. Atm he will have to either have to change club at 14 ( not a reasonable option due to the distance) or quit playing. Incidentally he can play rugby,basketball,cricket etc in the same town but it's the gaa forcing him away from the game! Unusedsub (Carlow) - Posts: 77 - 22/10/2021 16:01:10 2386846 Link
Replying To Unusedsub: "I was reading this post with great interest as my son is in the same situation. He currently plays his hurling just over the border as there is no hurling club anywhere near in the county. Imo the gaa should look strongly about changing this rule as currently its forcing kids away from the game. Hurling is already a minority sport in Ireland and outdated rules like this do not help the situation." Interesting. I wonder is this just happening and the GAA are turning a blind eye to the rule as it's only kids? So in our case, I just ignore it and the kid continues as he is... liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 175 - 22/10/2021 16:16:25 2386853 Link
As a bit of an aside here, and just to offer an opinion of my own: I think that perhaps the greatest pity in many cases like this is that the clubs in such places simply don't do enough themselves to provide hurling for their members. There might be some justification in a town like Arklow for one club to declare itself football only and one club to be hurling only, since both codes are provided for in the town anyway. But generally speaking, if a club has even five or six players at an age grade who want to hurl, and if the club is serious about providing gaelic games for them, they could be looking to one or two or even three or more neighbouring clubs who all also have a few hurlers each, with a view to forming an amalgamated team for them all to play with. But of course, where there's no will, there's no way. And what these sort of clubs are really saying to young players is basically: "you want to play hurling? Can't help you there. You'll have to go somewhere else." So, a big question might be who's really turning young lads away from hurling here? Is it the GAA rulebook, with what's probably a well-intentioned rule with the aim of keeping a county's hurling talent within that county? Or is it those lads' own GAA clubs, who simply don't make the effort to provide the gaelic games that at least some lads in that area want to play? Sometimes you'll find an answer to a problem closer to home than you think. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 22/10/2021 16:55:05 2386862 Link
Replying To Tadhg2020: "There are exceptions to this rule all over the country. Lads in Roscommon play for Southern gaels in Athlone. They play in the Westmearh championship. These lads play County hurling for Roscommon and football for their Roscommon club. Lads in North Roscommon play hurling for Carrick Hurling who are a leitrim club. They play in Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim afaik. There are other Lads playing for Tooreen and Ballyhaunis in Mayo. If his home club don't have a problem with it leave it alone." You see in our case, we do have clubs with hurling teams fairly local but they are nowhere near the standard in wexford especially in his particular age group. And I get the argument that he should be playing more locally. I think I'll just leave it and say nothing. The problem comes further on down the road if he gets selected to play at a higher level.... liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 175 - 22/10/2021 17:08:40 2386865 Link
Replying To Tadhg2020: "There are exceptions to this rule all over the country. Lads in Roscommon play for Southern gaels in Athlone. They play in the Westmearh championship. These lads play County hurling for Roscommon and football for their Roscommon club. Lads in North Roscommon play hurling for Carrick Hurling who are a leitrim club. They play in Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim afaik. There are other Lads playing for Tooreen and Ballyhaunis in Mayo. If his home club don't have a problem with it leave it alone." Am presuming that all those exceptions are officially sanctioned. Am equally presuming that the one in question here isn't, or else the man wouldn't be asking in the first place. May well be the case that neither the young lad's home club (i.e. football club) nor his current hurling club in Wexford have a problem with things as they stand, and could also be the case that no big deal ever comes of it. But as long as he's in breach of rules, there's always the danger of it coming back to haunt the player and both clubs at some stage. Say his hurling club beats some other club who subsequently lodge an objection about an ineligible player. The hurling club could be expelled from the competition. The player himself faces suspension. And while he's serving that suspension, his football club has to do without him as well. As I said, it might never happen.....but at the same time, it might. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 22/10/2021 17:25:39 2386870 Link
Replying To liam500: "You see in our case, we do have clubs with hurling teams fairly local but they are nowhere near the standard in wexford especially in his particular age group. And I get the argument that he should be playing more locally. I think I'll just leave it and say nothing. The problem comes further on down the road if he gets selected to play at a higher level...." Thing is, you'll get that everywhere....a young of exceptional talent in an area and with a club who play at a lower level than what he'd be able for. I've a nephew who plays U13 with a club where the focus is probably 80% or more football. One of his team-mates is an exceptional talent at hurling (one of the best I've ever seen at that age). But because the club isn't particularly strong in hurling overall, he has to play way down the divisions, even though he'd more than capable of playing (and playing well) at Division 1. If you allowed a widespread situation where the best players could pick and choose the best clubs, because their own local clubs don't play at a high enough standard for them, you'd be opening up a whole can of worms. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 22/10/2021 18:25:36 2386875 Link
Replying To CTGAA10: "On this subject,I'm curious to know about the cahalane family in cork..they play football with castle haven,hurling with st Finbarr's?is there no hurling club between west cork and the city they could have played with?also there is always a strong possibility of both these clubs meeting in football championship..i was just wondering how this came about..as for the dilemma with the young lad,it might be better to try and get it sorted in case there are problems down the road..it would be awful to see a young fella not able to play a game he loves.." My home club is football only, went to CIT, I could have committed to Carlow or a Carlow club, back home now playing hurling, won't say any more, and for a club other than my own , its no big deal, all legit. Cuhullain (Kildare) - Posts: 271 - 22/10/2021 21:48:13 2386897 Link
Replying To liam500: "Interesting. I wonder is this just happening and the GAA are turning a blind eye to the rule as it's only kids? So in our case, I just ignore it and the kid continues as he is..." Well I'm going to continue to bring him to hurling with the club until I'm told different. As I said it's a ridiculous situation that I can bring him to play rugby or any other sport and there's no issue, but bring him hurling and the gaa want to stop him! The organisation needs a dose of common sense at times. Unusedsub (Carlow) - Posts: 77 - 23/10/2021 13:28:28 2386937 Link
Replying To CTGAA10: "On this subject,I'm curious to know about the cahalane family in cork..they play football with castle haven,hurling with st Finbarr's?is there no hurling club between west cork and the city they could have played with?also there is always a strong possibility of both these clubs meeting in football championship..i was just wondering how this came about..as for the dilemma with the young lad,it might be better to try and get it sorted in case there are problems down the road..it would be awful to see a young fella not able to play a game he loves.." Cahalane's probably went to 'Barrs because of potential success there. Hasn't worked out as Rockies and Glen are doing better. Was another player from Castlehaven in 1970's , Donie Collins who acheived success transferring to Blackrock and subsequently to a club in Kilkenny. Frank Cummins and John Horgan also transferred to Blackrock ! Players crave success so the big clubs will attract them. Blackrock doing well again this year.., Alan Connolly and full back Gary Norberg should be mainstays on the Cork hurling team! Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 25/10/2021 10:31:37 2387241 Link
You often see very good players on weak teams. In New York they use to have an up and down list. 3 or 4 players were elegible to play with their clubs at a lower level and were drafted by a senior club. It was probably due to an issue with the number of players available. It worked well the home clubs kept their top players but the more talented players were able to play at a higher level. I don't know all the ins and outs of the rule but the premise might be good for all the clubs. More so for country clubs. Going over county lines is another issue but doesn't seem like a problem a couple of sound heads can't figure out. gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 25/10/2021 11:26:47 2387257 Link
Replying To Unusedsub: "Well I'm going to continue to bring him to hurling with the club until I'm told different. As I said it's a ridiculous situation that I can bring him to play rugby or any other sport and there's no issue, but bring him hurling and the gaa want to stop him! The organisation needs a dose of common sense at times." Your dead right. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1898 - 25/10/2021 11:41:55 2387264 Link

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