It would be brilliant if it went to another re-play and they used the same referee, see what Bennett would have to say then.

RebelCork (Cork) - Posts: 789 - 20/02/2014 21:40:34    1549446

My club Bredagh was in exactly the same situation last year before the AI JHC SF v Fullen Gaels. We'd 2 very talented players who were U16 in 2012 and sought clarification about whether or not they were eligible to play in the SF in 2013. THEY WERE ELIGIBLE, so the sooner Croke Park put and end to this saga the better. Then Ballysaggart can crawl under a stone; what a bunch of poor losers they are. We have a Waterford man who's a mainstay in our club. I'm sure he's embarrassed by the whole thing.

bredaghman (Down) - Posts: 98 - 20/02/2014 21:54:38    1549456

MesAmis
County: Dublin
Posts: 6945

yeah true, but if the 2 are ineligible there definitely should be a replay.

preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 804 - 20/02/2014 21:55:46    1549457

Waterford are the last county I would have expected this from; they are a hardy lot who usually just get on with it. John Mullane always had nice things to say about Antrim hurling and Justin McCarthy was brilliant towards us when manager there.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9819 - 20/02/2014 21:59:28    1549460

Lads, you are all making out that Ballysaggert are doing something wrong here. No they are not. Now I know nothing about either club, but this jargon of "They should move on, being destroyed by 2 16 year olds" talk is nonsense. What about the responsibility of the Antrim club to make sure all their players are legal and allowed to hurl in a match? For me, this sounds like an attempt at a fast one from the Antrim club.
There is an All-Ireland at sake lads. I am sure it will mean nothing to Ballysaggert if they win the next game, but fair play has to be part of the game also.
Being bet in an All-Ireland fair and square is one thing, being bet by a team fielding an illegal player is another thing.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 21/02/2014 10:07:08    1549506

Pinkie can you confirm that the rules have been broken?

I think that while there has been a lot of chat here and elsewhere that the whole thing is black and white - they have either broken the rules or else they have not.

I agree with you that Ballysaggart should not be ridiculed if they are in the right but I think it is crazy that it has even got this far without someone clarifying the rule - or is there even a rule in place - perhaps an oversight when coming up with this rule regarding All Ireland Competition.

But you seem fairly confident so if you know something that I do not please share.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 21/02/2014 11:12:54    1549538

Are people really having that much difficulty understanding that these players were legal and allowed to play ?

square_ball_69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 826 - 21/02/2014 11:20:43    1549541

Squareball can you confirm this.

All I ask for is someone to provide clarification either way and put this blind debate to bed.

Ta.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 21/02/2014 11:51:11    1549551

I cannot believe what this world is coming to. Two 16 year olds are being ridiculed for being exceptionally talented. They are forbidden to show their talent on the biggest stage that their club may appear on. This is completely ludicrous. GAA need to catch themselves on for the following reasons.
1) Common sense should provail here, they are charged for an adult price ticket at a GAA match therefore considered an adult in terms of paying (over 16). Yet, when it comes to playing they are not considered an adult? Rules to suit GAA and their money making schemes.

2) This rule has been foggy for years. The official rule is open to two different interpretations. This rule should be re-written so that this wont happen again in the future. God knows how many cases have been brought forward due to the cloudiness of this rule.

Ballysaggart should be ashamed of themselves, it is the worst case of sour grapes I have heard of in years. I am sure they are disappointed but they were not good enough. END OF STORY. They hadn't the man power to stop two 16 year olds therefore do not deserve the title of All Ireland Winners.

TyrGael09 (Tyrone) - Posts: 30 - 21/02/2014 11:53:46    1549554

naysayer, all I know is that my club asked for clarification on a similar aged player and were told the player was inelegible.

TyrGael09l, down our way kids get in as students.

It's not sour grapes when the opposition field an illegal player.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 21/02/2014 12:17:04    1549567

TyrGael09

Nobody is pointing fingers at the young lads. Yes they are the centre of attention as the dispute revolves around their eligibility to play but it is not a personal attack on them in anyway.

The long and the short of it is that All Ireland club finals are a once in a life time thing for most players and few ever get the chance of playing in one so for it to be mared by something like this and the result possibly decided by the fielding of illegal players is wrong.

This happens up and down the country each year and its hit and miss whether its justified in most cases so the GAA needs to stand up now and impose the required sanctions . If they let clubs away with it in an All Ireland then there's no hope for anyone. I couldn't give a fiddlers you know what what grade it was, who was playing, where they're from. If you field and Illegal player the result of the game is invalid and a replay is needed. end of.

crossfieldball (Galway) - Posts: 650 - 21/02/2014 12:31:09    1549575

Pinkie,

Was this refusal for a player who had turned 16 before the Jan in the year you were wishing to play him in and was it an All Ireland Competition where the provincial and indeed county championships leading to this All Ireland competition were played the year before when the player would have been 15 before the beginning of January this previous year?

Not picking on your evidence - it is interesting - I am just wondering how strong the parallels are.

Thanks.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 21/02/2014 12:36:51    1549579

There was a similar situation in Limerick where a game went to a replay under 21 football not too long ago.

If the Rules were broken then the result is void in my view. Rules are Rules.

In soccer Shelbourne were thrown out of the Elite U.19 cup after writing a wrong players name on a slip of paper so if only a replay is granted here then Creggan are luckly.

I can understand Antrim people's view on this as they won win too many club all - irelands and it was great to see a club from so far up north winning it especially with such talent from 16 year old's.

I also understand that the comments which were made in the paper after the game about the ref and his performance which some people touted as sour grapes but hats off to the person who found out the 16 year old was not eligible to play they found an avenue and are quite within their rights to exploit and investigate it.

I'm looking forward to the verdict as it will change the way this rule is viewed in the future and perhaps will entice all clubs to get their **** in order before naming a team with underage players.

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 21/02/2014 12:42:07    1549584

I can understand Antrim people's view on this as they won win too many club all - irelands

This was the third All-Ireland Club title for the county since 2010 - two Senior Club wins and a Junior.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 21/02/2014 12:57:18    1549593

Just couldn't believe it when I heard Ballysaggart were objecting on these grounds.

Pathetic really when you think about it.

Mind you I think the fact that they were whingeing about the referee first before the objection came along will go against them in the end.

Grow up guys and take yeer beating.....like men!

JimmyCahill (Tipperary) - Posts: 11 - 21/02/2014 13:08:43    1549601

Apologies off side the word " DONT " was meant to be in there.

I am aware of stats thanks!!!

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 21/02/2014 13:15:27    1549606

Crossfieldball

Lets face it, there isn't too many 16 year olds around the country that would be able to hold their own in an adult football/hurling/camogie match. If a manager deems that they are and obviously these two fellas are exceptionally talented then why does the GAA not allow them to display their talents.

I completely agree with you on the point that the GAA need to clarify this rule. They must be careful on their ruling as it could open the flood gates from here on in.

Personally if a 16 year old has the talent to play in an adult match then who are we to stop him. Don't bury your talents as it says in the bible.

Pinkie

Regarding the payment of tickets. GAA charge 16 and over for official county league games, therefore considering them an adult as they then pay full price.

JimmyCahill

Agree 100% with you. They were beat, man up and take it on the chin.

TyrGael09 (Tyrone) - Posts: 30 - 21/02/2014 13:16:39    1549608

There was a similar situation in Limerick where a game went to a replay under 21 football not too long ago.

Again similar to my previous questions and for information what were the paralells between this U21 game and the Creggan game?

Was the player playing U21 illegally the correct age in the year of the game but the game a continuation of the previous years county or provincial competition when the player in question would have been deemed to young?

Thanks.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 21/02/2014 13:21:11    1549612

surely they are part of the club and indeed part of the panel but not allowed to play until they turn 16 ,its not as if they have been brought in from another club .They would be breaking the rules if they played them before they were the right age to participate .

rman (Antrim) - Posts: 102 - 21/02/2014 13:27:26    1549619

The Limerick club situation was completely different to this, that club played an u16 player throughout the u21 Championship and were thrown out before the final replay http://www.limerickleader.ie/sport/limerick-sport/rathkeale-gaa-club-thrown-out-of-limerick-u21-championship-days-before-final-1-5793975

The rule basically is that you can't play a player at Adult or u-21 who is still eligible for Under-16. The phrasing of the rule is

"To be "Over" an age shall mean that the player shall have celebrated the Lower Limit birthday (e.g. 16th. to participate in Senior/Under 21 Grades) prior to the 1st January of the Championship Year."

Basically if a player has turned 16 before January 1st he can play in Adult Championship in the coming year. The only question remains is whether the GAA considers this Championship a 2014 one (which would be my interpretation) or a continuation of 2013 championships?

game.on.now.ger (Galway) - Posts: 423 - 21/02/2014 13:40:57    1549626