The old saying is now an extinct saying: You can repeat your leaving cert but you can’t repeat your last year of minors.
Some people won’t even get a chance to be a last year of minor anymore.
The inter-county ruling that meant Kerry’s triumph over Derry on Sunday would be the last ever under-18 All-Ireland championship game is spreading across the country down to club level.
The under-18 competition is now no more and will be replaced by an under-17 inter-county format effective from 2018.
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That was a tough blow for youngsters who’d be under-18 next year but might not have been strong enough or even just big enough to make the panel when they were under-17s. They had the opportunity to play in the 17s grade this season but they won’t get the chance to play county ball now at minor level and that is extending right down to the roots where young club players will feel the effects of the change.
In Laois, they played their last ever minor hurling championship club game last month because they are adopting the same format as the inter-county system, moving to an under-17 structure.
All counties have been encouraged to follow suit and Kilkenny are said to be close to something similar but Offaly have confirmed that they too have now ditched the under-18 model.
According to The Tribune, the Faithful county’s structure will change dramatically next year.
- Under-13s will replace under-14s.
- Under-15s will replace under-17s.
- Under-17s will replace under-18s.
The guys who would be under-18 in 2018? They’re now senior.
It’s a lost year in underage GAA for those who were born in the year 2000. They’re now propelled and fast-tracked and the late developers who might’ve struggled to make the teams when they were in their first year of those age groups have lost a chance to grow with their last year of minor and they now have to swim in deeper waters.
The inter-county system changed at Congress back in February, with a motion to replace under-18 with under-17 competitions passing with  68.2 per cent of the vote (66 per cent is required to pass).
It was stated that minor grades would remain in place at club level but now some counties are following suit with the grand changes from the top.
And just one year of players is really going to feel the full effects of it. Those who were getting ready to be the top dog at minor next year are now senior players.
