LAST UPDATE | 21 Oct 2020
THE GAA HAVE confirmed that the 2020 inter-county minor and U20 championships will be paused indefinitely from midnight as the country enters at least six weeks of Level 5 restrictions.
Saturday’s U20 All-Ireland football final between Dublin and Galway will no longer take place as scheduled, but the Leinster U20 hurling championship fixtures set to throw-in this evening will go ahead before the pause of underage action kicks in hours later.
The Government’s Level 5 guidelines state that “professional, elite sports and inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing are permitted to continue behind closed doors”.
This wording was at odds, however, with Nphet’s recommendation that only “senior inter-county” competitions should proceed as it pertains to the GAA, sparking doubts over the completion of the underage championships.
A statement from the GAA this afternoon subsequently confirmed all inter-county action at Minor and U20 level would be paused from tomorrow. It read: “Following clarification from the Department of Sport around the staging of inter-county fixtures, the GAA can confirm that as of midnight this evening, all minor and U20 inter-county competitions are paused until further notice.
“Accordingly, Saturday’s scheduled EirGrid GAA U20 football final meeting of Dublin and Galway will not take place.
“This evening’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U20 hurling fixtures will proceed.”
In the same statement, the GAA confirmed that the CCCC has been informed that Longford will not be fulfilling their Allianz Football League fixture with Cork this weekend.
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Let the U20′s play the football final ffs
@Kieran Hayes: Let’s not, for public health’s sake
@Luan Willis: Let, for public sanity’s sake.
@Luan Willis: Really. You think the under 20s playing a final is a threat to public health?
@Luan Willis: stop being so hysterical
No amateur sports should continue in level 5. GAA players are NOT elite sports people they have regular day jobs and cannot operate in a bubble like pro sports people. Those advocating GAA championship are using cognitive dissonance trying to justify their argument.
@Kevin50: Go back under your rock
@Kevin50: Purely out of curiosity Kevin. Do you dislike gaelic games or the GAA as an organisation? Maybe you are genuine but there is certainly an anti GAA cohort delighted to have a hop off them with their keyboards these days.
@Kevin McMahon: so those who are not GAA followers don’t have an opinion do you think?
@Conor Houlihan: & take your ignorance with you. The above gentleman has stated a very valid point. There is no need to be so dismissive. The course of action is by no means perfect but it is very much needed given the increased numbers of infections.
@Pat Butler: I’m involved with a senior inter-county team. The feeling with the back room team tonight was “why is this going ahead”. It isn’t elite level sport. There’s no “bio-secured bubble” like pro sports. These are amateur players. Many living with parents and a good many who are teachers/front line workers. Very hard to limit contacts. When you see Golf scraped but GAA, LGFA and Camogie not stopped, you’d have to laugh.
Its obvious to me that only senior games are allowed. What’s there to clarify? It clearly says senior games.
@Rocky Jones: I know of u17 soccer games continuing as they consider themselves as ‘elite’.
@Rocky Jones: it’s in the article…..a mismatch between the government’s advice and NPHET’s advice basically.
@Shimmy Shammy: Yes im aware of the u17 soccer but did the Fai not put a halt to all underage games last week including the so called elite u13, u15 & u17 players. I’m a massive sports fan but it’s a joke if they are allowed matches. In level 5 , training should be also stopped as it was in the plan in the first place. One underage team I’m involved with has players coming from 6 different schools but are still allowed train together. The level 5 lockdown doesn’t make sense. It’s either level 5 or it’s not.
Amateur sport. None of it should be going ahead. Simples
@Tony Yeboah: your goal against the pool will live long in my memory Tony, but I have to disagree with you on that one!
@Joe Kennedy: it’s not a professional sport. People going back into work the next day and are not adequately tested. It’s not that I’m biased towards soccer (only league of Ireland going ahead and I’m a huge fan of the sport). However it’s simply not feasible. It’s an amateur sport and should be treated as thus.
@Tony Yeboah: the experts disagree….’There is no benefit in rapid testing inter-county players,’ as GAA to continue in Level 5 https://the42.ie/5239579
No fear of the gaa doing the right thing .
@Fr.Todd Unctious: I think they’ve done very well so far to be fair. Got their games back up and running, abiding by public health advice as much as possible, got most of their club competitions finished, or nearly finished…..shut down all club activity as soon as the county final celebrations madness started, and now they’re keeping as much activity going as they are allowed, under public health guidance.
@Joe Kennedy: have you been hiding in a ditch the last 2 months. Countless cases of clubs and players not following regulations
@Joe Kennedy: the GAA are responsible for countless cases.
@ChuckE: no, I was happily playing away a bit of football and hurling in two different clubs up to 2/3 weeks ago in my area and didn’t see any of what you speak of. Had an app up and running very quickly that was really easy to use, in both clubs where we had to declare before each training and game that we had no symptoms and were okay to play, the covid officer was at each session monitoring the attendance and making sure we disinfected our hands in and out of the pitch, as well as sanitising the balls after. Lads arrived separately, togged off in cars, and headed home after. You sure you don’t mean the after match gatherings and celebrations involving supporters?
@Joe Kennedy: I tip my hat to you Joe. You’re trying to live your life as much as you can whilst obeying restrictions. Alot of people will complain and point fingers (like the comment above) just to spread negativity and even more fear than what’s already out there. Also regarding the gaa, I would argue they’ve been more proactive than alot of governments. They postponed their season even before the restrictions came in at the very beginning.
A lot of anti GAA people out to shut it down if at all possible. There is an awful lot more prolonged close contact in scrums, ruck and mauls than there is in gaelic games. Sure rugby players are professional but they go to work too, they meet physios, nutritionists, various coaches, grounds men, they go home to their partners and send their kids to school. Yes it’s their livelihood but a non essential one compared to many jobs that are paused due to Covid. This professional bubble people talk about is very convenient for a bit of GAA bashing but in reality it’s not much of a bubble at all.
@Kevin McMahon: you won’t get much love on here, staunchly anti Gaelic games forum
@Kevin McMahon: Ah Kevin. Stop talking sense and let the GAA haters have their day on here Please
@Kevin McMahon: man Kev! On the ball by!
All club games should be played without spectators and this should continue right down to the grassroots.
The GAA: At it again.
@JustBEERbarry: at what again Barr? Checking with NPHET/government to see if they’re abiding by the current public health guidance,.is it? You’d prefer if they didn’t check?
No GAA game’s should have been or should be played
U20 football should be going ahead, no reasons to stop it especially with the minor hurling games going ahead in leinster this, no consistency
Minor and U20 game s are going ahead according to a statement just released
@Moya Power-kelly: any word on u 16 s