Replying To CarlowJuniorB: "Wouldn't say the hurling underage has more status than underage football. Just like in adult hurling, it's dominated by the handful of counties that rule the roost. You're not getting a surprise package winning much.
But the manner in who we're losing to is a worry."
Hurling is different from football.
You can start taking football seriously at 19 or 20 and still make it at the top level. You can't do that in hurling.
Replying To ACarlowGael: "I'm probably one of the posters this is aimed at. What I haven't got across previously is that I am of course concerned about the underage results but I don't believe its doomsday stuff.
From watching our underage hurling teams over the last number of years, I think a key difference between now and say 10/15 years ago is the conditioning of underage hurling teams. If you don't have the strength and power at minor and U20 level you will get left behind no matter what skill level you have. Our underage hurling teams are regularly getting bullied in games, through no fault of their own. Many of our players who play Senior inter county probably don't get their conditioning levels up until they have been with the senior set up for a couple of years.
The U20 game against Meath last weekend, very few players could break a tackle and were swarmed by Meath players.
There definitely is an element of clubs struggling to get coaches at times. Also the coaching courses are all held in January/February and maybe some in March. I think it would be useful it have some additional courses in the summer. There might be a bigger attendance once teams are back training etc."
The u20 football preparation this year was a bit of a disaster by all accounts. And we certainly don't have the best players on the panel. Where's Aaron Dowling, for example?
The 20s footballers have been disappointing. Very poor at the back and not enough firepower upfront. This is a product of very weak underage leagues. I've said it for many years now but we should only have division 1 football for clubs and division 2 is for second teams only. I would be very familiar with those u20s but the best of them are rarely tested in county leagues. They go to inter county level and find themselves nowhere near it. I think some cross county leagues might have more value than the springs leagues too. Off the current 20s as weak as they are there are still a few potential senior players Jake nolan should have been added to the senior panel from the get go he is lost to hurling now. Moran in the backs is a good ball carrier and ryan from pal upfront has a bit of quality about him coakley is decent too but would need to develop a bit more physically I think the minor football team will be decent too. There are 4 or 5 on that with serious potential