Wexford clubs submit motion to allow u18 players to play at adult level

A number of Wexford clubs have joined forces to submit a proposal which would allow u18 players to play at adult level in Wexford….

Buffers Alley have proposed in conjunction with Faythe Harriers, Glynn Barntown, Rapparees-Starlights and Sarsfields, to allow 18-year-olds to play adult hurling and football in 2026 while providing guard-rails to protect the 18-year-old players’ welfare and the playing of the minor hurling and football competitions themselves.

All motions submitted by clubs will be up for discussion next Monday night at Wexford GAA’s Convention.

The motion reads as follows:

Motion 1

That Bye Law 12 – Club Age Grades amended as follows:

12 CLUB AGE GRADES

Adult

A Player shall have celebrated their 17th birthday prior to January 1st of the Championship Year.

and that the following be added Bye Law 9 – Grading of Clubs and Players:

A Player who has not celebrated their 18th birthday prior to January 1st of the Championship Year is restricted from playing in both an Adult Championship or League Match and an U18 Championship or League Match within a 46-hour period (from starting time of matches).

A Player who has not celebrated their 18^th birthday prior to January 1st of the Championship Year is restricted from playing an Adult Championship or League Match if they did not play in their previous U18 Championship or League Match (irrespective of Code) before the Adult Championship or League Match except if they could not play due to suspension or if they did not play in their previous U18 Championship or League Match (irrespective of Code) and their Club’s involvement in that competition has finished by 7 days or more. No other reasons such as injury, holidays, etc. apply as an exception to this restriction.

If a Player only plays one Code, the restriction only applies to having played their previous U18 Championship or League Match in that code. A Player is considered to play a Code once they have played one game or part thereof in that Code during the Championship Year.

The penalty for breach of this rule shall be as follows:

On a proven Objection: Award of Game to Opposing team; or
On an inquiry by the Committee-In-Charge: Forfeit of Game without Award of Game to Opposing Team or a Fine.

The Adult team with which the Player fields with in breach of this rule is the team to be penalised irrespective of which game was played first.

Rationale

This rule supports the development of young players by allowing them to transition gradually to adult games, while ensuring they are not overused with a 46-hour restriction to provide necessary recovery time.

The rationale of this rule is to facilitate developmental opportunities for players to transition to adult games. Players are allowed to “play up” at underage grades – there should be a similar allowance for players between minor and adult as part of the transition from underage to adult.

The 46-hour rule is designed to protect U18 players from being overused. The rule allows for an U18 player to play minor on a Tuesday or Wednesday night and to play adult on a Friday night or for an U18 player to play adult on a Sunday and to play minor on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. There will be a period of the year where both minor games and adult games are both scheduled to be played at weekends. The U18 player will not be able to play both adult and minor on these weekends and the expectation is that they will play minor on such weekends.

The restriction in respect of ensuring that the player has played in their last minor game is devised so as to ensure that the minor hurling and football championships continue to receive the priority that they deserve and cannot be impacted by the decisions or dictates of adult team managers.

Another key element for consideration in respect of this rule is the timing of the U21 championship which also impacts on these players. If passed, we will bring a proposal to County Committee for the January meeting to deal with league and championship structures that the U21 championship be played in its entirety following the completion of the Adult championships, i.e. November/December.

Based on the planned 2025 fixtures programme, U18s would not be available to play adult as follows (note this analysis excludes impact of U21 on the assumption that there will be backing to change the timing of it if this rule comes in):

W/end of 8/9 Mar (all teams)
W/end of 22/23 Mar (all teams)
W/end of 6/7 Sep (all teams) – MF SFs / Adult Hurling Round 5

W/end of 20/21 Sep (all teams) – MH SFs / Adult Football Round 5
W/end of 4/5 Oct (50% of teams) – MF Finals / Adult Football QFs
W/end of 18/19 Oct (50% of teams) – MH Finals / Adult Football SFs

It is important that the Minor championships are played as planned and that it is clear to the CCCs that Minor championships should not be held up because of it nor should Minor matches be changed for it.

We would also recommend that the incoming County Committee and County Coaching Officer organise a coach education session on an annual basis in respect of player work load management and best practices, primarily targeted at Adult and Minor coaches across the county. The key purpose of this rule change is player development and transition to adult – education is as much key to this as having games to play as part of the transition.

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