THEY MAY BE featuring in Leinster at senior level but Galway’s battle for minor and U21 recognition endures.
The thorny issue of whether Galway’s underage hurling teams need to be included in the provincial arena has regularly cropped up.
Galway’s U21′s bowed out on their first outing recently against Limerick but the minor side have journeyed as far as next Sunday’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland decider.
Manager Jeffrey Lynskey still has reservations about the current structures.
“People are blaming Leinster for a lot of things but its not Leinster’s problem. Leadership has to come from Croke Park, its not Leinster’s job.
“The biggest problem for us I suppose after minor is the U21 championship. They only get one game at that level and they are not going to improve or develop.
“You need a competitive structure, if you haven’t got they are not going to bridge that gap.
“The best formula at minor level would be two groups of 6; everyone is guaranteed five games. Top four go to the quarter-final. Then you have a programme of games. We are top-heavy at senior level with league, Walsh Cup and championship.
Minor
“Then at minor, like Antrim only got one game this year, Limerick got four, Cork got two.
“Cork had defeated Limerick in Páirc Uí Rinn, their reward four weeks later was to play Limerick away in the Gaelic Grounds.
“Sure the whole system at minor level; it’s not right – it’s flawed. If we had lost our first game we would have been under huge pressure already, and because we are on a bit of a run that kind of pressure is off us.”
The scheduling of Galway’s quarter-final against Limerick in late July created another problem.
“We were up at half six that morning in order to plan the whole day,” recalls Lynskey.
“We’d a puck around in the Ragg at ten o’clock and the guys had to eat their dinner at ten o’clock that day, two hours out. We’d all that mapped out and prepared.
“But it’s not right either for minors to be expected to play at 12pm in Thurles. What are you telling them? They deserve respect. The senior is played at a time that suits them.
“Why not play it in Pearse Stadium? Let’s be honest about it. In the whole history of the association, we’ve had two competitive games in Galway.
“Imagine telling a Tipperary minor hurler, you won’t get to play in Semple Stadium Thurles?
“Our minors have never played in Athenry or Pearse Stadium, and nor has an Antrim minor has never played in Casement Park. Someone has to challenge and question that.”
Still Galway’s remarkable minor record has been maintained with next Sunday the county’s tenth All-Ireland minor hurling final appearance in 15 years. Lynskey is keen to look at the bigger picture.
“My remit, and I’ve said it before, is development. I want to make these guys into better senior players. If I can help that along the way, I’d be satisfied with my own job.
“Most of our players from the age of 5 or 6 our dads bring us to Croke Park, and you are looking at successful minor teams year after year after year.
“That kind of engrains you in your approach, even in my approach as a manager.
“Not that you are comfortable or anything, but you know yourself when a Galway minor gets to Croke Park be it a Galway minor footballer, they know this is their environment, this is their arena.
“They have no issue regarding performance because there is a tradition there.”
