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Senior involvement and exams push back U20 football final

Senior involvement and exams push back U20 football final

Irish Examiner20-05-2025
The involvement of Louth and Tyrone U20 players in their senior panels and end-of-year college exams have pushed the Dalata Hotels U20 All-Ireland football final between the counties out to Wednesday, May 28 where it will be played in Armagh city's Box-It Athletic Grounds (7.30pm throw-in).
The GAA's master fixtures had the decider pencilled in for this past weekend or tomorrow, May 21 but Louth's All-Ireland semi-final win over Mayo only took place last Friday, while exams are taking place this week.
That semi-final delay was prompted by Louth U20 goalkeeper Tiernan Markey's role as senior substitute netminder.
For Tyrone, their U20 star Eoin McElholm came off the bench for the seniors in their Ulster semi-final defeat to Armagh last month. Both are in line to be part of the Louth and Tyrone senior panels's All-Ireland group openers against Monaghan and Donegal this weekend.
The 60-hour policy states a player is not permitted to line out in both a senior and U20 football championship game within that timeframe.
The rule adds that the competition committee in charge of the U20 competition 'shall make such allowance where necessary in its scheduling'.
Although the Central Competitions Control Committee sought permission from Central Council to be more flexible with the scheduling of the U20 All-Ireland games, they were unsuccessful.
GAA director of club, player and games administration Feargal McGill said: 'We're obliged by rule not to play it within 60 hours of a senior game. We had looked for an exception to be made for the All-Ireland series because of the travel involved.
'It worked out okay because it turned out to be Louth and Tyrone and they are relatively close but had it been Louth and Kerry, a Wednesday night might have been problematic.'
Meanwhile, Cork and Kerry's All-Ireland SFC rematch in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday week has been scheduled to be shown on GAA+ with a 4.45pm throw-in.
Fermanagh and Wexford's final round Tailteann Cup Group 4 game will be the curtain-raiser to Dublin and Armagh's All-Ireland SFC Group 4 clash in Croke Park on Sunday week.
Tipperary's U20 Munster-winning U20s will face the Leinster victors, Dublin or Kilkenny, in the All-Ireland final on Saturday week.
Upcoming GAA inter-county fixtures
Wednesday, May 28.
Dalata Hotels All-Ireland U20 All-Ireland football final.
Louth v Tyrone, Box-It Athletic Grounds, 7.30pm (Live TG4).
Saturday, May 31.
All-Ireland SFC, Round 2.
Group 1.
Tyrone v Mayo, O'Neills Healy Park, 7pm (Live GAA+) Group 2.
Cork v Kerry, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 4.45pm (Live GAA+).
Roscommon v Meath, King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park, 6pm.
Group 3.
Down v Louth, Páirc Esler, 5.30pm.
Tailteann Cup, Round 3.
Group 2.
Offaly v Laois, Cedral St Conleth's Park, 6pm.
Wicklow v Waterford, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 6pm.
Group 3.
Westmeath v Limerick, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 2pm.
ONeills.com All-Ireland U20 hurling final.
Tipperary v Dublin/Kilkenny, venue and time TBC.
Christy Ring Cup final.
Down v London, Croke Park, 5pm (Live Sport TG4).
Nickey Rackard Cup final.
Mayo v Roscommon, Croke Park 1pm (Live Sport TG4).
Lory Meagher Cup final.
Cavan v Monaghan/New York, Croke Park, 3pm (Live Sport TG4).
Sunday, June 1.
All-Ireland SFC, Round 2.
Group 1.
Cavan v Donegal, Kingspan Breffni, 2pm.
Group 3.
Monaghan v Clare, St Tiernach's Park, 4pm.
Group 4.
Derry v Galway, Celtic Park 2pm (Live GAA+).
Dublin v Armagh, Croke Park, 4pm (Live RTÉ).
Tailteann Cup, Round 3.
Group 1.
Leitrim v Tipperary, TEG Cusack Park, 1.30pm.
Kildare v Sligo, King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park, 2pm.
Group 3.
Antrim v London, Páirc Esler, 1.45pm.
Group 4.
Fermanagh v Wexford, Croke Park, 1.45pm (Live GAA+).
Carlow v Longford, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 1.45pm.
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