U20 pool 3 - fixtures, results, table

**apo11o** · 30/09/2009, 9:32 PM

Castlebar Celtic 3 1 Sligo Rovers

**Mr A** · 01/10/2009, 2:28 PM

This is from a post on another forum, but I think it highlights the problems with the current U20 set up:

Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

Splitting the under 20 league into 4 regions is crazy, the players get a handful of games over the course of a few months and they are out the door and back to their junior clubs. We need more games for the underage sides so splitting the clubs into 2 regions would make much more sense with 2 groups of 12 and each team plays each other twice. That's 24 games for the season, much more beneficial to clubs and players.

The Donegal league registrations close on 31st October and we have 12 of our Under 20's looking to leave for their Junior clubs (understandably) leaving us in danger of not fielding in our remaining 3 games. We struggled to field against Sligo at the weekend as 6 have already left. The main reason for leaving is the lack of games, I don't blame the lads one bit, it's the League that needs to sort this out.

**CF1989** · 01/10/2009, 2:35 PM

good post

why isnt there any cups even? the league started in july and as galway pulled out we only have 10 games in 4 months

**number16** · 01/10/2009, 11:43 PM

There is nothing wrong with the format, the problem is clubs who enter competitions and can't fulfill basic fixtures. Galway are a disgrace, and should have their licence revoked, they have no underage structure and the clubs who have are being penalised because these "clubs" persist, as though they have some god given right to particapte in football because of who they are?

**Sam_Heggy** · 02/10/2009, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by number16

There is nothing wrong with the format, the problem is clubs who enter competitions and can't fulfill basic fixtures. Galway are a disgrace, and should have their licence revoked, they have no underage structure and the clubs who have are being penalised because these "clubs" persist, as though they have some god given right to particapte in football because of who they are?

So you think 12 games a season is enough for Under 20's?

**Mr A** · 02/10/2009, 11:36 AM

Part of the reason clubs can't fulfil fixtures is because there are so few games. How do you convince a promising young player to stay with your club if he only gets max 12 games in the year? Not a hope- they'll stay with/ rapidly return to their junior clubs and rightly so. A few years ago there were a lot more matches.. I can't understand why the decision was made to reduce this again. If the FAI don't sort the format out then they have to introduce dual registration so players can represent senior and junior clubs in the same season.

**gael353** · 02/10/2009, 3:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Part of the reason clubs can't fulfil fixtures is because there are so few games. How do you convince a promising young player to stay with your club if he only gets max 12 games in the year? Not a hope- they'll stay with/ rapidly return to their junior clubs and rightly so. A few years ago there were a lot more matches.. I can't understand why the decision was made to reduce this again. If the FAI don't sort the format out then they have to introduce dual registration so players can represent senior and junior clubs in the same season.

Limerick tried to get the dual registration in on many occasions. In limerick we would normally do quite well in the league format but then with a big long break between league and the knockout stages the junior clubs come in and offer stupid money to players and so we'd have a weakened team heading to the play offs. The southern league as only 10 games this year as no team from Kerry, Lifford/Clare, Kilkenny or cobh made it. something badly needs to be done

**Sam_Heggy** · 04/10/2009, 3:46 PM

Finn Harps 2 - 3 Castlebar Celtic

I don't know how Harps lost this game, but we did. Harps went 2 up and were coasting, it really should have been 4 or 5 by half time but instead Castlebar got a soft free on the edge of the box and in fairness the the young lad he hit a cracking free into the top corner. Harps missed 2 absolute sitters early in the second half but Castlebar got back in with a header from a corner and put us under pressure for a few minutes and got the winner from a mistake at the back.

**jackd** · 05/10/2009, 10:52 AM

Derry City 3 - 2 Mervue Utd

Looks like Derry City ( 1st ) and Salthill Devon ( 2nd ) to qualify from this group

**CF1989** · 05/10/2009, 12:10 PM

afaik sligo rovers v derry city on wednesday night

**Sam_Heggy** · 05/10/2009, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by CF1989

afaik sligo rovers v derry city on wednesday night

Yeah and it's being played in Convoy (just outside Ballybofey) for some reason.

**pineapple stu** · 05/10/2009, 2:11 PM

Are there alternative tournaments a club could enter its U-20s in? We're fortunate in a way that we have collegiate tournaments to play - college leagues, Collingwood Cup, etc. Are there any regional equivalents at all?

**Sam_Heggy** · 05/10/2009, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Are there alternative tournaments a club could enter its U-20s in? We're fortunate in a way that we have collegiate tournaments to play - college leagues, Collingwood Cup, etc. Are there any regional equivalents at all?

Yeah but they can't then compete in the LOI as the under 20 players must sign a LOI amateur/pro form, it would basically result in having 2 teams which is a pointless exercise tbh.
League seriously needs to review the situation at underage level.

**CF1989** · 05/10/2009, 4:44 PM

thought it was a hoe game for us...duno where they got convoy outa?! whats that like?

**Sam_Heggy** · 05/10/2009, 5:33 PM

Originally Posted by CF1989

thought it was a hoe game for us...duno where they got convoy outa?! whats that like?

It's a cracking playing surface and has newly installed floodlights. The changing rooms are not exectly state of the art but the pitch more than makes up for that.

**apo11o** · 06/10/2009, 11:59 AM

What time is kick off in Convoy?

**pineapple stu** · 06/10/2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

Yeah but they can't then compete in the LOI as the under 20 players must sign a LOI amateur/pro form, it would basically result in having 2 teams which is a pointless exercise tbh.
League seriously needs to review the situation at underage level.

Oh. So this works for us because the two seasons don't overlap? Or is it because the college leagues are separate from the LSL?

**Mr A** · 06/10/2009, 1:40 PM

I'd say it's because the college leagues are fairly independent.

As Sam says it really is very difficult for LOI clubs to have a decent youth set-up, especially at the top end where you want the players to be able to transition into your first team squad when required.

**Sam_Heggy** · 06/10/2009, 3:40 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Oh. So this works for us because the two seasons don't overlap? Or is it because the college leagues are separate from the LSL?

College is totally different afaik. We had 7 players in the LYIT squad last season whilst also playing for Harps.

Players can sign for the LOI clubs in the transfer windows and leave in Novemeber again but it's far from ideal. In July we signed a full under 20 squad to play until November. We can not supply those players with competitive football between November and July, that's ridiculous. Thankfully we have unearthed a few guys who have gone on and played in our senior squad BUT the others are lost and are free gain for Derry, Sligo, 'Stute, etc to come in.