This idea absolutely blows my mind..
Just cause a fella was as good as another fella when they were children doesn’t mean anything at all at all when playing a man’s sport 5 years later.
In the last 20 years Galway have won half the minor All Ireland hurling titles and this has provided 1 senior All Ireland
Limerick going for 5 in a row won jack shit underage.
Underage success is not a predictor of success at adult level. That’s conclusively proven in every team sport in the world.
That’s why it’s celebrated as a rare and special thing that whenever an underage team comes through and they produce 5-6 players at adult level.
Wrong about Limerick underage.
10 of the current seniors won All Ireland under 21 medals between 2015 and 2017.
2015 team:
Limerick
1. David McCarthy (Glenroe)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Richie English (Doon)
4. Michael Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell – Captain)
6. Barry O Connell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
7. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
9. Pat Ryan (Doon)
10. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh)
11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
12. David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh)
13. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
14. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
15. Barry Nash (South Liberties
2017 team:
. Eoghan McNamara (Doon)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Darragh Fanning (Pallasgreen)
4. Dan Joy (Kilmallock)
5. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh)
6. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
7. Thomas Grimes (Na Piarsaigh)
8. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
9. Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock)
10. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
11. Barry Murphy (Doon)
12. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
13. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
14. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)(Captain)
15. Barry Nash (South Liberties).
Subs:
16. Cian Hedderman (Ballybrown)
17. Paudie Ahern (Killeedy)
18. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh)
19. Andrew La Touche Cosgrave (Monaleen)
20. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
21. Lorcan Lyons (Monaleen)
22. Mike Mackey (Adare)
23. Conor McSweeney (South Liberties)
24. Jack O Grady (Knockainey).
The current team has is built on those 2 winning under 21 teams. l agree their much lauded academy hasn’t produced much under age success since and I think this will see them really struggle when this team breaks up.