Laois U-20 boss Kinsella calls on GAA to ensure championship is included in restructured fixtures

Laois U-20 football manager Eddie Kinsella has called on the GAA to ensure their championship is included in the redrafted fixture plan for 2021.

The U-20 football championship had originally been scheduled in for April but due to the Covid-19 situation, that will not happen.

GAA bosses are due to unveil a new fixture plan in the coming weeks and the Courtwood native hopes that he can give some clarity to his players then.

Laois have reached the last two U-20 finals – with Kinsella in charge last March when they were beaten by Dublin for the second year running.

And speaking to LaoisToday, Kinsella explained how the Covid-enforced shutdown of GAA has impacted on his plans.

He said: “My plan was to pick a panel from the club championships and then get them into the gym from October onwards for a couple of months.

“I felt last year in the defeat to Dublin that we were missing that bit of strength and conditioning to bring the lads some extra power.

“I knew we were going to have a relatively new team as well with only two lads (Daragh Galvin and Damon Larkin) that started the final last year available this year.

“But of course that all went out the window so we had to can the whole thing and come back in January and give the lads individual plans.

“I had to try assemble a panel over the phone and then we met over Zoom which is all we’ve been able to do.

“We were supposed to play championship in early April and that’s obviously not going to happen now – but that’s not anyone’s fault, we’re in a pandemic and we all understand that.

“But I know that decisions on a new season fixture calendar are going to be made soon and all I ask of decision makers is that they don’t forget about the U-20 championship.”

In explaining why he is insistent that the U-20 championship goes ahead, he pointed to the fact that the pandemic has robbed this age group of so many things over the last year.

Kinsella said: “While I haven’t met many of these lads in person, I’ve met them all virtually and they are a very enthusiastic bunch of young men.

“They are absolutely desperate to represent and play for Laois.

“Like us all, they have been badly hit with the pandemic as it has impacted upon their lives greatly.

“Some missed out on the final year of school with graduation, debs and all those things and now they’re experiencing the same when it comes to the first year of college with them largely studying at home.

“Some of the lads have just returned to school and are anxious about sitting a Leaving Cert in June and all that comes with that.

“So with so much that has been taken away from them, I’m calling on the GAA to please ensure that this competition goes ahead and that some clarity can be given to my players whenever the plan is fully released.

“I’m not having a cut at any GAA organisation or anything like that, far from it as I know the times we are in.

“But at the same time I know how important this grade is, typically for preparing lads for senior inter-county football, but also mentally for lads right now.

“With so much having been taken away from them, the GAA has the opportunity to give them something to look forward to. I hope they can take it.”

SEE ALSO – Sadness following passing of Laois principal who ‘united three schools’

The post Laois U-20 boss Kinsella calls on GAA to ensure championship is included in restructured fixtures appeared first on Laois Today.

source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/03/06/laois-u-20-boss-kinsella-calls-on-gaa-to-ensure-championship-is-included-in-restructured-fixtures/