Don't punish children because of irresponsible adults

I'm lucky enough to have been part of several successful teams, yet when the boys around home get together and the slagging gets going only one cuts the mustard, the Knockmany Cup.

There are the haves and the have-nots. It was our local primary school competition. We played our pick-up games at lunch and break time in preparation and had our fun but, make no mistake, the Knockmany was the holy grail.

Fast forward 30 years and last year I went to see my son compete. This year will be my daughter's turn. When I informed her that this year’s could be the last one ever there was disbelief.

How something, that was a real highlight for generations, is now a danger to children having fun and enjoying their game is a tough one to explain.

Just last week I mentioned in an article regarding how everything seemed to have to be black or white with little space for the middle ground. The reaction to the GAA’s letter to clubs regarding underage competitive games has been as polarising as we’ve seen in a long time and that’s saying something.

POLL: Should there be GAA competitions for Under-12s?

The extremism of the current debate was crystalised for me when reading during the week of the family who had sued their GAA club over the running of an 'elite U9 competition’ and how they were delighted at the moves of the GAA to stop competitions Under-12.

To the vast majority of sensible people, the absurdity of running an ‘elite U9 competition’ is only matched by the absurdity of suing your club because of it.

That such examples are being used as the basis for the discourse this week does us all a massive disservice. I understand the absolute priority being placed on participation. I understand the concept of silent sidelines (though admittedly