Sligo withdraw from Under-20 hurling Championship

Sligo GAA have withdrawn from the All-Ireland Under-20 hurling championship, feeling they would be unable to field a team to the standard required.

Sligo say the decision is down to a combination of circumstances and they are set to conduct a review into why such a move has been made.

In a statement the Yeats County said: "The team is drawn from a small playing pool and with other demands on the players – both from other hurling commitments, college etc, it was not possible to do the preparation that would be appropriate for a team representing the county.

"The decision follows consultation with all of those identified as potential panel members and team management."

Derry have been handed a walkover in the first round of the competition next weekend.

Sligo GAA chairman Sean Carroll said: "This is not a decision that we ever wanted to make and we do so with regret but we were left with little option following consultation with team management.

"It is a real pity because it is exactly the kind of competition in which we would like to be involved, in order to bring players on for the benefit of both clubs and county teams"

The County Board are set to conduct a review on that matter with a promise to "learn and improve in future years and thus ensure that the momentum created in Sligo hurling in recent years can be supported and maintained."

The senior side will play Derry in the Division 2B final on Saturday after several seasons of improvement which has led to promotion to the fourth tier of hurling.