In attendance, from Back left- Ciaran Kearney, GAA National Development Competitions Coordinator, Leinster GAA Games Manager James Devane, Ulster GAA Regional Hurling Development Officer Patrick Delaney, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, Ulster GAA Hurling Development Manager Kevin Kelly, Connacht GAA Games Promotion Officer Darragh Cox. Front- Tooreen and Mayo hurler Shane Boland, Cootehill Celtic hurler Connor Delaney, Latton hurler Tomas McCabe at the 2023 Táin Óg/ CúChulainn launch at Croke Park in Dublin
By John Harrington
The 2023 Táin Óg Hurling League commences this evening when the U-15 competition gets under way.
What began as U-13 competition now has three age-groups – U-13, U-15, U-17 – and the player pathway was completed last year for the first time with the advent of the Cúchulainn hurling league.
The genius of the Táin Óg and Cúchulainn Leagues is that they wipe away county and provincial boundaries and give clubs in developing counties a greater number of meaningful matches than they could possibly have from playing teams within their own county bounds.
The success of the competitions is illustrated by their growth, year on year. When The Táin Óg started in 2016, 26 teams compete at U-13 level. This year, 271 teams are registered across the four grades
“Without a doubt we are now seeing a domino effect,” says Ulster Provincial Hurling Manager, Kevin Kelly.
“These competitions work and the clubs that are taking part are benefiting from them.
“And the more clubs that take part, the more games we can provide and the benefits of taking part become greater and greater.
“If you're a county CCC in a county with only six or seven clubs, sure this is a dream for you. All you have to do is set aside a six or seven week block for these competitions and then work your own competitions around it and you're flying.”
Many players who hurled in the inaugural year of the Táin Óg as U-13s in 2016 are now playing as senior hurlers in the Cúchulainn League.
Coaches too, are moving along the player pathway, which is why the number of participating teams is steadily growing at U-17 and senior level.
“The structure is embedded now at U-13 and U-15 and most of the coaches who are working at that level will then move up to U-17 in their club so I would see the U-17 growing more and more and the adult too eventually,” says Kelly.
“It's actually changed the mindset of those people who are looking after these teams. Previously you might be short a few players and decide you can't fulfil a fixture, but we want to get rid of that attitude. We want teams coming to this competition and if they're short a few players they contact the other club and agree to play a small-sided game.
“We want to get clubs into the habit of playing these matches no matter what.
“We're seeing coaches now having come through the U-13 and U-15 and they're used to this now, they know it's not win at all costs. It's about participation and getting more games.”
Tooreen players after their side's defeat in the 2023 AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final match between Monaleen of Limerick and Tooreen of Mayo at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Last year’s inaugural Cúchulainn League Final was contested by Tooreen from Mayo and Easkey from Sligo.
Tooreen went on from there to reach the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Final, while Easkey reached the AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Final. Clearly both benefited from their participation in the Cúchulainn, which is presumably why many more clubs have signed up to take part this year.
"I know we're only a small part of the jigsaw, but that was still very satisfying,” says Kelly of Tooreen’s and Easkey’s achievements.
“Playing competitive matches is what allows clubs to improve and that's what we're providing them with.
“We're there as Games Promotion Officers and Games Promotion Managers to try to promote the game of hurling. How can you promote the game of hurling if you're not playing the game of hurling?
“If you take a county that has just five or six clubs, those five or six club are nowhere near the same level. You normally have three bands in a county in terms of ability, A, B, and C. And the C team is not going to get any better playing the A team. They need matches against teams of their own ability which is what the Táin Óg and Cúchulainn provides.
“You get four or five games against clubs from clubs from different counties that are hopefully of the same standard. That all serves to spread the gospel a bit more.
“If someone were to ask me where I see these competitions in 10 years time, I would see these Leagues being the main competitions for all the clubs that compete in them.
“Then they'll have their county leagues and championships working around them. These competitions give them a variety of fixtures and more games against teams of their own level which is what everyone wants.”
For this year's Táin Óg fixtures go HERE.
