Spate of walkovers places spotlight on Offaly U20 Football Championship

A SPATE of unseemly walkovers, including big knockout fixtures, has turned the Offaly U20 Football Championship into a bit of a farce.

Over half (seven) of the 13 games fixed have been conceded in walkovers with two in big knockout fixtures this week where quarter-final places were at stake.

Three clubs have exited the championship without playing a game – every entrant was assured of two games.

Durrow, Gracefield and Kilcormac-Killoughey didn't fulfil a fixture. Durrow got a walkover from Gracefield in their first game but didn't field in their next two outings against Clara and St Michael's. Gracefield also conceded a walkover to St Michael's, meaning that the Rhode parish side only played one game, an opening round loss to St Patrick's (Edenderry and Ballyfore).

Kilcormac-Killoughey conceded walkovers to Wheery and Na Fianna while St Manchan's (Ballycumber, Doon, Erin Rovers and Tubber) fielded in their round 2 (winners) game against St Patrick's. Having received a bye in the first round, they competed well against a strong St Patrick's side, losing by 2-15 to 0-19 but conceded a walkover to Tullamore in round 3 this week – giving Tullamore a free passage to the quarter-final.

It was particularly disappointing to see St Manchan's concede a walkover as they have had a few players on Offaly minor and U20 football squads in recent years and would have a decent side. Their game was fixed for Tuesday evening and St Manchan's asked for it to be played on Wednesday – Tullamore were unable to facilitiate them as they have players playing in the Leinster Club Senior Football Championship this Sunday and St Manchan's took the nuclear option of withdrawing, saying they couldn't field a team that night.

St Manchan's understood that the fixture would be played on Wednesday, October 28 and made arrangements on that basis. When it was fixed on the Tuesday, they sought a change first before trying to get their team out but told the Competitions Control Committee that many of their players couldn't alter their plans and they had no option but to concede.

It meant that only one of the round 3 games went ahead this week with Shamrocks having a good win over Na Fianna.

It also means that the championship has been a very unsatisfactory one with way too many walkovers conceded.

The timing of the championship is a major problem with players back in college while it also affects secondary schools competitions. However, the clubs approved the format and knew from day one that it would be played in October-November with games under floodlights in midweek.

The volume of walkovers is very unfair to the clubs and players interested in playing this grade and the whole format will have to be examined by the County Board this year. Clubs insisted on a format with second chances to provide games but a return to a straight knockout will have to be considered for next year – it would be a lot better than games being conceded.

A County Board meeting was told recently that 74 walkovers were conceded in the 548 adult games fixed in 2026. This doesn't include the latest U20 walkovers and it is an issue that is causing serious concern for the board.St Manchan's case is different in that they genuinely ran into difficulties and wanted to play, though it still doesn't look good, while the failure of Gracefield, Kilcormac-Killoughey and Durrow to play one game stands out from the list – Competitions Control Committee secretary Pat Teehan told the last board meeting that they will talk to clubs about entering teams when they aren't in a position to put them out.

This is something that will have to happen now as it would be way better for the likes of Durrow, Gracefield and Kilcormac-Killoughey not to enter rather than pulling out – this would allow their players to get permission to play with another side, though in the ideal world, they would be fielding their own teams.

The quarter-finals have been fixed for next week:

Wheery v St Michael's;

Clara v Tullamore;

St Patrick's v Shamrocks;

St Rynagh's v St Vincent's.

The semi-final draw is:

Wheery/St Michael's v Clara/Tullamore;

St Patrick's/Shamrocks v St Rynagh's/St Vincent's.