| NYGAA Draft Springs Few Surprises
By Eugene kyne
IT was more of a quiet few drinks than a roaring party when New York registrar
Joan Henchy had the honor of reading this year’s drafts at a recent
New York GAA meeting.
The idea of the drafts is to subsidize the senior clubs from the junior
ranks, but the players involved are so well known at this point and most
have been playing in the senior ranks previously that they don’t alarm
as much as just educate where they are going for the new year.
Some new players added to the equation this year are the Clare players who
are eligible due to the Banner men taking a step down to amalgamate with
Stamford for the 2007 season. They are spread thin on the water, however,
as Tony McTigue went to Cork, Michael “Turla” Keaveney (Cavan)
Cathal Loughnane (Offaly) and Eoin Crowley (Kerry).
The Kingdom surprised this year as they only took four players from their
junior squad; normally it is six or more. Shane Langan is new to the seniors
but is a former county minor and a quality corner forward. Leitrim brought
back six from last season and added Tyrone players Deon Gallagher, who plays
at
the back, with Conor Skeffington who is a dangerous forward. Four Provinces
declined to take any New York players and are to be admired for their strong
home base.
A barometer on how the minor board players are developed to senior ranks
possibly can be grasped by the draft. St. Barnabas drafted eight players
that came through the ranks, and are to be commended. It is the future.
There is but 10 to 12 players total in the other 10 selected contingents
however. That’s alarming, and something that warrants closer scrutiny
by the divisional boards and county board to see if it can be rectified
in future years.
With the minor board in good shape and hands with Eamonn Deane and his board
of officers at the helm, ways to enhance the involvement of these players
as they leave their teenage years have to be looked at and developed.
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