Armagh vs Derry: Orchard management say Croke Park should host All-Ireland minor final

As the debate rages around how the GAA calendar should be restructured and which games should have shouldn’t be played at Croke Park, Aidan O’Rourke and Stefan Forker feel the Armagh and Derry minors deserve their day out at headquarters.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland MFC final between the Ulster rivals, which will be played at O’Neills Healy Park in Omagh, Armagh’s minor management have also hit out at the ruling preventing minor captains from making speeches after the game.

Broadcasters have also been reminded not to interview minor players after matches with TG4’s interview with Daithi O’Callaghan halted after Armagh’s semi-final win over Mayo last month.

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Orchard boss O’Rourke said he disagrees with the rule, although his former county colleague, GAA president Jarlath Burns, permitted Tipperary minor hurling skipper Cathal O’Reilly to address the crowd at UPMC Nowlan Park last Saturday following their epic 2-27 to 3-12 extra-time win over Kilkenny.

“I fundamentally disagree with the policy but who am I to argue with the people who are making these decisions,” stated O’Rourke.

“The reason I disagree is that they’re throwing a blanket over all of these youngsters and young people nowadays are better educated, more articulate and wiser to the world than they ever have been before so this is underestimating them I think and it’s depriving people on the outside of an insight into young players.”

Armagh coach Forker said the team wasn’t aware that players weren’t permitted to speak after the game.

“We learned that last week - Daithi (O’Callaghan) was Man-of-the-Match and he was about to get interviewed and then he was pulled away.

“I think it’s a bit of a shame that he doesn’t get his chance to have a word. If he does well and speaks well, great, and if he doesn’t then so what? Let them at it – you talk about resilience and all these words so just expose them to these opportunities.”

Armagh and Derry return to Omagh six weeks on from their Ulster final clash, which saw the holders retain the provincial title with a hard-fought 0-12 to 1-7 win over the Orchard County with the Oak Leafers bidding to retain their All-Ireland crown on Sunday.

Forker, elder brother of Armagh senior captain Aidan, also feels the minors are missing out by not getting the opportunity to play the final at Croke Park.

The Maghery native was part of the Armagh minor team who claimed the Ulster title at Croke Park in 2005 with a one-point win over Down - although the Mournemen would end that year as All-Ireland minor champions.

Last year’s all-Ulster decider between Derry and Monaghan was played at the Box-It Athletic Grounds with Damian McErlain and Monaghan boss Dermot Malone also bemoaning the fact that the final wasn’t at Croker.

“I’ve spoken about my own experiences and the big days I got to enjoy,” said Forker.

“We (Armagh minors) played before the seniors in 2005 and there were 60-65,000 in Croke Park by the end of the match.

“If you’re seeing that as a negative thing as a player then I think you’re not going to go too far and if we are preparing them for senior teams then surely, if they are going to play there in four or five years’ time, it’s a chance for them to learn to deal with that.

“I know there is a problem fixture-wise, but Croke Park could certainly facilitate a final.”

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