Sligo GAA has this evening confirmed that it will not be in a position to field a team as planned in this year’s U20 hurling championship.

This decision was taken as it has not proved possible to prepare a team adequately this season due to a combination of circumstances. 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. As a result, Sligo now give a walkover to Derry who they were drawn to face in the first round of the competition next weekend. Coincidentally, it was Derry who eliminated Sligo in last years semi final of this competition after Sligo’s excellent run to that point.

Sligo GAA Chair, 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”

Sligo GAA will take some time to review how this has happened, and why, so that we can learn and improve in future years and thus ensure that the momentum created in Sligo hurling in recent years can be supported and maintained.