THERE were great scenes of celebration when Ibane Gaels won the recent Carbery U21A football final, but are the days of amalgamated teams competing at this grade coming to an end?
Recommendations from the Cork County Independent Teams Review Group include that only club teams will compete at both Go Games (up to and including U11) and U21 level, unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances’ where the Monitoring Committee would allow independent teams to participate.
Within the Carbery division, Ibane Gaels (an amalgamation of Argideen Rangers and Barryroe), Ahán Gaels (St Mary’s and Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas), Owen Gaels (Ballinascarthy and St Oliver Plunkett’s) and Kilmacabea/St James all competed in the various U21 football championships. Ibane Gaels won the U21A title, while Ahán Gaels lost the U21B decider to St Colum’s, but will these amalgamations be given the green light to compete at this level in 2026?
The importance of amalgamated teams in areas of low population was acknowledged in the report that was discussed at the latest Cork County Committee meeting on September 2nd.
‘Independent teams nationally play a very important role for the Association’s promotion of Gaelic Games in many clubs and communities particularly in areas of low or decreasing population, both rural and urban,’ the report said.
‘Independent teams have existed in this county for many years and continue to be the life blood of many adult teams whose very existence would be threatened without their underage independent teams. Many people have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of these independent teams for their own club and also for their neighbouring club.’
It added: ‘The recommendations of the committee seek to ensure that independent teams operate in accordance with national guidelines, are intended to protect independent teams where they are necessary and are also intended to promote and protect club identity into the future.’
Amongst the recommendations are:
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Clubs that wish to apply to participate as part of an independent team or teams, including clubs who currently participate as part of independent teams in one or more age grades, would be required to submit the request for each individual team on an annual basis. Clubs would be required to submit, with their application, a list of all players eligible to play with the independent team. Players not included in the list would not be permitted to play with the independent team except with the prior permission of the Independent Teams Monitoring Committee.
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Only club teams participate in Go Games (up to and including U11), though it’s recommended that in exceptional circumstances the Monitoring Committee would allow independent teams to participate in Go Games.
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Only club teams participate in U12 competitions, but in exceptional circumstances it’s recommended that the Monitoring Committee would allow independent teams to participate. Where clubs are given permission to field an independent team at U12, it’s strongly recommend that either Rebel Óg or Cork Coaching & Games organise a number of bespoke club competitions for clubs with small numbers who are unable to field a club team in regular Rebel Óg competitions, in addition to the regular Rebel Óg competitions annually for clubs at U12, in order to promote club activity in their local area and to enhance participation levels at this age group.
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Only club teams participate in U21 competitions. The report recommended that in exceptional circumstances the Monitoring Committee would allow independent teams to participate.
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In the assessment of applications, it was recommended to the Monitoring Committee that independent teams applications would be assessed on the following basis: U14 (players on the age at 14, 13 and 12), U16 (players on the age at 16,15 and 14), U18 (players on the age at 18, 17 and 16), and U21 (players on the age at 21, 20, 19, 18 and 17).
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All current independent teams will be permitted to continue to use their current independent name for as long as their present arrangement exists, if they wish to do so. The committee also recommended to the Monitoring Committee that if current independent teams so wish, they are allowed to change their current independent team names to the combined names of their parent clubs. It was recommended that all new independent teams bear the combined names of their parent clubs.
The report added: ‘The guiding principle of enhancing participation levels and of improving retention levels has to be central to all clubs and independent teams planning. We ask all clubs and independent teams to reflect on this.’
Recommendations of Independent Teams Committee
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Clubs that wish to apply to participate as part of an independent team or teams, including clubs who currently participate as part of independent teams in one or more age grades, would be required to submit the request for each individual team on an annual basis. Clubs would be required to submit, with their application, a list of all players eligible to play with the independent team. Players not included in the list would not be permitted to play with the independent team except with the prior permission of the Independent Teams Monitoring Committee.
Timeline: For 2026 we recommend that the timeline, numbers 1 to 4 below, would be later than set out by two weeks for each step and that the date for notification of the final decision on Independent Team Formation for 2026 would be December 20th 2025.
The committee recommends that the proposed timeline for applications for independent teams for 2027 and thereafter will be as follows
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15th September; Applications will be invited for independent teams who wish to participate in the following year’s competitions. Applications will be required to include all relevant information about player numbers for the 3 age groups being used to assess applications up to Minor and for the 5 age groups being used to assess applications for Fé21.
Applications will also be required to include team sheets, information about school numbers in the club’s catchment area, relevant geographical issues as well as other information and criteria as may be requested by the Independent Teams Monitoring Committee to assist in their assessment of applications
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30th September; Last date for applications for independent teams. The Committee may, if they consider it to be necessary or useful, seek additional information from clubs and/or meet with representatives of clubs during the assessment period, 30th September to 31st October.
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31st October; Clubs notified of recommendations of Independent Teams Monitoring Committee.
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15th November: Last date for submission of appeals of decisions of Independent Teams Monitoring Committee to County CCC.
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15th December; Clubs are notified of Final Decision on Independent Team Formation for following year. Competition organisation will then commence and no further appeals or requests for changes will be processed.
Only club teams participate in Go Games (up to and including U11), though it’s recommended that in exceptional circumstances the Monitoring Committee would allow independent teams to participate in Go Games.
As noted previously, player numbers will not be the only criteria used in assessing applications for independent teams. The guiding principle of participation levels and retention of playing numbers has to be borne in mind by clubs when applying for permission to field an independent team.
