Last week’s report of the fixture calendar review taskforce noted that “the greatest strides the association has made in a fixtures context in the last number of years have been due to moving the minor grade to U17 [at inter-county level] and not allowing U17s play in adult competitions”.

GAA chiefs, in the form of a motion to Congress, are determined to further decouple minor from adult level.

“The GAA president confirmed at a meeting of county chairpersons on Saturday that there will definitely be a motion in relation to the juvenile age-grades coming to Congress in February,” said Cork county board chairperson Tracey Kennedy.

While I know we have particular views here in Cork, we also have to consider the impact of our U18 players being able to play adult games at present. We have to consider can we make separations there and what is the best thing in terms of the bigger picture.

Munster GAA CEO Kieran Leddy, speaking to this newspaper last week, expressed his support for the minor age-grade, at club level, to drop to U17.

“I am all in favour of the separation of adult and underage fixture-making at club and inter-county level. This is absolutely essential.

“Basically, you can play your U17 competitions, and the adult competitions can’t or don’t impact on them. If we go back to the situation of minor at U18, and those lads can play adult, we are basically going backwards with our club fixtures.

“In that instance, you can’t play adult fixtures the same day you are playing minor. That’s what has been tying us up in knots for years.”