Tonight in Ennis marks the beginning of the end.
The Under-21 football championship, a mainstay of the GAA calendar since 1964, is to be replaced by an Under-20 grade from 2018. The new competition, taking place during the summer, will be restricted to players not featuring on senior county panels after a motion was passed at February’s congress.
Cork face Mayo in this evening’s decider and the Rebels will be looking for the win that will guarantee they finish on top of the roll of honour – their 11 titles to date one better than their great rivals Kerry, while Mayo go in search of their fifth All-Ireland at the grade.
Coincidentally their last win came in 2006, when they beat Cork in a final that featured many of the stalwarts that would go on to backbone the current Mayo senior side, who this summer go in search of a sixth consecutive Connacht title.
Ger Cafferkey, Chris Barrett, Keith Higgins, Tom Cunniffe, Colm Boyle, Seamus O’Shea, Mikey Conroy and Barry Moran all started for Mayo that day as they saw off Cork on a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-11.
For their part Cork would win two of the next three titles, in 2007 and 2009, with the likes of Fintan Goold, Eoin Cadogan, Daniel Goulding, Ken O’Halloran, Michael Shields, Ray Carey, Aidan Walsh, Colm O’Neill, Paul Kerrigan and Ciaran Sheehan going on to play a part in the 2010 senior triumph.
This competition has served both counties well, with their semi-final performances suggesting the two sets of players will travel to Cusack Park in hope.
Cork are the narrow 4/5 favourites, thanks to their two-point win over a fancied Monaghan side – with senior player Peter Kelleher (above) shining in attack alongside Sean O’Donoghue and Michael Hurley.
However Mayo were no less impressive in the manner in which they resisted Dublin’s fightback to register a one-point win. In an epic encounter Mayo led by six points at the break but had to rely on Dublin indiscipline to reel in a four-point deficit late on.
Much is expected of this group of players, who won a minor All-Ireland three years. Mayo boss Michael Solan can call on a senior star such as Diarmuid O’Connor in attack, while the defence is marshalled by dogged and dependable soldiers like Eoin O’Donoghue and Sharaoize Akram (above).
Ballaghaderreen star Akram was born in Haroonabad, Pakistan and featured in the Mayo minor team that reach an All-Ireland semi-final in 2014.
The fact he is lining out for Mayo in Ennis tonight shows how far Ireland has come since 1964. The U21 championship has seen much change in 52 years. Savour it while it is still around.
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