Connacht GAA U-21 Championship 2017

The EirGrid Connacht GAA U21 championship kicks off this Saturday the eleventh of March at 3pm in Tuam Stadium, with Galway hosting Leitrim in the preliminary round. This will be the last year the under twenty-one grade will be played, as congress voted in 2016 to abolish both the minor and under twenty-one grades in favour of an under seventeen and an under twenty system. From 2018 onwards the under twenty competition will take place during the summer months, with all players involved subsequently deemed ineligible for senior inter county action that year.

The winners of Galway and Leitrim will advance to play Mayo in the semi-final, (venue and date to be finalised).  The other semi-final will take place in Kiltoom between Roscommon and Sligo on Wednesday 22nd April. The final will take place on the 1^st of April, with the venue yet to be confirmed. The Connacht champions will then advance to face Munster opposition in the All Ireland semi-final on the 15^th of April.

Mayo are the current holders of the JJ Fahy Cup, overcoming Roscommon in a cracking final in Markeivicz Park on a scoreline of 1-11 to 1-10 to deny the Roscommon men what would have been three in a row. Mayo are the most successful county in the history of the competition, having won it twenty-four times in total and being the runners up eight times. Next in the roll of honour comes Galway with eighteen titles, Roscommon with eight, Leitrim with two and finally Sligo, who have never lifted the trophy.