EirGrid Ulster U20 Football Championship Section A, round one
Antrim v Tyrone (Saturday, Dunsilly, 1.30pm)
TYRONE manager Paul Devlin is hoping to uncover some future stars in this year’s Ulster U20 championship.
This year’s series will be run off on a round-robin format for the first time, with every county guaranteed at least four games.
The Red Hands begin their challenge for a second provincial title in three years against Antrim at Dunsilly on Saturday.
“There’s a lot of lads in the group who have never won underage titles, and a lot of clubs that have never win underage titles, Trillick being a prime example,” said Devlin.
“But the thing is, if you’re competing at the top table in underage football, you’re going to be competing at those levels in senior football, whether it’s club football or inter-county football.
“So if we have our lads all competing against strong teams, that’s where we want them at, and that’s where they’re going to play their senior football at.
“You take that year we won the All-Ireland – we had Down in the first round, we had Donegal in the semi-final, Cavan in the final, we had Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final and Kildare in the final. Those are all counties with great pedigree to come up against.
“And the same in club football. If you’re competing against the Trillicks, the Dromores, the Errigal Ciarans, the Coalislands at underage level, you’re going to be competing against those teams at senior level.”
Returning from last year’s panel are skipper Michael Rafferty, vice-captain Ruairi McHugh, Ben Hughes, Conor McAneney, Shea O’Hare, Eoin McElholm, Cormac Devlin, Gavin Potter and Odhran Brolly.
“Look, it doesn’t guarantee that they’re going to walk in,” Devlin warned.
They have to earn their corn like the rest of the lads. One thing is for sure they’re real good leaders to have around the place and they’re putting in a big effort.”
Devlin enters his seventh season as U20 boss as he begins a new three-year term.
He continues to savour the satisfaction of seeing players from his squads make the step up to senior level.
“It’s well worth it when you look at the senior team going out in the McKenna Cup, and the amount of players that went through our hands and now pushing on and getting involved in the senior set-up,” said Devlin.
“That night they played Donegal, I counted 21 of the 26 had come through my hand over the last few years.
“When you see that, it’s the reward for it all, to see new lads coming through.”
A new backroom team has been installed, including Omagh CBS MacRory Cup winning coach Diarmaid McNulty, following the departure of Dermot Carlin and Owen Mulligan.
“They have a lot of things going on and weren’t able to commit, so we have a completely new group.
“I was asking myself would I keep at it or would I keep going, but Art McRory was adamant that I should stay.
“That was my last chat with Art, maybe a fortnight before he passed away, and he had a lot to do with me staying around.”
The emphasis will be primarily on player development, with silverware a welcome bonus.
“If medals come along the way, brilliant for the lads.”
And Devlin insisted that he won’t be placing undue pressure on his players.
“I say to the lads, if you miss a chance, I’m the one who will take responsibility, because I’m the one who put you in that position to take that chance.”
