DERRY minor manager Damian McErlain has paid tribute to his young guns ahead of Sunday’s eagerly anticipated Ulster MFC shoot-out with Donegal.
The reigning champions have come through two tough clashes to once again reach the decider.
Tyrone were favourites in the quarter-final back in May but the Oak Leafers, despite only leading by a point at half-time, eventually won by eight in a terrific second half display.
Then, in the semi-final, McErlain’s charges were brought to extra time by Armagh and again showed tonnes of composure and guts to emerge six point winners.
McErlain, who led the Derry minors to the All-Ireland semi-final last year where they lost out to eventual winners Kerry, has learnt plenty about this mostly new group so far – and especially against Armagh.
That game was the curtain raiser to the drawn Cavan and Tyrone Ulster SFC semi-final, and was played in very tough conditions.
"We have shown a bit of fight alright," agreed McErlain.
"But it wasn’t really until we got the game together in terms of the quality that we started making in-roads.
"Armagh are a big physically strong, athletic side which we were well aware of going into the match.
"But we were probably a bit undercooked, and it took us a while to get going but thankfully we started to use the ball well and our legs won out in the end.
"They probably dominated the first half and even five, 10 minutes into the second half it was very much even and then, something clicked.
"We made a few changes – we started to show a bit of composure – but the conditions didn’t help the whole thing. It was the same for both sides but...I felt once we took over, we were really in control."
As it happens, McErlain feels that the period of extra time in the Armagh game is something that will be of great value to his team as they go into Sunday's game.
There has been a big turnover in players from last year's crop with only three surviving - captain Shea Downey, Paddy Coney and Eoghan Concannon.
"Extra time was a superb thing for us now, because we have come through it and we have played that extra half of championship football and that helps," insisted McErlain.
"And they wouldn’t be as experienced an outfit as last year and that was particularly pleasing – the composure that they showed.
"Last year’s team had a lot of college’s experience and experience in the Glen campaign – there were five Glen lads who had won Ulster club minors and who were just involved in big games week in and week out.
"But I suppose this year’s crew have proved that they have the temperament for the big day twice now and that’s very encouraging."
