Football

Ulster U20: Down v Antrim

Antrim manager Hugh McGettigan knows his side will have their hands full when they travel to Newry on Saturday to face Down in their Ulster U20 Championship opener
Antrim manager Hugh McGettigan knows his side will have their hands full when they travel to Newry on Saturday to face Down in their Ulster U20 Championship opener Antrim manager Hugh McGettigan knows his side will have their hands full when they travel to Newry on Saturday to face Down in their Ulster U20 Championship opener

Ulster U20 Championship

Down v Antrim

Pairc Esler, Saturday 5pm

AHEAD of their Ulster U20 Championship opener against Down on Saturday, Saffrons boss Hugh McGettigan has called into question the placement of the competition in the GAA calendar.

This is the inaugural year for the tournament previously played as the U21 Championship, and it is when it is being played – over four weekends beginning this Friday night - rather than its intrinsic merit which is playing on McGettigan’s mind.

“It’s a strange competition, but a worthwhile competition if we can just get the timing of it right,” insisted the Rossa club man.

“We have some players who are at university, and other players who are doing A levels. The university lads are just finishing exams on Saturday, and there are other lads away to do their A levels.

“And the guys are giving it all but they have to do their exams, and in another week or two some of them will be heading to America.

“It is slightly the wrong time of year, yet it has a lot of value as a competition if we can get a better time of the year for it.”

The value that McGettigan sees in the championship is how it can build the “bridge” for players to cross to compete more effectively at senior level.

“When you look at the development of these guys, the vast majority of them are not really ready for senior county football, to make that step,” explained McGettigan.

“But they are the up and coming lads at club level. They are basically the big young names at their clubs. And yet they’re still a wee bit short, physically and mentally, of being county standard.

“So, there has to be a bridge. It’s the only way to develop them.”

Antrim’s young guns will be backboned by players such as Paddy McCormack, Liam Quinn, Eamon Fyffe, Kevin Small, Matthew Rodgers and Tiernan McAteer.

McGettigan is wary though of the threat which will be posed by a Down team marshalled by Conor Deegan and Michael Walsh, and which is likely to include a number of Burren players.

“It’s an unbelievable team Down have at the moment,” said McGettigan.

“From what we hear, they’re absolutely flying. They’re very, very strong.

“Burren won the Ulster club minor two years ago, so the nucleus of that team is available. Carryduff did very well for Down this year – they got to the Ulster U21 semi-final, so they have a heap of Carryduff guys.

“They have got Conor Deegan, a double All-Ireland winner, looking after them. They’ve played Meath, and they've played teams like Monaghan in their build-up, and from what we hear, we’re exceedingly worried about them!” laughed McGettigan.

As well as some of his players having to deal with exam pressures, the manager outlined that they have also had to deal with an intense recent club schedule.

“They’re OK, again just getting the proper sessions done is so difficult,” he said.

“We’re just out of a heavy set of club fixtures, four matches in 12 days, and these guys are all playing every match nearly. So it’s tough on them, they’re finding it very hard to get recovery – some of them are hurling as well.”