Timing is everything, but for Donegal, the re-scheduling of the Ulster Under 20 Championship has demanded a hefty price.
In common with other counties, the new February slot has given manager Shaun Paul Barrett headaches in his efforts to gain access to schools and colleges players.
But there’s a further, possibly more costly complication in the form of injuries to star duo Oisin Gallen and Conor O’Donnell.
Arguably the team’s most important players, both men are currently recovering from long-term injures, and will miss the entire series.
Senior star Gallen and last year’s captain O’Donnell have both undergone surgery for shoulder and cruciate problems respectively.
Had the competition not been switched from its spring/summer placing in the fixtures calendar, both men would have been in contention to play some part.
“They’re massive losses, they’re players that you would have hoped would be the mainstay of the team, but we haven’t had them,” said Barrett.
There’s still plenty of quality in the squad that will face Monaghan in Saturdays’ first round tie at Ballybofey.
Skipper Luke Gavigan and vice-captain Aaron Doherty, along with wing back Peter McEniff have been leading the way with impressive form in the pre-season Leo Murphy Cup competition.
“We have no outstanding stars, but they’re a good group of lads together,” said the manager.
But Donegal will have to produce something special at MacCumhaill Park to get the better of a Monaghan side strongly fancied to go all the way in the provincial title race.
“Monaghan would be strong favourites, they have won the last two Ulster Minor Championships, and we’d be very aware of that.
“And they have four or five lads in with their seniors at the moment, and played in the McKenna Cup, top forwards like Aaron Mulligan and young Woods and Jason Irwin, and young O’Toole at full back, excellent players.
“They have real quality and we know we have our hands full facing them, but we hope to make a good game of it.
“It’s win or nothing, so we have to put our best foot forward.”
Milford clubman Barrett, a former Donegal Minor manager who won the League and Championship double in 2016, was unsuccessful in his bid to land the U20 role last season, but he’s determined to make the most of his opportunity in 2020.
“We were disappointed we didn’t get the job last year, but it just wasn’t our time, but hopefully now we can make some kind of an impression.”
And if success doesn’t come his way, there’s still an opportunity for the Barrett household to celebrate management triumph with Donegal this season.
The other half of a unique father-son team, 27-year-old Luke, is in charge of the county’s U17 team.
“He was with me in the Minors for a couple of years. He has always had a good interest in coaching, he did a bit of coaching in America as well for a couple of summers,” said Barrett.
