Minors are left in limbo at the Ulster semi-final stage this weekend
Fermanagh boss Mclaughlin stays focused in hope of restart
WITH Roscommon already winning the Connacht Minor Football Championship on Boxing Day, beating Sligo at the Claremorris Centre of Excellence, fears are growing that the Ulster Minor Championship may not be completed at all.
The Leinster final, fixed for the 27th between Offaly and Meath, was also pulled, while Kerry had already emerged from Munster pre-christmas.
On December 20, the Ulster quarter-finals took place. Monaghan beat Antrim to set up a semi-final against Fermanagh, who pulled off something of a shock in defeating Down.
Tyrone overcame Donegal in Ballybofey and are drawn against Derry, who got past Armagh in Owenbeg.
The games were set to be hosted this Sunday, with Kingspan Breffni slated for Fermanagh v Monaghan and Clones the appointed venue for Tyrone and Derry.
However, the Irish Government entering a Level 5 Lockdown has drawn a halt to all activities. Presently, Level 5 is due to expire on January 12, but such targets are constantly moving.
At present, teams are under several constraints and restrictions. Teams can train but only in numbers of 15, which means it is impossible to play full-sized matches in training.
For managers, it has been the most bizarre season, with a number of unofficial pre-seasons.
Some have adapted and embraced it, such as Fermanagh manager Maurice Mclaughlin.
The Belleek Erne Gaels man has former Donegal All-ireland winner Mark Mchugh as one of his selectors, and through their contacts they had hosted a number of Zoom meetings with various personalities in the GAA, including Tomás ÓSÉ and Jim Gavin.
Mclaughlin admits to huge uncertainty as to when his team might next be in action.
“We have got the word there that everything is postponed and it was very similar to the word that we got just before the Down game back in October,” he said.
“Yet again, this is frustrating and disappointing.
“There is no doubt about it for these lads. When we talk to them, we talk about the controllables and the non-controllables.
“And this is very much outside of our control. From a preparation point of view, all we can do on this is to keep ourselves right.
“From our point of view, the evidence of that was delivered in our performance against Down. That’s what we are looking for again from our squad. Our job, more importantly, as a management team is to keep everybody focussed.”
Despi t e t he uncer t a i nt y, Mclaughlin believes that the GAA will find a way of completing the competition, even if it threatens to run into next season’s potential window for minor football.
“Look, the competition has to be completed. Apart from everything else, that is a GAA law,” said Mclaughlin.
“I know we are in different times with a pandemic. That takes precedence, but for the work, not just for us but for the other three teams in the competition and for the integrity of the competition, it has to be finished.”
As for the restrictions on training, he refuses to look for excuses.
“I suppose the only thing I can say about that, and I alluded to it after the Down game, is that this group of players we have will do whatever it takes to get through these very unusual set of circumstances,” said Mclaughlin.
“And whether that be training in pods of 15, doing individual training, attending Zoom meetings that we asked them going through the first lockdown.
“All that type of stuff, these guys are well aware and they will do whatever is in their control to stay focussed and be ready for the semi-finals — whenever it is played.
“While everybody would feel the frustrations, my frustration as a manager pales into insignificance of those lads.
“Thinking that they are preparing for an Ulster semi-final this Sunday only for it to be taken away from them.”
‘This group of players will do whatever it takes’