Rovers underage sides get their campaigns underway this weekend
WITH the new first team season well underway, this weekend sees both Sligo Rovers under 17 and 19 sides get their respective campaigns underway against St Patrick’s Athletic.
Last season saw a talented Bit O’Red under 19s finish runners-up in the Northern Elite Division while the 17s finished mid-table in a competitive league.
This year’s under 19 will be expected by many to repeat the good form of 2017, but manager Brian Dorrian insists this coming season is more about transition having lost a number of members from last year’s squad due to them now being overage.
Martin Walsh has moved on to Athlone Town, Mark Hannon to Finn Harps and Paul Doyle has signed for UCD.
While last year’s player of the year Shay Doherty was also released due to his age.
Senior boss Ger Lyttle called recently for the league to assist clubs by raising the age limit of the 19 league to early 20s in order for clubs to further develop players past their teens without having to offer them senior contracts.
““I would even go as far as an under 22 league,” Dorrian adds.
“The jump from the under 19s to the first team is physically and mentally hard. The game is tougher and quicker at senior level and it can take younger players quite a while to adjust.
“I feel and I know other under 19 managers feel that there’s too much of a drop off from 19s when they don’t make it through to the first team. We’re losing too many players to junior football and they tend to get a bit lost once they leave a League of Ireland team.
“The biggest problem is that you work with these lads for three to four years and then they’re just gone.
“We feel going forward, that if there was an under-22 league say, it would be beneficial if you could use three or four players from the first team. Maybe a player who’s coming back from injury or who’s suspended from the first team could play.
“Shay (Doherty) was our player of the year last year and because it didn’t work out for him in the first team, we’ve lost him.
SLIGO/LEITRIM YOUTH FIXTURES
“He was a late developer and we’ve lost him just when he’s looked like progressing.”
The 19s will benefit this year from the involvement of four players who have signed senior deals. Namely Jack Keaney, Ed McGinty, John Mahon and Liam Kerrigan who have each been involved with the Rovers first team. While winter recruit Lewis Morrison, who has played first team football with SPL side Kilmarnock, is also registered for the 19s.
Brian says these players can be a shining example to the younger ones: “They’re good players to have and each have experience of playing first team football.
“Those lads that were here last year were our stand-out players so they’ll give the other players a lift.
“Those boys also show the current underage lads that there’s an incentive to do well because there’s a first team contract waiting for them if they do.”
Whilst last season saw the 19s finish just four points off eventual winners Bohs, Dorrian says 2018 is all about settling new players into new systems.
“We have quite a few younger lads this year who’ve come up through the 17s so it’s about bedding them in”, he explains. “You might lose more than you win but maybe it’s more about development this year and maybe the 2019 season will be about having a pop at a title. It’s great to win trophies but it’s more about developing players at 15s and 17s and then preparing the 19s for first team involvement.”
The 19s have been preparing for the upcoming season with recent friendly games against the Sligo/Leitrim Oscar Traynor team and Ballina Town. While they finished runners-up to Athlone Town in the inaugural Jackie Quinn Memorial Cup having beaten Galway United in the semi-final.
Rovers 19s take on Pat’s at the Sean Fallon Centre this Sunday at 2pm, while Danny O’Leary’s 17s face the same opposition in Dublin with the same kick-off time.
While Conor O’Grady’s under 15s begin their season on March 25th with a home game against Longford Town.
Sligo Rovers U19s: Luke McNicholas, Ed McGinty, Scott Lynch, Conor Burke, Liam Whyte, Oisin O’Reilly, John Mahon, Ryan Smith, Liam Kerrigan, Jack Keaney, Dan Beya, James McGrath, Niall Morahan, Mark Byrne, Darren Collins, David McCracken, Louis Garvin, Lewis Morrison, Lerlah Hay, Odhran McGuinness, Gearoid Mulligan, Jerry Idahor.
Sligo Rovers U17s: Tommy Scahill, James Robinson, Fiachra Staunton, Gearoid Mulligan, Bryan Lynch, Liam Walsh, Jason Devaney, Adam Lynch, Aaron Perry, Danny Loftus, Rossa McAllister, Jack O’Connor, Ciaran Jennings, Luke O’Reilly, Tyler Stallard, Cillian Heaney, Callum Lavelle, Seamas Keogh.
Sligo Rovers U15s: Steffen Hester, Kayle Wajszczuk, Dylan Walsh, Peter Maguire, Ultan O’Grady, Kenny Ogun, Ben Kelly, Kailin Barlow, Oran Gourke, Darragh Reilly, Sean Heaney, Luke Moran, Josh Mulrennan, Jack McGovern, Oisin Tighe, Sean McAteer, Johnny Kenny, Aidan McHale, Michael Lavin, Liam Lee.