Sloyan’s U20 troops are ready
SLIGO U20 manager Dessie Sloyan said his side are very much looking forward to this Saturday’s Connacht championship semi-final with Roscommon.
The Yeats men have home advantage for Saturday’s match, with a throw-in time of 2pm.
The Easkey man said he is happy enough with how preparation is going.
“Things are shaping up nicely, the lads are fit and ready to go.
“Everyone is just really looking forward to this stage.”
In terms of injuries, Sloyan said apparent from some minor niggles, there are no major concerns.
He knows Roscommon are a strong side and have good calibre in their midst.
“I’m not too familiar with them but in saying that, this group of players reached the All-Ireland final at minor level so they are a decent outfit.
“I suppose with the short time-frame for games, our focus has been on our own game really,” he added.
Having former AFL player Red Óg Murphy back this year is an added boost too said last year’s Easkey boss.
“It’s great to have Red Óg, he’s a huge boost to us.”
The U20s played Longford and Fermanagh in January in the Philly McGuinness Development League and Sloyan said those games were also good preparation looking ahead to this weekend.
“We had 2 games in that league although we missed out on the Leitrim game because of a frozen pitch.
“But there was a good number of players getting game time so overall I’m happy enough with our preparation, having games is the way you improve.”
The Easkey man was at the helm when his own club reached the All-Ireland club junior final last year and since taking over the county’s U20s since, said it’s been a very enjoyable experience.
“I am really enjoying it. They are a great bunch of lads and very serious about putting the work in which makes my life easy.
“One aspect that’s slightly difficult is having lads away in college or doing the Leaving Cert and having exams before or after Christmas and they are in different areas around the country.
“But in fairness the lads are putting in huge commitment, home at the weekends for training and all of that. I must say it has been very enjoyable,” Sloyan added.
Looking to Saturday’s opponents,
Roscommon manager U20 football manager Liam Tully said he is very wary of Saturday’s trip to Markievicz Park to face Sligo in the last four of the provincial championship.
Roscommon have a decent team on paper, littered with players that have plied their trade at a high level on the club and schools’ circuits. Throw in the expectation that stems from Roscommon reaching the All-Ireland U17 final three years ago, and it’s not hard to see why this particular team’s progress will be monitored with more than a passing interest.
But Tully bats away such talk quickly, believing that his players will have a serious afternoon’s work completed if they manage to overcome Dessie Sloyan’s highly regarded outfit.
“We try to set our standards within the group. We have players that have played at a high standard but that goes out the window against Sligo on Saturday. We’re playing a very good and well-developed Sligo team.
“Sligo’s results against Roscommon at underage level over the past few years speak for themselves. We can’t be thinking about how good we can be. We have to go out and deliver on Saturday,” he explained. The capabilities of players like Colin Walsh, John Martin, Paul McGrath, Ruadhri Fallon, Ciarán Lawless, Darragh Walsh, Paul Carey, Ciarán Sugrue, Peter Gillooly and Adam McDermott are wellknown at this level. Shane Cunnane is coming back from injury, but Tim Lambe and Enda Crawley are definitely out of Saturday’s game.
Given that the preparations have been interrupted by club and schools’ competitions, Tully admits that it’s a journey into the unknown this weekend.
“Even from three years ago, around half those players are involved now. Players come and go. It’s how we develop these players after U17 level because it’s all about development. You can’t just stick to the one group of players and hope to make inroads,” he explained.