'Nothing was won here today, we still have to beat Glenswilly' - Aaron McCrea

For Four Masters U-21 joint-manager Aaron McCrea, his side’s big 3-12 to 0-5 point win over Naomh Conaill has ended a long famine for the resurgent Donegal Town men. 

For the last time the club was in a U-21 county final was back in 2001. 

“That was when Karl Lacey, Paul Durcan, and Barry Dunnion were around, I think,” McCrea said following his side’s semi-final win in Ballyshannon. 

“It was something we said to the lads when we came in with them that it was just too long for a club like ours not to be contesting U-21 finals. 

“You can see the platform that winning U-21 county titles has given other teams over the years."

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Meanwhile, McCrea saluted the savage energy of this squad with the team stacked with players who have been familiar with county finals at underage in recent times.  

“These players bring huge energy, and it is a group that is well used to winning county finals already, which is a good help as well,” McCrea admitted. 

“It is a very young team and some of them have already won three county minor titles which is enormous for confidence levels.” 

McCrea added that while he and Patrick Reid are managing this team, he acknowledged that there has been so much work done already with this group of players that it makes the current management’s job all that much easier. 

“That is a solid base and people have done a lot of work over many years in the Academy which goes right back to three-to-five-year-olds,” he said. 

“That is the work that has been done, and we are reaping the benefits of it today. 

“This is our first year in management and John Kennedy is our coach and he would have worked with the senior team in the past and he is a great mentor.”  

McCrea also pointed to the large array of talent at his exposure which has worked wonders for them in this competition, and hopes that will carry on into the final. 

“This is an exceptionally talented group of players and we have younger players on the bench who are equally keen to make their mark,” the joint manager said. 

“It is brilliant to be in the final, but it means nothing if we don’t win it. 

“Nothing was won here today, and it is just another game, and we need to go out and do it against Glenswilly.”