Four Masters minors begin defence of their Ulster crown this Sunday

Four Masters minors under joint managers Greg Doherty and Odie McBride will be making a familiar journey on Sunday morning as they head to Belfast to begin the defence of their Ulster Minor title where they will meet Scotstown of Monaghan at Shaw's Road (1 pm).

The Donegal Town side were beaten in the final of the competition hosted by the St Paul's club in 2022 by Dungiven but went a step further last year, defeating Cavan Gaels in the final to take home the cup.

The age group was changed at the end of last year and is now back up to U-18 once more and because of that the same Four Masters panel are back on the road and would be regarded among the favourites to do the double.

It has been a very busy time for many of the Four Masters panel as on Sunday last a good number of them were on the U-21 team that won the Donegal county title with a narrow win over Glenswilly while a good number are also involved with Abbey Vocational School who are through to the knock-out stages of the MacRory Cup.

For joint manager, Odie McBride, the question of the team being under pressure to retain their title is valid but he doesn't dwell on that.

"You could look at it that way if you sat and thought too much about it. It's a new competition and new year and there are new teams in it, four different teams from last year.

"We start with Scotstown and they are new to us. We haven't played them ever before but we know they are steeped in tradition and Gaelic football. We will be taking that into account."

The Donegal Town boys don't have much to  go on as regards the threat of the Monaghan champions as the videos that were exchanged were of very different quality. "We got a video of their county final and it was rubbish," said McBride.

"They will have our names and boys to look out for. Every day our boys go out to play it's a different day.

"It is well versed that their joint captains 11 and 14 are their big players. McElwaine, their full-forward is an explosive player and they have a good ball carrier at centre half-back. They are just strong and solid.

"We don't know an awful lot about them because we have never met, but that is the beauty of the St Paul's Tournament, the teams you are coming up against. You hear the club names and every year there is a new generation coming through."

It may be the third year in-a-row for Four Masters to be involved but that doesn't take away that it is a difficult journey due to the geography involved.

"Apart from the journey, it is a bit of a journey, but they are looking forward to it. We haven't talked much about it because of the involvement with the U-21s and the MacRory Cup. 

"It's back to business this week. We have the funeral of Terence McGovern's mother on Wednesday and we'll go back training on Thursday and Friday."

Not for the first time the squad members are dealing with the bereavement of a parent, something that has brought them even closer.

"We've had the bereavement of fathers of the squad in the past few years (Cillian Sweeney and Cormac Carr) so it is something we have to deal with. Terence McGovern was on the U-21 panel as well but he wasn't at the semi-final or final because his mother was ill.

"It is just the week that's in it. The boys wanted to win the game on Sunday (U-21 final) for Terence because he couldn't go. It'll be the same this week."

The management team got good news this week that the game is being played on the grass at the St Paul's club as opposed to the 4G pitch at Colaiste Feirste, which is also used for the competition.

"We are  going back to the grass on Shaw's Road, which we are happy about.  I notice at the other venue on the 4G at Colaiste Feirste there have been a lot of goals scored, so we are happy to be playing on the grass on Sunday.

"We'll be on the coach early on Sunday morning about half eight and we'll stop in the usual place on the way up and then at Applegreen and get there an hour and a half before the game, have a walk round the pitch and then get changed and warm up."

With everybody reporting fit and well this week, McBride says coaching the team is so easy because they are so adaptable.

"As long as they work hard and put their best foot forward they are in with a good chance."

There will be some pride in defending the title last year and even though they have only met once since the county final because of the other commitments, McBride says they have set their goals.

"Their wish was to get back and put their name on the trophy again but we have to just look at Sunday. We have to be  practical about it but if you were given a Christmas wish, that would be high on the list," said McBride.