Donegal chasing Ulster glory in U-17 championship

Donegal have a chance to win a first Ulster Minor Football Championship crown since 2016 when they face a free-scoring Tyrone in the final on Friday at Brewster Park in Enniskillen, throw-in 7:30pm.

Luke Barrett, the Donegal manager, was part of the backroom team under his father Shaun Paul five years ago and this year has seen his team hammer Antrim 4-22 to 0-8 in the preliminary round before edging past Monaghan 1-9 to 0-10 in the last eight and then squeeze past Armagh 1-6 to 0-5 in the semi-final.

Friday last, in atrocious conditions at Healy Park, saw Donegal battle back from a 0-4 to 0-1 deficit before half-time to edge ahead through Oisin Caulfield after Cianan Campbell was sent off, only for Armagh to level at 0-5 apiece with a free from Luke McKeever. 

However, with less than three minutes to play, Luke McGlynn got in to score the only goal of the contest and the Donegal captain added another point thereafter to seal the progression.

“The one thing we said in the dressing room last week was if last Friday night was to be our last in the Ulster championship we certainly weren’t going to go out playing the way we did in the first half,” Barrett added. 

“We didn’t perform to the level we were capable of and that was the most disappointing thing. We said at the break we were going to give it everything. We knew and had said it on the Monday night that this game was going to go 60 or 65 minutes. We had to be prepared to go down that route.”

Barrett has been complimentary towards the group for their never-say-die attitude.

“From the outset they are an exceptional bunch of young men who give absolutely everything to the cause of the Donegal jersey - every time they come out to training and every time they go to perform” Barrett said. “They have an unbreakable bond in that they are completely together in every single thing that they do.

"The team is the most important thing and the one thing that the team has shown in the last three games is that fighting spirit and character. When they are tested they never give, never drop their heads and keep going till the very end."

Tyrone, for their part in the now U-17 bracket, have been in glittering form with last Saturday’s 6-21 to 1-6 victory over Fermanagh following up a 3-16 to 0-9 defeat of Down. 

“Tyrone have been the benchmark in Ulster Minor Football,” Barrett said this week. “Maybe not in the last two or three years, but if you go back further than that, they are constantly competitive. They are always in semi-finals and finals, and knocking on the door.

“If you look at the level that Tyrone are playing at the last two games, to score 9-37 in two championship games is absolutely something else. Unreal shooting no matter who the opposition are. In my time I’ve never heard of something like it. 

“They’re very well organised and people might say that maybe Fermanagh or Down on the night were poor, but we've done a serious bit of studying on them and they’re phonomenal all over the pitch. A serious outfit. Maybe they would have liked to have been tested more but they beat what was put in front of them and they went about their business in an exceptionally ruthless and professional manner.

“It would be fantastic for us to win this championship but we know we have a serious job on our hands come Friday if that dream is to be a reality.”

Panel: Aaron Cullen, Aodh Ruadh Beal Átha Seanaigh; Anthony Curran, Baile na nGalloglach; Cathal McGeever, Cloich Cheann Fhaola; Cian McMenamin, An Tearmainn; Conor McGinty, Sean MacCumhaill; Conor Reid, Na Ceithre Maistrí; Cormac Gallagher, An Tearmainn; Cormac McColgan, Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin; Daniel Marley, Gleann Fhinne; Damien McGowan, An Clochán Liath; Donal Gallagher Gleann tSúilí; Eoghan Kelly, Aodh Ruadh Beal Átha Seanaigh; Ethan Friel, Cloich Cheann Fhaola; Ethan McNulty, Na Ceithre Maistrí; Gary Kelly, Gleann tSúilí; James Doherty, Red Hughs; Karl Magee, An Clochán Liath; Karl Molloy, Ard an Ratha; Kevin McCormick, Sean MacCumhaill; Kyle McNulty, Realt na Mara; Luke McGlynn, Gleann Fhinne; Michael Callaghan, Naomh Columba; Oisin Caulfield, Na Rossa; Oisin Harkin, An Tearmainn; Oisin McIntyre, Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin; Paddy McElwee, Na Dunaibh; Patrick McDaid, An Tearmainn; Paul Ryan, Baile na nGalloglach; Ryan Barrett, Realt na Mara; Sean Breen, Sean MacCumhaill; Sean Martin, Sean MacCumhaill; Shaun Ward, Gleann Fhinne