 here in Highland now we're going to talk Ulster Under 20 Football Championship and I'm delighted to say I've got men from two of the counties that are participating in this coming Friday's semi-final from the Donegal Point of View. Frank Craig of the Donegal News joins us and getting the thoughts out of the Farney County of Monaghan, John McAfrey from Northern Sound FM. Gentlemen, you're welcome to the airwaves of Highland once again. Thanks very much. Thank you very much for sharing. Well, Sean, you're the visitor so I think we'll let you go first. Is it a great win over Derry in the only game that you've played in the competition so far? What's the feeling now getting into this one, Sean? Yeah, well obviously there'd be a bounce coming up the back of that particularly the fact that they had to travel up to Celtic Park to get that win as well and it's a very unusual, unique, great of football and competition this one because it's the only game that they had obviously with all the lockdown, all that was going on, even speaking to the manager Andy Callan afterwards he acknowledged. I think they had three challenge games owned to the dates that was made available to them whenever they did return back to training so it was fairly evident particularly for the first maybe half of that game that there was a ring rustiness to the team, to both teams and it kind of then opened up and developed into a better game particularly during the course of the second half. There was less errors, less handling errors and passing errors and stuff like that so there's a bounce definitely. Any day you go out particularly a knockout championship football, particularly at this great of football because you don't know what to expect, there's little or no form to go on so that they'd be confident naturally enough. You reach an Ulster semi-final in any great of football or competition yet you have to be confident going into it and as I say the big thing was going to Celtic Park, getting the win against that Derry team and preparing now obviously to take on Donny Gull then this weekend. And I suppose Frank will bring you in, that's what makes this championship so exciting. There's a certain unknown quantity about the whole thing given that there's been no league format and all you're relying on is rumours of challenge games. Yeah without a doubt Osh and I think you know in most competitions and in most grades particularly in Ulster you know you'd read been drawn in a preliminary round but I would say you know secretly Donny Gull were probably delighted at that time because they probably knew Armagh weren't you know maybe at the level of the likes of obviously Amanahan and Derry or whatever so they got that there maybe trial run against what was a poor Armagh that night in Balboff I think 117 to not night is not night is funny so I mean going into the Tauron game at least they had that there extra mileage onto the belt and I think it made all the difference that night in Oma because obviously Donny Gull looked by far the better team for large players but Tauron you know in the last quarter came Storm and back and do it two points in a rears going into injury time. A brilliant save by Dahir Roberts his second on the night you know kept her under 20 aspirations alive Osh and so you know Donny Gull mixed the very good with the very bad you know over the two games and just in the very bad maybe it's a wee bit hyper critical on under 20s but that last quarter against Tauron where they coughed up 1-1 allowed a team that was beat back into it that's probably been the main concern for Gary this week but listen again anytime you score a victory over Tauron whether it's senior under 20 by any means as long as you get over the line by a point as long as that one is secured that's what he'd be most happy about so listen I think Monahan obviously are a step up again simply because I mean we've watched them at under 18 or minor grade over the last three or four years they've been particularly strong I think they've won it in 2019-2020 maybe Sean you'll correct me but I think Donny Gull might have taken on Monahan in 2018 and Balba Faye had been leading by three or four points in the second half Monahan kept storming back into it and turned the tide that day so there's familiarity as well it's a really exciting game on paper and of course Brewster Park with that added capacity it's all very exciting ahead tomorrow night. Do you feel Sean then that Donny Gull will have the edge going under this one given the fact that they have an extra game under their belt and they had a moment against Tauron last time outward could have slipped away from them all together and they let them back in but their moments that you would reflect on if you were to be successful in your province that were I suppose turning the tides in the championship? Oh yeah big time and funny I acknowledged that I said yeah the the preliminary round I was interested in Frank noted that nobody ever wants to be in the preliminary round but this year it was nearly an advantage obviously if you want it because it's two competitive games no matter what your opposition was all the challenge games in the world still won't prepare you for a championship encounter no matter what the opposition may be like on the other side there's still more of a competitive edge to it so as you noted that one over that got the rustiness I would have imagined out of the team then the Tauron and that as you noted there that the one one maybe conceded towards the end that made it more difficult and counter than what it should have been but that come off the back of having already been out there and getting that game under your belt and preparing for it and you're right Frank yeah in Bally buffet that day when Donny Gull looked all but certain to be making their way through the minor championship and it was Monah and then that stole their thunder and they went on to win it in 2018-2019 with the minor teams they contested the 2020 final back a number of weeks ago against Darian just lost out on that one as well so the one thing about this Monah and team and these minors coming through 2013 obviously they make the breakthrough with the minors they went on to win then the under 21 or the under 20 it was under 21 championship I think after that in 2015 and now they've done it again they've progressed our minors again into what will be a competitive team and there is a lot of people thinking this is the team that will go all the way in Ulster again obviously Donny Gull are standing in the way and want to be the ones that stop them but they're they're carrying that success true sometimes you'll see that a team could be good at minor and it doesn't always transfer up to the next grade but Monah have had the tendency with their minor teams with their development to be able to do that which is our missing three big players who you saw Sean Mulligan, Gallar and Jones they were key and everything that Monah had done up through the age groups from Boncran a cup right up in to the minor championship they are three not to say big names more like massive names that are missing because there are three of the top four players probably that Monah and I have and you can add on Jason everyone there who will be playing they're probably the top four I think it's fair to say at this age group and you're missing three of them you are indeed yeah well I suppose you're giving up Aaron Mulligan to be part of your senior team he's already featured against from Anna and shot the lights out on that day he'd be obviously coming up against Armad this weekend as well Sean Jones was an injury concern it was a calf injury and if memory serves me well I think it was against Stony Gull that day that he pulled up with that calf injury so there is talk that he may make a bench on Friday night because he didn't feature with the senior team last week make the bench if he's required maybe he could be pulled in if not then he can go and be available for the seniors and the following day and Carl Gallagher then as well and again I think it was a an injury concern possibly there but he has been around the fringes end of the senior panel also too but but that's good for Monah and yes obviously you don't want them to be taken and missing away from your under 20 team but it's great to see that them lads have progressed then into your senior team also and you know that they're Jason Erwin and he was one of the one of the big threats that that came to Derry the last weekend but I'm looking as well then and I was just whenever you you see the team again and move them on from that that last time on 2018 don't look a swimborn in there Michael meetings in there Shane Slevin who's also a dual player he played on the under 20s last Friday he leaned out from Monah and in the Laurie Maher against Longford on the Saturday and I didn't visit he's going to do the same again this weekend he'll be with the under 20s on Friday and Monah and Hurlers are out on Saturday in a Laurie Maher quarterfinal and I can visit again that he'll be out doing that dual play over the course of the weekend as well so yes Monah and maybe missing tree of the four but they still have a very strong team there on paper when you look at it particularly backbound by that minor success of 2018. What about the strength of Donagall Frank how do you see this Donagall team you watch them in both matches so you have and you've seen the good and the bad combined but who's been standing out from you from it from a Donagall point of view? I think the collective Austin has been the thing that's impressed me most they're an incredibly fit team they're working really hard and Gary Duffley along with obviously Eamon McGee and Leo McClune have a very defined system as where they're moving I mean they're defending in numbers they're attacking in numbers other years you would probably pick out standout exceptional players on the likes of a Michael Murphy or Paramount Bretty or Ryan McHugh over the years but what I like about this here side is that there seems to be a real collective and unison in their effort and listen they're definitely as we call they I mean Sheena Donnell is a chip off the older block of brother Nile plays in that same position at number 11 drops deep you know works the ball through the hands get scores the two boys up front part McGee again Johnny McGrady are probably chief score getters Jamie Grant from the tournament club who I think is an exceptional player with a very big future ahead of him he does hands full in the first quarter of the last night against Orrin Robinson from Tyrone who is probably as big and under 20 or under 21 of I've seen are developed under 20 and a long long time he was something massive got Blackyard it Jamie came more into the game and that was a crucial period too and Tyrone went down to 14 men for the Blackyard obviously Dahi Roberts I gave man the match to last week against Tyrone simply because the Tyrone pack I thought were much more physical and much further down the track in terms of s and c but it was Dahi Roberts it was able to pick those small pockets in behind midfield maybe in between the half forward and half back lines it just allowed Donegal players to run on to ball chest height and it's a huge thing when the margins are so tight and Ulster football in the game and not making any difference between senior or under 20 is a serious level and when you have that in your go keep and locker the Guido man it's a huge plus for Donegal so those couple of players obviously own down hit one two as well has an eye for goal very good very impressed to have Jack Gawler Sticky in the corner Kieran McColgan Sticky it's it's a nice balance but I think it's the strategy and the setup that that stacked Donegal management team are bringing to the equation that's making a big difference as well Frank I know we said it earlier that it's a bit of an unknown quantity getting under championship but what sort of game are you expecting off the back of what you've seen and heard of what Monaghan can present to the table are they going to have another sort of physical like what what Tauron brought to the table well Monaghan 2-9 the last day against there I know it's only one game and we're talking about a side that you know have minor championships under their belts that's 11 scores I suppose I look at Donegal's 1-17 against a poor arm outside you know that's 18 scores Donegal kicked 1-12 against a good Tauron side I don't think I mean the hand breaks off across the board we've seen that there on Sunday in the senior game Donegal and Derry's sides are opening up and they are playing that bit more I hope it is open and as end to end as the Donegal Tauron game was because it was absorbent really really enjoyable again people might look at a scoreline 1-12 to 1-9 and maybe label it you know or put it in a certain pigeonhole in a certain box but it was fascinating stuff and it was exciting it was end to end as I says Donegal seemed to defend numbers seemed to break in numbers and their kick out strategy you know they put a full press on they aren't scared to press up on the opposition team so it's going to be very interesting to see the Monaghan stopper Ryan Farley you know I don't know too much about him I'm just wondering obviously maybe working along with Rory Begg and its senior level I'm sure if he's an understudy there he's bound to have you know pretty go keeping it this minute it's off the charts the level and the ability that we're seeing from from kick outs on that again that goes from under 20 up to senior the practice that must be going in so those wee small margins as you say an unknown knockout competition the two goalkeepers are going to have as big a say in this game as anyone it's going to be very interesting to see and maybe Sean will know our enlighten us a bit more whether there was a full on press from the Monaghan side on the dairy kick in the last night because there was from Donegal it was brave it was bold it was ballsy but you know it paid off them because as I said under the breaking ball they were ravenous and they just gobbled that there up well was that the case Sean yeah no well it's interesting just you know what Frank said there no Monaghan the majority kick outs come out around the middle of the field and interestingly enough dairy probably would have claimed a lot of those Monaghan were happy to step back nearly invite dairy in and then hit them on the counter and you know there but Ryan Farley the keeper carbon copy of Rory Begg and as you said he's just taken to the opposition 45 does he yeah yeah the two or three times he was up the field and there's some commentary due to the next thing I could just see this this this sweep of blue gun by many was going there goes Ryan again and he goes up he takes the 45 so he didn't much success 45 but there was a stiff breeze blowing against them and and he was kicking them that they were hanging in the air more than driving through them like what Rory would do but ah he's definitely did the hue of the sweeper keeper coming out it's interesting you know there I think Shane O'Donnie said is the center half forward the two center or the two left back of the half backs for Monon Dara McIllarney and Brent Nogue Duffy and envisage Ogie will be the one that'll be picking up Shane O'Donnie because that's the role that he's always given and they are just set on one thing going the opposite way up the field the amount of play that Monon would have taken up those channels left and right rather than walking it through the middle was very telling like and Brent Nogue Duffy and Dara McIllarney it would be no one for that play both at club level and when Brent was with the miners indeed Dara was with the miners as well that they were renowned for that they're similar to your Carl O'Connell, Ryan McInessy type player probably a little bit stronger but carry enough a lot of pace up those wings so I can envisage that's where Monon maybe will try to negate what they know and again just listening to Frank and doing the wee bit of research it's a big physical strong Donnie Galton. Frank the last time a Donnie Galton played Monon we conceded four goals I'm not expecting that sort of situation now we come Friday night again I don't think so no well I hope not in a way it's it's as we said the National Fouple League Fouple Hazard is an interesting champion of Mark McInessy for the preview ahead of Donnie Galton to her own he's just said people talking about you know transition and changing Fouple he says it's been lightning fast over the last year or two so sides are still kind of there's a bit of an identity crisis out there with some teams but I think at under 20 level prickly was so much at stake in a knockout competition lads moving on and coming out of grades I think there's a wee bit more caution that you know the back door isn't open completely allowing sides to run through like that there is sort of that old maybe you know defined defensive maybe counter-attack and system that that's what I seen from Donnie Galton the last day but and maybe it's a caveat but it's a small one and it was the fact that Shane Adon and Lexie departed the Donnie Gal game later on against her own when it was still in the melting pot and so there's a little surprise call by Gary Duffey for you it wasn't a tactical call the young Adon was obviously feeling something kind of battered away questions afterwards and it wasn't asked the third time so on Gary's zoom this week he said he's got a clean bill of health but I mean we all know that means absolutely nothing so come closer to the game we'll be interested I personally I think because he's got that there you know he's got you know 15-21 players he trusts I think maybe now or sorry Shane had run himself under the ground I think it was a matter of you know taking him off and putting another lad on there because as we've seen with Derry the last day the seniors didn't have a bench wilted in the last 10 minutes football now you need seven and 18-19-20 men to see you over which will be 60 minutes in the under 20 game on Friday night you need those options oh she's coming off the bench are the last 10 minutes players drain yeah okay we're coming to the close to the end here Sean no identity crisis around Monaghan is there no no no and this is interesting there you talked about the four goals obviously at senior level Monaghan they got two goals and they could have had another two or three on top of that Jason Erwin in particular is one of those players he just excites the minute he gets the ball you're you're you're rising out of your seat to see what's he going to do here or what what's opening up for him and he was similar to a minor that we have at the moment Michael Hamill there's very few players that do that to you that the minute to get on the ball anywhere on the field you're rising wondering what's he going to do here and Jason says that admitted afterwards he he did maybe butcher one or two or miss on one or two opportunities so I there'll be goals and it could come down to a goal being the difference between the sides on the night finally are we expecting a really really tight game Sean oh I think so yeah and listening just to Frank there again and just getting the feel of what this Doney Gold team's going to bring they're going to probably be similar in their setup and how the work can operate the physicality maybe I think that by the sense of Doney Gold could be just a bigger more physical team maybe than what Monaghan is now Monaghan have big lads in there and Joelle Wilson and Gavin McPhillips in the middle of the field as I know that Darren McIllarney and Brent no Duffy then or just that pace that they bring into the game Ryan Farley is so commanding in his area as well as a goalkeeper so and I know you'd know that the goalkeeper Doney Gold being similar also as well it's going to be fascinating it'll come down to a score between them and I just hope it comes at like a Paddy McBreary maybe done at the weekend there that it's a winning score coming off the boot rather than coming off on the stage yeah I'll just Frank back to you I think it's fair to say whoever comes out of this we're going to have a favorites tag out there for the final yeah without a doubt I think they'll carry a huge momentum and do it but no different in show on it I think it's a 50-50 game I don't know if we can call it recent history with that minor game that we alluded to in 2018 all these wee things you know they're small nuggets and small things that I think underage players carry with them all that Doney Ball panel I remember that there from that their year but a disappointment because I think it was double disappointment that day Austin Doney Gold might have been beat by Tarone as well in the senior game so those some variables are very very interesting but you're right I think whoever wins this game will be favours to go on and won the competition but at the same time let's just get over the line on Friday night and worry about that after yeah before we finish up Sean I'm going to go back to you because it's just dropped into my mind about down this current under 20 down team there was talk last week that this is a seriously um very very good football team and they'll give any of the northwest counties a real real Rattland including Monaghan as well and some are quietly suggesting that they're in the background and they're moving their way through the rounds now they do take on for mana but this down team could be the surprise of the championship oh without a shadow of a doubt with center rest and our co-commentator that would work on all things Calvin Damian Donna who is the manager of the Calvin under 20 team and I know the work and preparation they put into that game and obviously they were well beaten and I was talking to Damian afterwards he could not get over the pace and power of the down team he says I had my homework done he says but even at that he couldn't get over when he's seen them all the video analysis and everything done he couldn't get over what they brought to the field and an interesting thing I supposed to highlight Donny Gall still in the championship Monaghan still in the championship so you're kind of dividing loyalties between what players available for senior and for your under 20 down or out of senior so all players is available that can be available at under 20 and I get the feeling that Don want to have something to show for work and effort and they're putting all their eggs in a basket for this under 20 championship and I think it could be the team they're the one that everybody will be watching obviously our interest is on Friday night in Brewster but down I think confidently and quietly confident could be thinking this is their year okay well the interesting thing there Oshin is actually you know a Fermanah with Mark McHugh involved or in opposition so even if Fermanah don't come through there and hopefully Mark and the boys do it but a very heavy favours down you know there could be some interesting telephone calls made between the likes of Eamon McGee Leo McLoone and Mark McHugh towards Bavan you know to get some information but as we said purely from a Donny Gall perspective hopefully Mark and Fermanah get over the line there okay we look forward to the weekend's action. Sean McCaffrey of Northern Sound FM and Frank Craig of the Donny Gall News. Many thanks for joining us on our preview of the Ulster Under 20 semi-final. Thank you Oshin. Cheers Oshin.