 So join me Kevin fury on Saturdays from three and Sundays from to right here on Highland video Kevin fury Sport on Highland is brought to you by Michael Murphy sports and leisure beat your personal best with new trainers from Asics Brooks and new balance or gear up for the gym with active wear from Under Armour and Adidas Welcome back to the sports desk. Well, I'm delighted to say I'm joined now in the studio by now lions and Peter Hampton of the Donegal Dairy Vipers boys. Welcome to Highland radio. Thanks for having us And I suppose we'll start with you then you're involved in many ways in the club Including managing the youth team and playing for the senior kidded team. Tell us a bit about that I am along with the Vipers now since their inception and a couple of years ago We made the decision that we were going to have to bring in some fresh blood We're all getting the wee bit out on the tooth. So we started up our youth team Three years is going now and the first year we kind of get scubbered by covid and we've had two fall seasons the past Well, and we're just going from strength to strength And as regards the senior team, we're going about eight years now and I've been playing every year Certainly, maybe get a wee bit tired it might move on to the coaching as we go on But we're we're at recruiting looking for new blood now If you're interested they give us a shout in the socials and get involved Yeah, and you're of course you're looking to get some younger players involved in that youth team What would you tell the young play the young people listening about the sport and the club itself? Oh, it's a it's a great club to get involved in the you make lifelong friends when you get involved for the youth team We recruit from 15 to 18 and as long as you're 18 on one day of So let's say you were to play this season Let's say you turned, you know as long as you're 18 on the first any day in 2023 you can play even though if you turn 19, so We're um, we normally start training for that around about June time and then we play our matches around August and September We've got a couple boys from Donegal playing on the team Josh and Malins from Bunkrana and Noa Deere as well And they just started there last year and they've been playing fantastically well This year we might start a wee bit earlier because I heard it through the grapevine that the league are starting up there under 19s Ireland team the international team is starting back up again So we're sending 13-hour players down to the down to the tryouts and it's a fantastic opportunity for anybody out there that We want to get involved. It's a as you know, it's about a niche sport. So you don't get too often a chance to be able to compete All Ireland, you know for one and then at least get a chance They won't play for your international team as well a clear path there Yeah, you touched on it there the Irish national youth team, of course And that's an opportunity to to play for their field not just even within your country. There's there's international opportunity That's that's me a really interesting for anyone There's I know those youth competitions and stuff held in Europe and things like that Our first game they try and get our feet in the ground. I think we're talking about playing an American high school team when the College games are on down in Dublin American teams come over and play and they're hoping to get our under 19s up in London So that and get a and get a game So it's it's it's not too far in front of you know, and we get you up to speed no baller If it's on your ancestor and please get in contact with us, we would love to have you Yeah, and of course There's a chance of if you're involved in any youth setup the chance to move up into the senior ranks Have you many come up? We have well our youth teams are we but Where we would have been on a wee bit on the younger side when we started out so only one of them graduated into the senior team Now he's turned 18 But next year will have a couple more and the fact that you get your experience at youth And you know when you go up to senior then you're miles ahead of the boys that are starting beside you And it's a fantastic base to start from and it's full contact It's a smaller game We only play 8v8 in youth once you got the senior turns into 11 v 11 But when we go and player under national matches, it'll be 11 v 11 So you'll get experience in both disciplines of the ball. So it's a it's a great opportunity Yeah, and the senior kid a team is supposed they're getting their camp on campaign underway shortly as well Tell us a bit about the senior kid a team and what involves It's we're starting now our senior our senior season starts now at the start of March And that'll take us through to June and if you play well enough and you do well enough in your league Then your playoffs start down around around about July and August a chance to go on to the ball Now our senior team at the monitor split They're not planning on the top division they're planning on the on the second division There's a division blows again. So we're vying for promotion this year but we're we're We've got a good set of veterans that's played for a few years and we've got a good few rookies this year We're just looking to add their ranks to take us to the next level. Do you know what I mean? You need a good a good few men out with this sport. You need 11 v 11 So there's always a position. There's always a place where everybody paid You don't have to be Unbelievably fat or on the best ship in your life It's the way that the sport has played that there's a spot for everybody And if you're worried about coming down your leadership, don't worry. We'll soon get you ready and find a spot for you And I suppose then Peter last season the vipers flag team They finished second in the Northern Ireland and Fourth of we're all in the all Ireland last year in the Premier Division and what was your second season You must be delighted with how that went. I'm definitely delighted we started in 2020 and had a bit of a hit with COVID obviously and We were thinking it would take a few years of development because a lot of the guys who only played kidded There is obviously a different set of rules different dynamic for flag football But in our first year playing 2021 we were promoted to the Premier Division, which is our top league in Ireland and Then this last season there we say came second Which was brilliant and that got us into the playoffs to play for the finals. Unfortunately came fourth It's a good experience, of course though. And you mentioned there. It's different to kidded What what is entailed in the flag game and how does it differ to do that? So flag football is a 5v5 sport on the field and to give you an example, it'd be like tag rugby you're to play in school so you've got two flags and your hips and Same thing ball thrown forward and you're on trying to score touchdown But if you get the flag pulled at you stopped so it's a smaller field But a faster game and it works on the skills of the wide receivers the quarterbacks and the defensive players And it's something that for play people who maybe want to come into Merton football without taking the hits and the tackles to start off with Give them into that game or if they just want to look good on a Monday morning back to work You won't have the bruises and all that there so I suppose that's handy for some people Of course the flag game also have an international team which some Viper members are involved in As well as they're creating a ladies team as well. That's correct. So they're starting building up to currently international team for Limerick at the end of the year they're hosting the European flag championships and They're also building now a women's team and we've got one female player down Who's been in tryouts so Yeah, very good, and of course it's a becoming a fastly popular game What benefits does playing flag football have then of course we touched on the no contact, but Is there more benefits on that? It's a great social one as I say like not gonna obviously take the hits So you're able to go out have a bit of fun and you don't need to buy your helmets your kit your pads It's a much more lightweight sort of scheme, but you're able to still play American football and assassins And then if you want to then progress on it is a good stepping stone if you want to move into the kidded environment and I suppose would you be involved in the kid it set up to know I've so I started playing flag back in University open Colrain Seven years ago, and then a couple years ago moved into here Just with everything else I've been doing flags been the better set up for me. So yeah, I've enjoyed it Go to work happy now fun Monday. Yeah, of course the Super Bowl takes place tomorrow I'm sure there'll be a lot of Irish eyes on that and of course the vipers are hosting the party for the Super Bowl tomorrow Tell us a bit about that Hi, we're we're on the Silver Street in there. I've been there a few years. I've been very good to us And if anyone I want to call it on Sunday, we're meeting for around 930 or 10 o'clock and we'll get the game on and it's always a great great night's crack. We have a few games and you know Few prizes raffles. We better be better fun. We all sit down. We all like-minded people and what's the big game as they called Of course that game kicks off at half 11 tomorrow. Is it half 11 our time yet? Yeah, and then yeah As mentioned, of course, this was both final. It's Kansas City chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles How do you see that one fine fair night? Well, as long as the chiefs don't want. I'm happy I support the raiders and they're my divisions was long as they don't want. I'm happy. No, right. Yeah Yeah, and what team do you follow? No, I'm Kansas. Oh, you are Kansas City. So you're happy enough then You've even you've even happier and maybe come tomorrow night at some point And finally one question for you both then what are the goals and plans for yourselves and the club going forward for now this next year? For the club as always the game promotion. We'd like to get up on to the SPC the shamrock ball conference We try our hardest every year. I think we've got a good chance this year We've got a good a good crop of players We can keep them all yellow and keep everybody healthy and if anybody else wants to come out Don't worry. It's the season as I says runs on the June. There's plenty of time to get stuck on For myself, I'd just like to get another season and maybe it's stay healthy I'm gonna get another one at the other side and for the youth. We're hoping they We we went out we went out last year and we had some personal goals We won the one or first match and get scores here and scores there And we managed to if I fall them also our next target is they as they won the thing if we can and hopefully get some Of our players on to the Ireland youth team and I just want to say about the youth and the flag that it's both It's both male and female So if there's any ladies out there that want to get involved and are in the contact or the flag city Getting contact with us. Definitely. There's there's girls playing on the flag team And there's a girl interested in coming they play with The youth team this year as well. So there'll be plenty plenty for you to get stuck on there Yeah, and yourself Peter for the flag is for say we're in the premier at the moment. So obviously retaining that status and hopefully going back to the playoffs and Just bumping ourselves up the rank of it. Yeah, and building a bigger recruitment base So and then a personal goals for yourself personal goals So in the quarterback and maybe might move out a bit of wide receiving a bit more spread me field to be But just enjoy the sport really Yeah, fun. I suppose best looked for the Kansas City Chiefs Thanks. Thanks boys for joining us on on the Highland radio Saturday sport