By Niall Gartland

DOUBLE All-Ireland winning minor manager Damian McErlain has taken on the role of Derry U-20 boss, but these things don’t necessarily follow in straight lines so time will tell
if there’s more big titles in the pipeline.

Derry bagged the 2023 and 2024 All-Ireland titles at minor level under his tutelage, so it would seem like the Magherafelt man is a natural fit to assume the U-20 reins.

But, he points out, the dynamics are a shade different at U-20 and it would be wrong to assume that the players on board are all former minor stars.

Speaking ahead of their group stage opener against Armagh next Wednesday evening at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, Damian said: “When an U-20 team comes together, it’s a new group – yes I know a lot of the players, but I wasn’t over the 2022 minor team and they’re in their final year at U-20 level, and there’s a number of boys who have been pulled in after showing well for their clubs.

“There’s lads who weren’t even in the system, who maybe weren’t developed enough physically at U-17 level.

“There’s a short window to get a good dynamic in the group, there’s plenty of managing – the lads aren’t at school anymore, they’re working or at university so it’s a different dynamic.”

Derry have been pitted in the group of four alongside Armagh, Cavan and Monaghan. First in the running order is Armagh, a side that McErlain considers a potential force in this year’s competition.

“All the teams will be tough. We’ve Armagh at home in the first round and I don’t think you could get a much tougher first round anywhere. We’ll find out where we’re at, that’s for certain.

“They seem to be going well by all accounts and apparently they haven’t been beaten in any of their friendlies, so they’re a strong team.”

The U-20 championships will be subject to the same rule changes that we’ve seen in the National Football League in the last couple of months. McErlain believes they make for a better spectacle but thinks that collectively they ask a lot of officials, particularly at club level.

“It’s more entertaining, there’s more scores, it’s a wee bit more open at the back, so from that point of view it’s been a success, but it needs to be able to be refereed properly as well.

“It’s asking a lot of referees, it’s okay at intercounty level as he gets so much help, but at club level he’s more or less relying on himself and he’s not going to see everything.

“We need to try and find a balance there.

“I suppose the game has been more like what we grew up with, it’s faster and there’s more midfield battles, so from that perspective it’s good, but from a coaching perspective we’re still getting used to it as well.”