By Niall Gartland

ULSTER GAA aficionados may have already clocked that there’s a major shake up of this year’s provincial championship. Essentially, there’s two group stages (one with four teams, the other with five), so there’s games galore and only one team will be extricated from the competition after the group stages have concluded (indeed, all four teams in section B, namely Armagh, Tyrone, Antrim and Cavan, will proceed to the seeded quarter-finals no matter what). So there’s games galore, and we’ve touched base with the minor managers across the province to gather their thoughts on the new format. An important step in the development of young players or a bit of a waste of energy? Let’s find out.

Gerard Donnelly

(Tyrone manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

GD: It has its pros and cons. Last year’s was fine as you still had another chance anyway. It’s been heavy with games since the end of February, it’s been hectic but managers from other provinces have said to me that we’ve been lucky to have a league. It’s competitive games and saves us sorting out the organisation and refs and as long as you don’t pick up many injuries it’ll help the lads, they can always say they played in an Ulster League and Ulster Championship for Tyrone.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

GD: I think it’s too young. Teams at this level have fourth years in their panel, their starting into their GCSEs, they’re just out of junior school, so it’s a bit too young.

You see the talk about player burnout, but if lads aren’t playing Gaelic, that’s when they go to soccer or rugby.

When a lad’s football is over, he’s going to soccer or rugby and we’re losing lads to other sports.

That’s my issue, if you play at u-18s, it keeps you there. But if u-17 is over, and they don’t have football until they’re adults, no lad is going to sit in the house and think ‘I might get burnout, I’m not going to do anything,” they get into another sport and that’s it, the Gaelic’s gone for them.

Tyrone players to watch out for:

Connor O’Neill, Conor Devlin, Ruairi McCullagh and Nathan Farry.

Damian McErlain

(Derry manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

DMcE: I think it’s great to be honest. There’s loads of games so it will test the depth of the panel, there’s bound to be injuries and so on. Maybe we’ll be exhausted afterwards, but it is about development and teams will develop in that period. From the first match in the Ulster League, teams got better and better and it’ll be no different in the championship.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

DMcE: I’d 100 per cent prefer u-18. No-one has yet to explain in a clear cohesive sense to me why it’s u-17. A year makes a big difference. Having said that, there’s still the same feel about it but I think u-18 was a better fit from a maturity level.

Derry players to watch out for:

Fionn McEldowney and Johnny McGuckian.

Luke Barrett

(Donegal manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

LB: It’s a brand new format. It’s the fourth year in a row there’s a different format. I think it’s a bit unfair that in the other group, it doesn’t matter how you do, you’re through anyway. Ultimately those four teams can experiment, whereas someone in our side will lose out. There’ll be three games in 10 days as well which will be tough.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

LB: When we came back from Covid and the players had matured that bit extra, they were essentially u-18 minors when they came back, the difference in physical maturity was astonishing to be honest. In terms of our schools structure, the u-17 system suits in terms of leaving cert, but with the lack of teams playing in the MacRory Cup in Donegal, it’s a bit of a double edged sword. From a physical point of view, u-18 makes more sense, but it’s the years after that are probably more important and that’s something we have to look at.

Donegal players to watch out for:

Shane Callaghan and Eoghan Scott.

Seanie Smyth

(Cavan manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

SS: I think it’s a great idea. We all want to go out and win championships, of course, but u-17 is all about developing players. Having the Jim McGuigan league as well as an extended championship is very welcome.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

SS: There’s a lot of logistics involved in this, particularly down south with the leaving cert and things like that, so I can see the benefits of u-17, but I think from a maturity point of view, the even numbers are a better format. I can see the rationale for both, it’s not an easy decision, but personally u-18s would be my preference.

Cavan players to watch out for:

Aaron Shekelton, Ben Tully and Ben O’Hara.

Niall McElroy

(Fermanagh coach)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

NMcE: It’ll help us build and develop, this type of format suits Fermanagh.

It’s possibly the first time in 20 years that a Fermanagh minor team will play at least four games in the championship. We’re trying to bring players through to u-20 and senior level, so the fact we’re getting at least four games is brilliant as the players will get exposure to top teams.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

NMcE: I think it probably needs to go back to u-18, you notice that year’s difference is huge.

For the players themselves, that extra bit of maturity would be helpful. It doesn’t seem like the change is going to occur in the short-term but hopefully in the future there’s a bit of pressure for things to go back to the way it was.

Fermanagh players to watch out for:

Oisin Swift, Mattie McDermott and Michael Burns.

Sean Cunningham

(Down coach)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

SC: I’m in favour of it. I think at this age, the most important thing for players is to get games. It guarantees you three or four games. If you can get through that league format you should go okay in the knock-out.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

SC: I think it’s going to be quite difficult this year as some counties are moving back to u-18 at club level and others aren’t. I think if it’s a uniform approach, it’d be better. Ultimately my preference would be u-18s, but I’m conscious it clashes with the MacRory Cup.

I think a bigger thing ultimately is that they should go back to playing before Ulster Senior Championship games. The lads work hard and deserve to be playing in front of big crowds.

Down players to watch out for:

Rian Magorrian and Patrick Woods.

Dermot Malone

(Monaghan manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

DM: It has its merits. Ultimately the more championship games these lads can play, the better it will be for their development in the long run.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

DM: I’m relatively new to all this, but the consensus among players, managers and supporters alike is that it should all be at u-18 level in the future.

Brendan Hughes

(Armagh  manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

BC: I like it, everybody’s guaranteed six or seven competitive games between the league and the championship. I think it’s very important at this age that players are exposed to competitive games.

Training games and everything else are fine but I think they want the honour of representing the county in big games.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

BC: Lads have been force-fed things a little too young and have picked up injuries and they’re pressurised. I think they have to be allowed to be children before they become men. The boys in the final year would possibly be on the minor squad anyway, but we’ve a number of players who are only fourth year in school, and it’s very young to be exposing them to this sort of pressure. They are only children, but because they’re good at their sport, they’re being exposed to a level of pressure that isn’t all that healthy, and from that point of view, I’d also prefer that anyone that young wouldn’t be involved in this level of competition.

Armagh players to watch out for:

Darragh McNulty, Aaron Haughey and Ross Marsden.

Lawrence Higgins

(Antrim  manager)

NG: What’s your take on the new group stage format?

LH: The more games for the kids the better. I think we’ll have at least 14 games between everything, eight of which are competitive. Kids are getting the Antrim jersey on them which is great. On the other hand it’s tough for clubs as there’s so much going on.

NG: Where do you personally stand on the u-17 versus u-18 debate?

LH: I would definitely be in favour of u-18. Looking at it from the bigger picture, it would be better for everyone.

Antrim players to watch out for:

Sonny Doyle, Sennan Nagle and Niall Hynds.