Derry minor football manager Damian McErlain
ALL roads lead to Croke Park this afternoon as Derry take on Dublin in the Electric Ireland All Ireland Minor Football semi final (throw in 2 pm).
This could be Doire’s best chance of reaching the final if they can sweep aside the Dubs in their own back yard.
Derry’s young guns are at the top of the game, a great credit to the county’s youth development programme which could serve well in the future for the senior team.
Manager Damian McErlain believes the development from the ground level up in the county has been important the minor’s success in recent years.
After a 13-year gap without making an Ulster final, the Oak Leaf county has appeared in the last three for the first time ever.
There were wins in 2015 and this year, and Derry also reached this season’s provincial U21 decider.
The progress hasn’t translated into senior success yet.
The presence of a number of youngsters – including Ben McKinless, Niall Keenan and Danny Tallon – were in the senior Derry side that held Mayo to a draw in the All-Ireland Qualifiers before they bowed out in extra-time.
McErlain believes the “future is certainly bright” if the you development continues on the same course.
“The clubs are doing the work, there’s no question about that,” said McErlain told The Irish News.
Now in his third season as Derry minor manager, he added: ““My own club in Magherafelt and the likes of Lavey, Bellaghy, Ballinascreen, Glen…
McErlain explains that the underage success has come as a result of a strategy conceived by committed Derry gaels who realised that change was needed from the bottom up.
“There was a realisation of where the county was and that the work had to start at underage level and you are starting to see that coming through now,” he said.
“The development squads at Owenbeg are improving all the time. Of course there’s always room for further improvement but they definitely are in a decent place.
“Derry is a small county and we have small playing numbers. But we’ve always produced good footballers and the future is certainly bright enough at any level, it’s just a matter of getting the whole thing driving in the right direction.”
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