All Ireland U20 football championship 2023

[Rossfan]

I used to be of the opinion all Finals should be in Croke Park.
But seeing the crowds and atmospheres at last year's Minor Football and Hurling Finals I've reconsidered.
Maybe as part of a triple header e.g Minor, U20 and Tailteann Finals the Saturday of AI Final weekend.

[An Fhairche Abu]

Best of luck to Sligo tomorrow, hope they can finish it out.

[Wildweasel74]

Like see Sligo. Win myself, I think they a good team and it's overlooked cause it a small county who knocked out a few big boys.

[Cunny Funt]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/dillon-walsh-makes-emotional-return-to-sligo-u-20-set-up-after-critical-situation-with-meningitis/a768889589.html

On Wednesday night, Dillon Walsh trained with the Sligo U-20s as they prepared for their EirGrid All-Ireland final clash with Kildare tomorrow. ​
An emotional, ceremonial return, it's only a couple of weeks since he kicked the winning point in the Connacht final on the night of his 18th birthday. But it's even less time since he was taken to hospital in a "critical" condition.

"Dillon ended up getting meningitis on us a few days after the Galway game so maybe five or six days after it (he) ended up being brought into hospital," says Sligo manager Paul Henry, picking up the story.

"He was brought in at 3.30am and he was very critical at the time. It definitely shook the whole group, it kind of showed them at the end of the day this is football and how things can change so drastically, so quickly.


"From a huge high after winning the Galway game, one of our group, one of our close friends, is in a critical condition and our hearts and minds were with the family. And also we have to thank Sligo General Hospital for the work they did with Dillon.

"He is a warrior, this guy is as tough as nails. And thankfully he came out the other side of it. He is getting stronger every day. It was a huge lift for the lads last night to see him. He put on his shorts, he was out running around the pitch, he did a few of the warm-ups with the lads and he is gradually starting to come back to himself, but it will take a bit of time and I am trying to explain that to him as well. He does not need to over-push himself at the minute. He is a great young lad, a very talented footballer, and he will get his day again."


He won't feature this weekend, a loss in the footballing sense as Sligo football prepares for one of its biggest days. Canice Mulligan also misses out through injury. But Henry suggests his team have mined some value from the incident.

"The day of the Connacht final was his 18th birthday, he was lifted on people's shoulders and carried around in our homecoming and on the pitch above in Tuam. And then when you realise that a young man who is so fit and so healthy and then, all of a sudden, that health is taken away from you and you really don't know what is going to happen then.

"Behind it all it is just football and we are very lucky to have it to be able and enjoy it. But life is life and I am very thankful that Dillon is on the mend."

Days like tomorrow have been all too rare for Sligo. Henry admits that a trip to Croke Park would have been the preferred setting but instead they head for Kingspan Breffni, hoping to build on the rising tide that is Sligo football.

Henry steered a number of this group to a Connacht minor title a couple of years ago while they have now won back-to-back provincial titles at U-20 level. This group have certainly done things the hard way, beating Connacht's big three in Roscommon, Mayo and Galway before taking out Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final.


And tomorrow they face a Kildare side, a handful of whom played in last year's All-Ireland final at this grade. For Sligo and Henry, more of the same will do just fine.

"There are no egos in them. They just get on with has to happen. There's no one there that ends up feeling that they're any better than anybody else and they just work as a team. I suppose it's trying to make sure that we can end up continuing that and getting the lads to fight for each other. So far it's been working for them."

[Hound]

Interesting that both teams have said they would have preferred Croke Park for the final.

There's a few retail parks and supermarkets on the Dublin Road on the approach to Breffni, they be an ok place to park for the match?, about a 10 min walk to the stadium

[Tubberman]

Best of luck to Sligo today. It would be brilliant to see them win, and a massive boost to the county.

[From the Bunker]

Yes, Best of Luck to Sligo!



Would be a huge lift for Gaelic football in the county!

[seafoid]

Forza Sligo. It would be an amazing achievement for the whole county to enjoy.
Never underestimate the power of preparation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FhlNKcyNCI

[Hound]

Kildare have won feck all either in fairness. It would be a big deal for them too. May the best team on the day win!

[Tubberman]

Kildare have won feck all either in fairness. It would be a big deal for them too. May the best team on the day win!

They won it in 2018 and they have a much bigger population than Sligo. Ordinarily I'd be cheering the lilywhites, but not today.

[Blowitupref]

Sligo up and running with their first score on 11 minutes.  Kildare 0-5 Sligo 0-1.

[Hound]

Kildare so far a bit more incisive, their system working well, getting balls in early to the forwards, while having lots of men back when Sligo attack and making fewer mistakes  But early days

[Rudi]

Sligo kickouts shocking. Killing them.

[Rudi]

Looked like a foot block, peno not given.

[Blowitupref]

Half time Kildare 0-9 Sligo 0-4.  Kildare winning most of the personal battles, have their homework done of Sligo also and their main strengths.