Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[toby47]

For a few years now what I've noticed is Screen hammering everyone bar maybe Magherafelt at all u14 grades. At U16 level they are still going strong but maybe not quite by as much.

I'm not sure I ever remember them winning a minor championship.

I think having massive pick of players at the oldest possible age of the underage groups generally carries your past majority of teams due to physical size.
By the time you get to minor level that has levelled out and size is less of a factor.

Everyone loves a 10 year plan, if someone ever comes up with an 8 year plan they'll clean up.

They won a minor championship in 2017, all those players should be in and around their prime now, but instead they are fighting relegation year on year. They would have had a few decent teams coming behind that Minor winning team. Something fundamentally not right.

[toby47]

How many teams won at youth level have brought it through to senior level? Ballinderry, Glen?

I rememeber ballinderry doing the clean sweep a few years.. 12s,14s,16s.minors senior and reserves, Has any other team done this- throw in Ulster minor and All Ireland grade 1 feile?

Glen would have had a generation of players that have won everything from u14 to All Ireland Senior Club.  Many of them with 2-3 ulster minors (they won 4 in a row)
3 Senior Championships.
The likes of Emmett Bradley, Glass, McFaul etc have also won 2 Ulster Chamionships with Derry & they also played the start of their career in Intermediate

In 2019 Magherafelt won Senior, Reserve, u16, u14 - Just lost out on minors.
 
Going back a bit further you could have Ballinderry men that have won everything from u14 right through also.

Totally different but you'd have Coleraine men with -
Division 1 (2017), 2 (2009) and 3 (2007) League medals
Intermediate Championship and 2 x senior championships (they were beat in a junior final I think)
They would also have Ulster intermediate medals and Kilmacud 7's medals.
Many of them currently back playing intermediate.

[Wildweasel74]

The Loup the best example of bringing through underage yrs ago. Strong from underage from 1987 to mid 90's Were in Junior fball 1yrs 1989? Promoted outta intermediate 1994 with a very young team. Stayed the course since, with a couple of Ulster titles, though their underage fell off compared them days.

[marty34]

Current Newbridge are probably a better example than anyother club re: bringing players through.


Especially from a lower graded underage structure in Derry.

[Ryan O]

Current Newbridge are probably a better example than anyother club re: bringing players through.


Especially from a lower graded underage structure in Derry.

Agree with that, Newbridge manage so much better with a smaller pot of players. Maybe this allows much more coaching time for individuals and much more emphasis put on holding on to everyone.

They rarely compete in the A sections but thats purely down to physical development with the numbers they have.

At u14 level the bigger clubs are able to field a full team of 3rd years and maybe 4 subs.
Our club for example may have 3 or 4 3rd years another 5 or 6 2nd years and remainder made up of 1st years. It's impossible to compete.

Thats why I would love to see it going to 2 touch at U14 grade, eliminate the big lad who runs over everyone. They generally aren't the lads who break into a senior team.

[greenlight]

Current Newbridge are probably a better example than anyother club re: bringing players through.


Especially from a lower graded underage structure in Derry.

Agree with that, Newbridge manage so much better with a smaller pot of players. Maybe this allows much more coaching time for individuals and much more emphasis put on holding on to everyone.

They rarely compete in the A sections but thats purely down to physical development with the numbers they have.

At u14 level the bigger clubs are able to field a full team of 3rd years and maybe 4 subs.
Our club for example may have 3 or 4 3rd years another 5 or 6 2nd years and remainder made up of 1st years. It's impossible to compete.

Thats why I would love to see it going to 2 touch at U14 grade, eliminate the big lad who runs over everyone. They generally aren't the lads who break into a senior team.

1 underage title at A grade in their history. And 11/12 SFC's.

[marty34]

Current Newbridge are probably a better example than anyother club re: bringing players through.


Especially from a lower graded underage structure in Derry.

Agree with that, Newbridge manage so much better with a smaller pot of players. Maybe this allows much more coaching time for individuals and much more emphasis put on holding on to everyone.

They rarely compete in the A sections but thats purely down to physical development with the numbers they have.

At u14 level the bigger clubs are able to field a full team of 3rd years and maybe 4 subs.
Our club for example may have 3 or 4 3rd years another 5 or 6 2nd years and remainder made up of 1st years. It's impossible to compete.

Thats why I would love to see it going to 2 touch at U14 grade, eliminate the big lad who runs over everyone. They generally aren't the lads who break into a senior team.

1 underage title at A grade in their history. And 11/12 SFC's.

As I said, something in that for sure.


Compare that with their 'noisy neighbours' Magherafelt who mop all up at underage level and have hundreds of underage players yet have won one senior championship in God knows how long.


Some uni student should do a thesis on this topic.  This is not a dig at Magherafelt but it's an interesting comparsion. Town v rural probably plays into it.


Underage should be a about enjoyment and then develop players for senior club football and hurling.

[outsiderlookingin]

Check Ballinderrys golden years..they won 12s,14s,16,minors all in same year
loads of times, along with Grade A feile All Ireland and Ulster Minors,, that carried through to senior level

[seanyb]

In fairness, it took Magherafelt 36 years to reach a final even after numerous successful underage titles. They've been in 4 since 2019, albeit only winning 1 but they are knocking on the door and will be for some years to come.

[HonDerry]

Current Newbridge are probably a better example than anyother club re: bringing players through.


Especially from a lower graded underage structure in Derry.

Agree with that, Newbridge manage so much better with a smaller pot of players. Maybe this allows much more coaching time for individuals and much more emphasis put on holding on to everyone.

They rarely compete in the A sections but thats purely down to physical development with the numbers they have.

At u14 level the bigger clubs are able to field a full team of 3rd years and maybe 4 subs.
Our club for example may have 3 or 4 3rd years another 5 or 6 2nd years and remainder made up of 1st years. It's impossible to compete.

Thats why I would love to see it going to 2 touch at U14 grade, eliminate the big lad who runs over everyone. They generally aren't the lads who break into a senior team.

1 underage title at A grade in their history. And 11/12 SFC's.

As I said, something in that for sure.


Compare that with their 'noisy neighbours' Magherafelt who mop all up at underage level and have hundreds of underage players yet have won one senior championship in God knows how long.


Some uni student should do a thesis on this topic.  This is not a dig at Magherafelt but it's an interesting comparsion. Town v rural probably plays into it.


Underage should be a about enjoyment and then develop players for senior club football and hurling.

I'd wager there is enough combined knowledge on this forum to dissect this without needing a Unistudent to do it for us!

Magherafelt have won plenty of underage titles over the last 20 years, but as one of their own men said in the Irish News last year, it used to stop at U14.

The difference now is that they are carrying that through to minor level. I think they have been in something like six or seven of the last minor finals. They missed out last year, but you would probably bet on them being there again this year.

The rural piece is important, but Magherafelt now are doing a better job now in terms of player retention and bringing lads through. Yes, they are not short of numbers, but unlike Ballinascreen, they have been doing it consistently over the last five or six years. And yes I agree with the point about smaller group s getting more coaching, harder to do with bigger numbers.

They are now pushing those players into the senior squad, and some serious players at that. If you look at the Derry minor, U20 and senior teams over the past five years, Magherafelt have been a big part of them. Newbridge,in have clinkers in there too.

Magherafelt have been knocking on the door for a while, with 3 county finals since 2020. I would see Magherafelt and Newbridge battling it out over the next three years.
Just like Glen took a while with their minor teams, you would think Magherafelt's time is coming. That said, championship is often on the day and Glen and Slaughtneil Neil can beat either of these teams if they arent on it.

As for the argument that underage football should be all about enjoyment, I agree with that to a point. But from working with lads over the age of 14, I think they get a huge amount of enjoyment from winning, competing in big games, and feeling that they are part of something serious.

[JohnDenver]

Lavey are no strangers to recent underage success, and when you add James Sargent and Matthew Downey into the team for this year, they certainly have a punchers chance.

[HonDerry]

Yep, you could say Lavey were unlucky last year in their quarter final v Sneil but they haven't got to a semi final in years.

Those two players will definitely help and some of the top 4 teams will have to concede at some point.

 I also think Dungiven who have had recent underage success could push as well if they get themselves organised.

[outsiderlookingin]

Yeah looking back it was 2022 lavey last in semi final, lost to Slaughtneil after extra time
S.Downey and a few others in charge then, Dungiven looked brilliant last year v the Bridge but faded away after that

[Hoof Hearted]

lavey had their golden period between 88 and 93, winning 4 championships
Hard to believe they havent one since 93, only appearing in 2 finals

[toby47]

Lavey are no strangers to recent underage success, and when you add James Sargent and Matthew Downey into the team for this year, they certainly have a punchers chance.

So far he's been living off a name. He has to step up now.