Championship season starts for Leitrim U20 & Minors

The new reality of the GAA inter-county scene will be seen in full effect this week with two Leitrim teams starting their Connacht Championship campaigns against Galway in the middle of March.

The U20s face the Tribesmen on Wednesday evening while the Minors are out on Friday, both games under lights in Cloone with 7 pm throw-ins.

Unusually, there is a high degree of expectations for both teams - six of the County Senior team are involved with the U20s while both teams are littered with players from the St Clare's CS Manorhamilton, Leitrim Schools and Glencar Manorhamilton club teams who made great strides over the winter.

The U20s, under Barry McWeeney, will come under the microscope after the controversy over the concession of last Sunday's Allianz NFL clash with Fermanagh.

Whether that acts as a motivation or adds pressure to a young team is hard to know but a team with Jack Foley, announced this week as captain, Paul Honeyman, Ben Guckian, Eanna McNamara & Darren Cox must rightly be regarded as having a good chance.

Manager Barry McWeeney named his team for Wednesday’s clash with County Senior Ben Guckian named in the subs while St Clare’s CS Manorhamilton talisman Jack Kelly forms a potent full-forward line with County Seniors Darren Cox and Paul Honeyman.

The Minors, under Danny Beck and Ciaran Kennedy, face the same situation - winning the Fr Manning Cup last year against a Galway City West team means they are marked down as a team to watch and their performances in the Leinster Minor league add to the expectations.

Galway, unlike many of the Tribe teams in the past, won't take these Leitrim sides for granted, they'll expect a tough battle under lights in Cloone but Leitrim will do well not to underestimate the Tribesmen as well.

It has been a tumultuous week for Leitrim football but the signs are that the county's underage system is producing quality teams - this week will be the first big test of that progress.

The Leitrim team named to face Galway in the Connacht U20 Championships is as follows:

1. Brian Cull 
2. Oran Foley
3. Eanna McNamara
4. Oscar Reynolds
5. Jack Rowley
6. James Gilheaney
7. Bailey McBride
8. Jack Foley
9. Liam Chandler
10. Dara Greenan
11. Brian Keaney
12. Ruairi O’Rourke
13. Darren Cox
14. Paul Honeyman
15. Jack Kelly
16. Sean Carolan Morris
17. Michael McBrien
18. Eoghan Duignan
19. Dessie Wisley
20. Adam Gethins
21. Senan Mooney
22. Naoise McManus
23. Tom Plunkett
24. Ben Guckian