We have to work to our strengths stresses Melvin Gaels boss Aidan Murray

Only in the job since June, Aidan Murray stands on the threshold of leading Melvin Gaels to the Smith Monumentals IFC crown next Sunday but the Donegal man is determined that the Kinlough men keep doing what has got them to the final in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

“We just work to our strengths and just try to get through the game” said Aidan when talking about Sunday’s Intermediate decider, adding “I’m only in since June - it is a big step that we took, finishing off the League well and on a high and going through the championship unbeaten, it is very good to bounce back.

“We have 30 of a panel, I think maybe around of fifteen of them might be under 20 so there is a massive build of youth there and hopefully Melvin Gaels will be knocking on the Senior door for the next couple of years.”

Late goal seals Melvin Gaels place in Final

MELVIN GAELS 1-6 KILTUBRID 0-6

With his father Val, a former Melvin Gaels manager himself over 15 years ago, and Michael McGinty on the line, Melvin Gaels have a ferociously well drilled defensive set-up but Aidan credits the players for the way they have bought into his vision: “It does take time to get that right but when you have a group of players who are willing to buy into it, it makes it a lot easier.

“When you get wins off the back of it, you come to training and work harder at it because you know it is working. It is easier to buy into the process. It would be huge to get a win for the development of our young players. Even in the few months since I’ve come in, you can see them growing as people.

“They are a great bunch of lads - I’ve never had a problem with them, you ask them to train on a Sunday morning at 10 o’clock, yeah no problem - if they want to go at 7 am, we’ll facilitate that, whatever they need, we’re with them and we’re getting good feedback from them.”

Melvin Gaels manager Aidan Murray pictured with his selectors Michael McGinty and Val Murray ahead of next Sunday's Smith Monumentals IFC Final against Annaduff Picture: Willie Donnellan 

With County star Cillian McGloin in the ranks, Melvin Gaels have a potential match winner but Aidan stresses the team strength: “Cillian is very good in fairness and his brother Joe inside is a dangerous man. We have a solid bit of experience up the middle with youth on the wings, trying to punish a team that comes at it. We try to be aggressive inside our own half and punish teams.”

The Donegal man has been impressed with what he has seen in Leitrim: “They live and breathe it up here, you go to any of these clubs - even here in Allen Gaels (semi final venue), the facilities are magnificent. I could believe it when I drove up the hill, the facilities are fantastic and every club you go to, it is just football to the death and it is just brilliant.

Annaduff back in final as Cox inspires victory over Allen Gaels in epic shootout

ANNADUFF 4-10 ALLEN GAELS 0-18

“Especially coming near the end of the championship, we wanted to avoid the quarter-finals so we knew we had to go to Annaduff and we put in that performance that we needed to do the job. I think that three week break probably didn’t help us, we were a wee bit rusty at times and conditions were poor but hopefully, the sun will come out on Sunday.”

As for a prediction for the Final, Aidan laughs as he says “I’ll tell you on Sunday!” but adds “It will be an interesting game, it will be a tight game - conditions won’t favour any team out there. It will be whoever wants it the most.”