BY RYAN FERRY

THE Donegal u-20s will aim to follow their senior counterparts and record an Ulster Championship Preliminary Round win this Friday.

Gary Duffy’s Donegal host Armagh at MacCumhaill Park at 8pm, and they know if they are not on it that, their season will come to a premature halt. However, Duffy explained the challenge facing managers in these challenging times.

“Like other mangers I’ve been talking to, it’s difficult to prepare a team in lockdown,” said Duffy, who says good support means he can juggle the u-20 role and his Buncrana managerial post with no issues.

“You have to guess your panel at the start because you can’t see them in action.

“A lot has changed over two years since they were minor and a lot of players have developed well, maybe others fell behind. Really, it was a guessing scenario for us and we got programmes in place when we were able to get back in May.”

Duffy managed the Donegal minor team in 2018 and 2019 so there is a familiarity with the players he’s working with.

There are always some changes as players develop at different rates while others lose interest and have other commitments, as well as injuries.

From the Donegal side that took on Tyrone in the first round of the minor championship three years ago, 12 of the 20 players used are not involved.

“You’ll always have subtractions and additions because the minor team of 2019 backs it up.

“There is a massive difference in u-16 and u-17, for example, and u-19 and u-20. There is a good balance of both minor teams.”

This is the fourth year since the age group moved from u- 21 to u-20.

Since then it has been common for players who were still able to play minors (u-18) for their clubs to line out and represent the county under 20 side.

However, Duffy has no players from the 2020 minors involved in his squad.

That’s a conscious effort to try and make sure nobody slips through the net and they get a good look at all players who are 19 and 20.

“The thinking as part of our overall development plan with our Academy is that we put a full focus on this group.

“We want to develop the Under 20s and make as many players as possible available to the senior team. I think it’s a good way of going and it is the Donegal approach.”

Donegal will need good performances from the likes of Rory O’Donnell, Richard O’Rourke, Paul O’Hare, Johnny McGroddy, and Ronan Frain who all played in last year’s Ulster U-20 Final.