By Shaun Casey

IT will be a busy few days for the Fermanagh u-20’s, who host Antrim on Wednesday night before making the journey to Derry on Saturday in the Ulster Championship.

Manager Ronan Gallagher says the lack of respect for the competition is “frightening.”

Playing two inter-county fixtures in the space of four days is “crazy” says the former Erne County shot-stopper, who is in his first season of overseeing the fortunes of his county’s u-20 panel.

“The lack of respect shown to the u-20 competition is frightening, I think it’s crazy,” he said. “For us to turn around, to get the Antrim match analysed, to prepare for Derry, you’d need to be training Thursday and Friday and meeting early on Saturday to get it done.

“All u-20 managers, we’re all trying to develop senior players, we’re all trying to bring a senior setup to the u-20 setup, on a much more limited budget obviously.  You’re trying to do all the right things for the fellas.

“These lads give a massive commitment from November time, the students travel down from Belfast and boys have part-time jobs and that. Then, to get fired games like this, I think it’s shocking to be honest by the governing bodies.

“I’m not just blaming the Ulster Council, I’m blaming all the government bodies, the provincial councils and Croke Park itself. What’s happening at u-20 and u-17 level is utter negligence in by view.”

Gallagher’s crew welcome Antrim to Tempo Maguire’s for the second round of the competition, having lost to Donegal on the opening night, and while Gallagher is pleased to have home advantage, it’s not hugely important in this competition.

“We have three car loads of lads in Belfast so it’s fine for the home based boys. We have another couple of boys that are working all over the place so it is an advantage in a way but it still takes a fair bit from the lads to try and get out of work early and get something to eat.

“The Wednesday nights aren’t ideal because a lot of these lads are doing apprenticeships and a lot are working. Yes, some are at university and they’re doing courses that are very, very difficult. It’s something that probably needs looked at,” he added.

Antrim have yet to kick a ball in the competition, so Fermanagh have very little to go off in terms of preparation. A pre-season friendly between the two counties played in December has offered some food for thought for the Fermanagh management team.

“We’re obviously chatting to different people that would know some of their players and that and we’re just trying to get our heads around it. It’s difficult since they haven’t played yet (in the Championship),” continued Gallagher, who has coached at inter-county level with Fermanagh and Derry.

“We actually played them before Christmas in our first challenge match and they were in good shape. They had a lovely mix of strength and physicality and athleticism and real pace up front and accuracy too.

“As a collective group, they look really strong based on that night. It’s easier for Antrim because I’m sure they were in Buncrana, had the programme and the names of our guys, whereas we’re going a wee bit into the dark but it’s 80 per cent about us and 20 per cent about them.”

Reflecting on last week’s performance against Donegal, Gallagher said he was immensely proud of the effort his side came in as they came up short by the minimum of margins.

“We were absolutely gutted not to get something out of the game, the boys put in a huge shift up there. A real workman like performance all over the field with huge energy throughout and a bit of quality as well.

“I know (Finnbarr) Roarty and (Conor) McCahill didn’t play, McCahill started but was taken off after a minute and they were two massive misses for Donegal but we were really pleased with the effort and energy the boys put in.

“We probably just weren’t at the level in the last four or five minutes in terms of our structure and organisation around break ball. We just didn’t get the blocks in the crucial periods but the overriding feeling is immense pride.”