U-20 boss Devlin encouraged by the call-ups to senior panel

TYRONE Under-20 manager Paul Devlin was reappointed on a new three-year term last week, and he says the influx of young players into the senior panel has been a source of encouragement to him.

 

Darragh Canavan, Tiarnan Quinn and Donaghmore goalie Lorcan Quinn, who played in the Tyrone U20’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Dublin prior to Christmas, are presently part of the senior intercounty panel, while a surprisingly number of other county players have come through the U20 team in the last couple of years alone.

 

Bringing through players to the senior team has been Devlin’s mantra all along, so he’s satisfied that the conveyor belt is working just fine at the moment.

 

“I was counting one night and I think there’s something like 14 players from the last three years who came through the u-20 team and are now on Feargal (Logan) and Brian’s (Dooher) preliminary panel.

 

“You’ve the likes of Benny Gallen, Brian Kennedy, Tiarnan Quinn, Darragh Canavan. There’s young Aidan Clarke from Omagh, and Clogher’s Conor Shields, who’s a super player with a great attitude. The players seem to be coming through at the right time so hopefully we’re doing something right.”