Tom Gray named Dublin U20 football manager

Wed, 6th December 2017

Tom Gray has been confirmed as Dublin U20 football manager for 2018.

The Na Fianna man managed Dublin to success in this year's Leinster MFC before his side were eventually narrowly defeated by Derry in their All-Ireland MFC semi-final.

Two members of this year's minor team, James Madden (Ballyboden St Enda's) and Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne (Cuala), impressed in last weekend's Aussie Rules combine hosted in UCD.

Madden, who was also in the minor panel in 2016, broke the all-time 0-20metre record when clocking 2.68 and both players are believed to be in strong contention for invites to attend the AFL Academy at the IMG in Florida in January - the last stage before Aussie Rules contracts are offered.

Both players are sitting their Leaving Cert in June 2018.

O Cofaigh Byrne and Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda's) were both selected on this year's Electric Ireland Minor Star Football Team of Year while James Doran (Na Fianna) was considered very unlucky not to have been named in the 15.

Dublin have been grouped with Longford, Wexford and Westmeath for the 2018 Leinster U20 Football Championship which will commence in late May.

The top two teams in each of the four-county groups advance to the knockout stages - the winners to the semi-final, second-placed to the quarters.

Dublin's schedule in the round-robin is: Monday, May 28 away v Longford; Monday, June 4 home v Westmeath; Saturday, June 16 away v Wexford. The quarter-finals for those involved take place on June 22/23 with the semi-finals a week later and the provincial decider on July 7

Six members of this year's U21 All-Ireland winning panel are eligible for the U20s next year - Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams), Dan O'Brien (Kilmacud Crokes), Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), Cormac Howley, Aaron Duffy (both Round Tower, Lusk) and Aaron Bradshaw (Ballinteer St John's).

Comerford was sub keeper on the senior All-Ireland winning panel this year and one of the rules of the U20 competition is that any player part of a senior panel that is named in the match-day 26 in next year's SFC is deemed ineligible.

Two other players who are eligible for U20 action next year - Kevin Callaghan and Mal Tighe (both St Brigid's) - lined out for the Dublin senior football selection that defeated UCD's Sigerson side in the official opening of David Billings Park in Belfield, UCD last Thursday night.