TOM GRAY HAS been appointed as Dublin U20s football manager for the 2018 campaign.
The Na Fianna clubman has been working with this group of Dublin players for a number of years, coaching them as U16s in 2015 before he led them to the Leinster minor title earlier this year.
Dublin were upset by Derry in the All-Ireland semi-final, but there are high hopes that a number of this year’s minor team will make the step up to senior level in the coming years.
James Madden and Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne were among the standout players at the recent AFL Combine held in UCD.
Madden, who plays with Ballyboden St Enda’s, set the all-time record for 20 metre sprint with a time of 2.68 seconds, while O Cofaigh Byrne – a fine athlete – also impressed scouts with a strong showing in the grueling yo-yo test.
Elsewhere forwards Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s) and James Doran (Na Fianna), plus wing-back Eoin O’Dea (Na Fianna) appear to have bright futures in the Sky Blue.
Six members of this year’s U21 All-Ireland winning panel are also 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).
Dublin have been drawn in a group with Longford, Wexford and Westmeath for the Leinster U20 football championship, which will start next May.
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