The 2014 Junior Milk Cup Squad.
JUNIOR COACH Ryan Beacom is approaching with optimism what he has described as ‘one of the hardest draws Fermanagh has ever seen in the Milk Cup at this stage’.
Ryan, who is backed by coaches Ryan Hanna and James McKenna, has coached at Enniskillen Rangers at U13, U14, U16 and U18 level over the past two and a half years.
With close to 60 trialling initially, the coaches took the squad down to the 18 that it is at today and Ryan explained the focus of training over the past few weeks and months.
“We’ve been focussing on being defensively solid, working on our shape – and making sure that we can keep our shape, how we can break out of defence. Lately we’ve been working on penetration and breaking runs, overloading in attack, which I think the boys are enjoying more.
“The squad has come together and the understanding between the coaches and the players and the style of play we’re going for has been grasped by the boys.”
The Enniskillen man said that the outcome of the fixtures can be difficult to predict.
“It’s one of those things, it’s very hard to prepare for five days in a row. There’ll be a lot of things that come into it: Will the boys be fit enough, will we pick up an injury. We have got, in my eyes, one of the hardest draws Fermanagh has ever seen in the Milk Cup at this stage.
The boys face Corinthians, Tyrone and Everton.
“You’d love to pick up the full points. But in reality Corinthians and Everton are going to be very hard, if we picked up one point a piece, we’d be very happy. Tyrone is the game we’ll be going for the full points – it’s not going to be easy – but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m hoping the opportunity to play against the best young players in the world gives the boys an extra 20 to 30% more motivation.”
As for the message he’ll be sending out to his players: “I want them to be playing the way they have been. I don’t want them to be overawed by the moment. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s very hard to prepare yourself for it, but I can’t wait. We’re all excited.”