Heary looking forward to U19 semi-final

With three games to go in the league, the Bohemians U19 team find themselves third in the U19 Elite Division (albeit with a game extra played over St Patricks Athletic), and in a home cup semi-final against Dundalk U19. On the eve of the semi-final showdown in Dalymount Park, extratime.ie caught up with Bohemians U19 manager Owen Heary to check in on his team’s preparations.

“We have one injury, Michael Barker the right full is out. He is probably one of the main defenders because of the fact that he’s with the Ireland U19 team as well. He’s a good player but unfortunately he injured himself against Cork two weeks ago and he has ligament damage on his foot which rules him out of tomorrow’s game.”

When asked how his team would line out and if Lee Lismore would slot in instead of Barker, Heary was giving nothing away.

“Yes, Lee Lismore can play right back as well, but we’ll probably juggle it around a bit and see because there was a few lads away in the States over the last couple of weeks as well [with Coláiste Íde]. So we’ll have them back and we’ll pretty much have a full strength team tomorrow.”

Dundalk U19s currently are a division below Bohs in the U19 Northern Division and sit in second place. Despite playing in different divisions, Heary has done his homework and says he knows what to expect.

“We know they’ve scored a lot of goals in the league that they’re in, and they’re looking to progress into the Elite league and I can see them definitely coming up next season.”

“We have watched them once or twice. They’re a decent strong outfit – which you’d expect from Mick Neville [training with them]. Mick knows his stuff, he’s been around a while. I’m sure they’ll be well prepared and well drilled. We expect a tough game tomorrow night. It’s a bit like Derry, when we played Derry in the quarters. They’re a tough physical side and we expect Dundalk to be the same tomorrow. We’re looking forward to it.”

Speaking on his own team’s performances in the league, Heary is all too aware of a recent dip in form but is not reading too much into it ahead of tomorrow’s game.

“They’ve done well during the year in the league. The last few weeks our performance dipped and I think that’s down to lads been away and we had to try a few of the U18s to get them prepared for next year and to put full teams on the pitch. But as I say we’ll have a full strength team tomorrow and hopefully we can get a proper result and get to the final.”

Both sides have seen some of their players make the step up to the senior team already this season and Heary sees this is a good barometer of how the players are progressing.

“They have a lot of decent talent. A few of them have been in and out of the first team for them – a bit like ourselves they have had to use some of the U19s for the first team whether it’s Leinster Cup that or whatever it may be. It’s good for them because they’re getting to see first team football. “

“With our [senior] team this year, we’re going to need our 19s. It’s the same with Dundalk. They’re a young team as well, they’ll use their 19s. I suppose it’s a good progression if players are coming through from the 19s into the first teams. It’s always nice to see.”

One player who already has made the step up is Luke Byrne. The 18 year old defender has already started three league games for the Gypsies first team this year. We asked the Bohemians captain/assistant manager/U19 manager did he find it strange managing the likes of Luke one day and lining out alongside him the next.

“No, to be honest it’s proud for me that I see these young fellas progressing from the U19s and coming up to play alongside me in the first team. That’s the whole aim of it. Maybe for me it works better that I’m with the U19s and I can help them progress and I am also there to help them and protect them when they go up into the first team. That they don’t feel isolated or on their own, that I’m there to give them a helping hand or advice or whatever it may be.”

“It’s worked out for Luke and we’ve have Correy up in the first team so there is progression there for them, A few of the lads played in the Leinster Senior Cup so it’s coming along nicely.”

Bohemians U19 vs Dundalk U19 kicks off at 7:45 on Tuesday night with Cork City U19 travelling to play their neighbours Waterford United U19s in the other semi final the following night in the RSC.