Players have given me ‘absolutely everything’ — Smith
Cian Smith shows his delight after Roscommon get the better of Sligo in Wednesday evening's Connacht U-20 Football Championship semi-final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Bekan. Picture: Bernie O'Farrell
Roscommon U-20 football manager, Cian Smith, has praised his players for giving him “absolutely everything”, although he admits that his side have “a mountain to climb” in the final against raging hot favourites Mayo.
The Rossies edged out Sligo in a thrilling semi-final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Bekan, scoring four goals to set up a decider against Mayo in Tuam next Wednesday evening.
“It's great to be in the final but, as I’ve been constantly saying after every match, it’s all about recovery and planning. It’s going to be a monumental task in Tuam on Wednesday evening. Mayo, as you’ve seen all year, are a serious side. We have a big mountain to climb but we’ll turn up and see what happens.
“From the very start of the season when we had trials, watched club games and got the guys together, they’ve given me absolutely everything they had. They’re learning, they’re listening — anything we’ve tried to do with them, they’ve picked it up. We’re still working on things.
“At the end of the day, it’s their team. They’re coming back to us with ideas. I bounce things off them. They’re smart guys. We work together, which is great,” he said in the aftermath of his side’s 4-12 to 1-18 victory against the Yeats County.
