Senior Football Managers Derek & Dan look ahead to the SFC2 Fina

As St Sylvester’s GAA approaches the Men’s Dublin Senior 2 Football Championship Final, it’s quite the historic moment for their new managers, Dan St Ledger and particularly Derek Roche who was an integral part of that Syl’s team that won the SFC1 in 1996.  I asked both men for their views as we approach Sunday’s Final v St Vincents. 

You both began as joint managers with the panel earlier this year. What has been your approach with the team?  

Derek says, ‘The focus has been on the players and ensuring that they enjoy playing football. If players aren't enjoying their free time then they can't perform.  Once players are engaged we can focus on getting all players on-message with the team's principles of play. ‘

Dan continues ‘We are lucky to have a really ambitious group so it was just a matter of pointing them all in the one direction. Promotions have been the icing on the cake but having guys who are hungry for football coming to the field, has been a key ingredient to both promotions.’ 

Our Senior footballers have come into the Championship having won the AFL2 but St Vincent’s are a big club with a strong legacy.  How is the team/ you both feeling ahead of Sunday’s game?

‘History and legacy don't win matches’ says Derek, ‘the players just meet every game as they come and give it their best shot. If we are good enough on the day we will get the right result.’  Dan says, ‘We are feeling great ahead of the weekend. Getting over the semi-final was a huge hurdle for the lads having got close over the last couple of years. We hope they can put on a good show this Sunday and finish the year on a high.’

Finally, returning to the SFC1 and the AFL1 is hugely exciting for next year. What’s your aspiration for the squad in 2023?

Dan begins, ‘We have an extremely young squad and playing at the highest level in Dublin is going to be a fantastic learning curve for them. Establishing ourselves in Senior 1 and AFL1 is the goal. Each year we can be competitive in both will improve us massively.

Derek adds , ‘It is really exciting to have AFL1 football returning to Broomfield in 2023. The ladies section have shown a brilliant example of how to include our juvenile players in their success and increasing the standard and playing numbers across this section. As a club we need to replicate this across the juvenile boys section also to encourage the young players to stick with sport and have real aspirations of playing adult football. 

The senior men will prepare well and be as good as we can be throughout 2023 with a view to becoming a really competitive top-tier club over the coming seasons. 

St Sylvester’s play St Vincents in the Dublin SFC2 this Sunday at Parnell Park. Throw-in at 2:15pm. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/3uWA0e8

-St Sylvester’s PRO-