The Dundalk FC Youth team face a huge test this weekend when they take on Limerick side Fairview in Oriel Park on Sunday (Kick-Off 1pm). The Youths qualified for the 1/4 finals when Billy Smith's hat-trick gave Dundalk a 3-1 win over Finn Harps. Since then Dundalk have climed to the top of the DDSL U-18 Super League. Both Billy Smith and Shane Greene have featured in the first team's pre-season preperation with John Gill seeing many possibilities for the future in Stephen Carragher's squad.

One player who will also be hoping to feature in the first team squad again this season is 18 year old goalkeeper Donal Greene. Having been with Dundalk for a number of years Donal has featured in the first team squad on a number of occasions and is hotly tipped to someday become Oriel's number 1. Speaking to dundalkfc.com, Donal reveals that the squad are in a very positive mood ahead of the Fairview tie.

"The lads are all relaxed about the game. Against Finn Harps I think we were too hyped up about us and I think that got to us in the earlier stages and maybe contributed towards us conceding the early goal. So we’re trying to stay relaxed about it. I think it’s in our own hands, Fairview have it all to do. They’re traveling a long distance, and we have home advantage. As well as that, we’re playing in the top youth league in the country, the DDSL and challenging for honours in it. That being said, we’re expecting a tough challenge as we know the tradition Fairview have of success in these competitions."

The Youths got off to rocky start to the 2007/08 campaign. What is the key to the climb up to the summit of the table and a promising cup run? "We certainly are having a fantastic season. This is my fourth season in the youth team and while in previous years we may have had more talented individuals, the lads this year are fantastic. They are extremely dedicated, there is always 14 – 16 lads at training, we all listen to Tommy, Stephen and Cronan and we’re all keen to learn. I think this year has definitely manifested how ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’. Above all, great credit must be given to the coaches, Tommy, Stephen and Cronan. Tommy is an absolute fountain of wisdom and he takes great interest in the young players at the club. Stephen and Cronin probably learn as much off Tommy as we do ourselves. Stephen is great also as he sometimes lightens the mood with the lads and puts thing into perspective for us. Cronan also does a lot of unseen work in the background and without the three guys looking after us, we wouldn’t be where we are now."

With Billy Smith making his first team debut against Bray Wanderers and Shane Greene making appearances against Bohemians and Derry City, has the fact that John Gill is taking a more active interest in the progress of the youth side been a boost to the team? " It’s great to see Billy and Shane getting a run in the first team. Billy has been banging them in this season and Shane has been a different class since he came back from injury. John definitely seems to be paying more attention to the youth team this season and I think it is exciting for the future of the club that some of the lads are forcing their way onto the scene. Aside from Billy and Shane, there are several lads who can make the step up. Barry Woods and Conor Gorman would certainly be two who you would earmark and I hope to be involved with the squad on a few occasions myself again this year. So from that point of view the incentives are there, John has showed his willingness to recognize good form in the youth team and reward it. The examples are there, lads like Tiernan, Stefan McKevitt and Grimesie are role – models for the younger players at the club and they exemplify that with hard work and a bit of luck that the opportunities are there for young players to make the step up to the first team."