Who can stop Larry Reilly's Cavan Minors?

Westside · June 21, 2015, 04:42:22 PM

Fermanagh and Antrim are inevitably the weakest in Ulster underage competitions every year. Hard to think that Cavan could be the sixth best team in Ulster given that the majority of the team won a McRory Cup this year and some will have won the Gerry Reilly U-16 tournament last year.

thewobbler · June 21, 2015, 09:04:34 PM

Quote from: Itchy on June 21, 2015, 04:32:24 PM
That sounds like bullshit to me unless you think the ulster league is a measure of the quality of teams, which it clearly isn't.

Well seeing as the last 3 Ulster League winners have also gone on to win the Championship, I'm making it a very useful baromoter of ability. I haven't looked beyond then as it's a curse to find ulster minor league results, but I guessing this is a trend with a bit of legs.

Having seen all the Ulster minor teams this year I'd be 100% confident that nobody will even slightly worry Donegal. It'll take something extraordinary to stop them winning the AI too, as they're genuinely an exceptional team, one that is tactically more astute than most senior county teams.

Cavan have enjoyed a handy run this year. I don't know if I'd go so far as to suggest they're 5th or 6th in Ulster, but I would hand on heart say that every team on the opposite side of the draw would have made the Ulster final had they been able to swap positions with Cavan. It's as lopsided as they come.

ck · June 21, 2015, 09:13:03 PM

Quote from: thewobbler on June 21, 2015, 09:04:34 PM
Quote from: Itchy on June 21, 2015, 04:32:24 PM
That sounds like bullshit to me unless you think the ulster league is a measure of the quality of teams, which it clearly isn't.

Well seeing as the last 3 Ulster League winners have also gone on to win the Championship, I'm making it a very useful baromoter of ability. I haven't looked beyond then as it's a curse to find ulster minor league results, but I guessing this is a trend with a bit of legs.

Having seen all the Ulster minor teams this year I'd be 100% confident that nobody will even slightly worry Donegal. It'll take something extraordinary to stop them winning the AI too, as they're genuinely an exceptional team, one that is tactically more astute than most senior county teams.

Cavan have enjoyed a handy run this year. I don't know if I'd go so far as to suggest they're 5th or 6th in Ulster, but I would hand on heart say that every team on the opposite side of the draw would have made the Ulster final had they been able to swap positions with Cavan. It's as lopsided as they come.

I've just looked at league results there and Antrim were Donegals tightest game in the league with Donegal pipping them by two points. Cavan played the league without their McRory cup lads so you can hardly judge them on the league. To me Cavan are in the Ulster final on merit. They have now scored 3-36 in 2 championship games. They'll be damn hard to stop

rodney trotter · June 21, 2015, 09:15:53 PM

Cavan didn't have the Pats players during the Ulster Minor League - so using its as a baromoter doesn't make much sense.

thewobbler · June 21, 2015, 10:00:38 PM

Cavan would have had their MacRory players for their final group game, plus the plate semi final.

Anyway if it's barometers we are looking for, the correlation between Macrory cup and Ulster minor success is almost non existent. It'll be one for the books if Cavan turn that on its head.

By the way I never suggested that Cavan aren't in the final on merit. Championship football is about winning and Cavan have done just that.

Westside · June 21, 2015, 11:03:13 PM

Cavan are likely to meet the two All Ireland favourites in the next two fixtures if the games pan out as the odds suggest, Donegal and Dublin. Beating either would certainly be a big upset but I feel we're in the final on merit. You can only beat whats in front of you. Ulster Minor League means very little. We were poor in 2011 in the League and went on to win Ulster.

rodney trotter · June 22, 2015, 01:15:49 AM

They had Macrory players coming back who had knocks. Only 3 I think played in those 2 games.

Donegal have a big number from last year's team/panel available and will be the team to beat. Derry have Conor Glass - probaly the best Minor footballer at this level, so they should be stern enough opponents.

ONeill · July 19, 2015, 12:13:35 PM

Derry 3-2 up.

#doitforlarry