Donegal vs. Cavan - Ulster SFC 2022 Semi Final, Sunday 8th May

[Dreadnought]

Don't see a thread for this so starting one. A redo of the 2020 Final, and Donegal should well have revenge on their mind. Match set for Clones at 4pm on Sunday 8th, so should get a big crowd for this one. Cavan show that their Championship form is nothing like their League placing, so should be tight and interesting. Thoughts?

[Milltown Row2]

Don't see a thread for this so starting one. A redo of the 2020 Final, and Donegal should well have revenge on their mind. Match set for Clones at 4pm on Sunday 8th, so should get a big crowd for this one. Cavan show that their Championship form is nothing like their League placing, so should be tight and interesting. Thoughts?

Hard to assess considering we were shite lol...

But certainly could throw up a surprise, Cavan play with confidence and plenty of skill on show on Sat. A few bad misses earlier on in the first half would be worrying but that will be no doubt worked on in the coming days.

[Cavan19]

It's hard to know where Cavan are at going by league performances which were not good but last week was a vast improvement against a weak Antrim side though.

It's a big ask to go up against a Divsion 1 side after playing Division 4 football all year the pace and intensity is a massive step up.

[Milltown Row2]

It's hard to know where Cavan are at going by league performances which were not good but last week was a vast improvement against a weak Antrim side though.

It's a big ask to go up against a Divsion 1 side after playing Division 4 football all year the pace and intensity is a massive step up.

Well it was well about div 3 standard on Saturday... So with the weather hopefully keeping the pitches dry that should help

[Cavan19]

It's hard to know where Cavan are at going by league performances which were not good but last week was a vast improvement against a weak Antrim side though.

It's a big ask to go up against a Divsion 1 side after playing Division 4 football all year the pace and intensity is a massive step up.

Well it was well about div 3 standard on Saturday... So with the weather hopefully keeping the pitches dry that should help

True it was Cavan's biggest win in the Championship for decades i believe. Its not often Cavan give a good beating to a team in either league or championship.

[imtommygunn]

You have had much tighter games with much worse antrim teams. I think maybe you saw antrim as more of a threat this time which unfortunately didn't turn out to be an issue!!

[J70]

I'm nervous about this as I honestly don't have a clue what to expect from Cavan or where they are in terms of overall Ulster standard.

One thing is for certain though, Donegal will not be caught on the hop like they were 18 months ago.

If Cavan beat us on ability and tactics, so be it, but intensity and effort is unforgiveable.

I think it was a four or five point margin that day thanks to a late goal, but on the overall game a ten point win would not have flattered the Cavan men.

[rodney trotter]

Antrim offered nothing in midfield.  Tipperary in the league final were on top for long periods in the middle.
Jason McGee was very good against Armagh,  Cavan need to get a big performance from Galligan,McKiernan or whoever will start there

[Itchy]

Antrim offered nothing in midfield.  Tipperary in the league final were on top for long periods in the middle.
Jason McGee was very good against Armagh,  Cavan need to get a big performance from Galligan,McKiernan or whoever will start there

Its a fascinating game I think. Its also hard to know how good Donegal are at midfield either so poor were armagh. I cant see them doing a full press against Cavan as we do have the men to compete in the air. The last time we played Michael Murphy was struggling but he looks to be motoring well now so thats a big plus for Donegal. Have Cavan improved since that final? Its hard to say as the form can be so erratic. I think a kick off the ball either way when all is said and done.

[J70]

McGee has been impressive this year, now that he has got over the injuries and filled out his frame.

All going well we might finally have a replacement for Neil Gallagher for the coming years.

McGonagle will be another two weeks into his comeback as well.

[Blowitupref]

Listening to the RTÉ podcast Kevin McStay has more or less wrote Cavan off, saying Donegals win against Armagh was their passport to the Ulster final.  Yes they lost a "pandemic final" to Cavan but unfinished business for Donegal and will be no over confidence going into this match with Cavan he said.

[Westside]

Cavan have a few passengers in the starting 15. We need Gearoid to find a big performance and we get need Martin, Holla and Oisin Kiernan back in the team. Looking forward to see what Lynch can provide against Division 1 opposition. 5 points is the handicap and seems about right.

I don't get the 'unfinished business'. Cavan should have won the 2020 final comfortably and that was with a referee who gave multiple poor decisions against them. Donegal weren't robbed, they just faced a hungrier side on the night and couldn't find a performance to match ours. Cavan were a side full of U21 and Minor winning players that were in their second consecutive final. I don't believe Donegal are stupid enough to have taken Cavan for granted.

They're heavy favourites and rightly so, but if they win it won't be because they took us seriously this year and not in 2020.

[Gael80]

Don't see a thread for this so starting one. A redo of the 2020 Final, and Donegal should well have revenge on their mind. Match set for Clones at 4pm on Sunday 8th, so should get a big crowd for this one. Cavan show that their Championship form is nothing like their League placing, so should be tight and interesting. Thoughts?

I don't see it being tight, a lot of talk that Cavan didn't belong in Division 4 but they were there for a reason. They deserved to win an Ulster title but it was a strange year and hadn't won it since 1997, so I don't see them as this 'championship team' they're being referred to. Donegal won't have the Ballybofey factor but they'll be motivated and I can see a 10 point win for Donegal as they're a much stronger panel. Ulster Final will be a different challenge but Donegal will comfortably qualify for it.

[Dreadnought]

Listening to the RTÉ podcast Kevin McStay has more or less wrote Cavan off, saying Donegals win against Armagh was their passport to the Ulster final.  Yes they lost a "pandemic final" to Cavan but unfinished business for Donegal and will be no over confidence going into this match with Cavan he said.

This the McStay who went for Antrim to beat Cavan last week? Lad hasn't a clue...

[Dreadnought]

Cavan have a few passengers in the starting 15. We need Gearoid to find a big performance and we get need Martin, Holla and Oisin Kiernan back in the team. Looking forward to see what Lynch can provide against Division 1 opposition. 5 points is the handicap and seems about right.

I don't get the 'unfinished business'. Cavan should have won the 2020 final comfortably and that was with a referee who gave multiple poor decisions against them. Donegal weren't robbed, they just faced a hungrier side on the night and couldn't find a performance to match ours. Cavan were a side full of U21 and Minor winning players that were in their second consecutive final. I don't believe Donegal are stupid enough to have taken Cavan for granted.

They're heavy favourites and rightly so, but if they win it won't be because they took us seriously this year and not in 2020.

Who do you think are the passengers if you don't mind me asking?