Official Cavan GAA Thread

[PhilsJemmysField]

Please note change to times in next 2 fixtures


Sunday, 11th September 2011 @ 2.30pm
Hotel Kilmore Senior Championship Semi Final
Cavan Gaels v Ballinagh
Venue:  Kingspan Breffni Park
Referee:  Raymond Tynan
Linesmen:  Ciaran McCarville (Standby Referee) & John Cassidy
04th Official:  Chris McCaffrey

Sunday, 11th September 2011 @ 4pm
Farnham Arms Division 1 Championship Final
Cavan Gaels v O'Raghallaigh Gaels
Venue:  Kingspan Breffni Park
Referee:  MG Brady
Linesmen:  Jim Giblin  (Standby Referee) & Ronan Bannon
04th Official:  Conor Dourneen
(Replay if necessary–Saturday 24th September 2011)

[boojangles]

http://www.hoganstand.com/Cavan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=154755

[Westside]

Anyone know anything about John Morrisson?

[boojangles]

Anyone know anything about John Morrisson?

Mentally unstable if he's touching this job.

I'd say Hardstation would know all about it. Staring at a computer screen 24/ 7 would make any man mentally unstable.

[boojangles]

Anyone know anything about John Morrisson?

Just google him lad. Well renowned in coaching circles. Has worked with Derry, Armagh, Antrim, Donegal, Leitrim etc.

[anglocelt39]

It keeps me sane.

17,316 posts and counting maintaining the sanity looks like a full time job

[mylestheslasher]

I believe he has some very very odd ideas. Didn't he once send the whole mayo panel a Valentines card from Sam maguire? Maybe that's an urban myth.

[CC1]

Best of luck to O'Raghalligh Gaels on Sunday... Hopefully the lads can go all the way and bring the cup home. Should be a great contest between themselves and Cavan Gaels.

[Westside]

I read up a bit on his views etc there. He seems big into the whole coaching thing. Coaching skills and not drills, he places big emphasis on developing players vision, awareness and decision making and not making robots out of them. He seems to be of the view that these are the essentials and conditioning etc comes after. Could be useful for bringing on the younger lads in the long term if he can actually deliver on all he promises. He's written a fairly comprehensive and well recognised book on coaching endorsed by the GAA.

[Sanchez]

Anyone know anything about John Morrisson?

He managed our senior team (Eglish, Co Tyrone) this year. He is one big bag of crazy. Plus he walked out on us after we were beating in the championship despite grand talk of a 3 year master plan. Money is his only motivation.

[Farrandeelin]

Hard to know what to make of Morrison. He could come up with anything at training. Training sessions will be interesting if nothing else!

[Celt_Man]

SFC semi-final: O'Connell goal sends Castlerahan through

http://hoganstand.com/cavan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=154815

10 September 2011


Castlerahan 1-8
Belturbet 1-4

Castlerahan booked themselves into a long-awaited Cavan senior football championship final this evening after seeing off 14-man Belturbet at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Oisin O'Connell's 45th minute goal proved the crucial strike which rounded off a splendid third quarter spell for the Ballyjamesduff men, whom had been flat in the first-half against a Belturbet side which led by two points at half-time despite kicking nine wides.

Niall O'Reilly's sending off just before half-time didn't aid the Rories' cause, while the loss of former county ace Eoin McGuigan to injury was also another blow, as they were completely outclassed in a second-half in which they could only muster two scores against the winners, whom now await Ballinagh or Cavan Gaels in the county final.

Oisin O'Connell fired over the opener for Castlerahan inside two minutes after cutting loose down the right flank and drilling between the posts.

However, that would be about as good got for the would-be winner in the opening 30 minutes, as Niall O'Reilly sent Eoin McGuigan through for Belturbet's reply on seven minutes, before the Rories would bring their wides' tally up to six by the 12th minute in their hunt for the lead.

The same O'Reilly eventually gave Beltubet their first lead on the quarter hour mark after Johnny Klusch gathered a short free from Brendan Fitzpatrick and laid off to his centre-forward, as the men wearing black and amber began to dictate things with Damian O'Reilly and Kevin McConnell sweeping up at the back.

Veteran Jason O'Reilly doubled the advantage with a left-footed free, but Belturbet would be dealt a blow when midfielder McGuigan suffered a hit to his kidneys and had to be substituted, with Conor Vaughan taking his place, as the half drew to a close.

It would turn into a double blow for Cathal Murphy's side minutes later, as they would be reduced to 14 men in injury-time when Niall O'Reilly was issued a straight red card for kicking out at Enda O'Connell. The incident led to a melee which took minutes to dissolve, before Brendan Sweeney blew for half-time with the score-line still reading 0-3 to 0-1 in Belturbet's favour.

Having struck nine wides in the opening 30 minutes and lost their only two scores from play thus far, Belturbet faced into an uphill battle in the second-half with their opponents yet to ignite.

Within a minute of the restart all the leaders' good work during the first-half was undone as Paul Brady, now operating at full-forward, shot over two quick scores to level matters for Castlerahan.

Belturbet hadn't received the wake-up call as Sean Brady was denied a goal moments later by David Greene's left hand post, but a Ronan Flanagan free and a slick point from Cian Mackey ushered the now rampant Ballyjamesduff men into a two-point advantage.

A sweetly struck '45' from Brady pushed the lead to three, which should have been reduced when Jason O'Reilly had a relatively simple free in front of goal but his effort rebounded off the post and from there Castlerahan broke to carry possession as far as Oisin O'Connell, who lashed over a superb score from the right sideline.

Belturbet produced their first genuine chance of the second-half from play in the 43rd minute when brilliant work from O'Reilly at full-forward released Brendan Fitzpatrick in front of the posts, but the corner-forward crashed his powerful effort off the underside of Jamie Leahy's crossbar and Castlerahan scrambled to clear the danger.

It proved to be the turning point, as a Stephen Cooney point down the other end was quickly followed up by Oisin O'Connell sneaking in behind the Rories' defence and rolling a cool finish past David Greene for three points which sent Ciaran Macken's charges into a commanding seven-point lead with under a quarter of a hour left.

O'Reilly responded with what was Belturbet's first score of the half 17 minutes in, as they sent seasoned campaigner Ollie Donohoe on at full-forward in search of a goal, which they did manage when the substitute punched to the net after a long ball in from Damian O'Reilly, before the long whistle sounded confirming Castlerahan's place in the decider along side Ballinagh or Cavan Gaels.

Belturbet: David Greene; Stuart Murphy, Damian O'Reilly, Garret McDonald; Mark Teevan, Kevin McConnell, Donald Magee; Eoin McGuigan (0-1), Cormac Rudden; Johnny Klusch, Niall O'Reilly (0-1), Johnny Higgins; Garrett Fitzpatrick, Jason O'Reilly (0-2, 1f), Brendan Fitzpatrick. Subs: Conor Vaughan for McGuigan (29 mins), Ollie Donohoe (1-0) for Rudden (46 mins), Connell McGinley for G Fitzpatrick (59 mins).

Castlerahan: Jamie Leahy; Stephen Cooney (0-1), Eugene Hill, Alan Mulvey; David Wright, Ronan Flanagan (0-1, 1f) Enda O'Connell; Paul Brady (0-2), Alan Cusack; Paul Cusack, Sean Brady (0-1, '45'), Paul Smith; Cian Mackey (0-1), Oisin O'Connell (1-2), John Clarke. Sub: Fergal Flanagan for A Cusack (59 mins).

Ref: Brendan Sweeney (Ballymachugh)

[Celt_Man]

IFC semi-final: Crosserlough goal blitz stuns Ballyhaise

http://hoganstand.com/cavan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=154817

10 September 2011

Crosserlough 5-7
Ballyhaise 2-9

Four goals in the space of ten minutes helped Crosserlough book their place into this year's intermediate football championship final at the expense of Ballyhaise tonight at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Bernard Morris's full-forward line combined for 3-7 over the hour, with Enda Gaffney and Barry McKiernan particularly rampant, while Damien Lynch gave an outstanding performance from right half-back.

Both sides had swapped goals in the opening five minutes of this encounter, as Crosserlough went on to lead by the minimum at the halfway stage, but it was the Kilnaleck side that proved they had the superior goal-touch, banging in four majors between the 32nd and 42nd minutes to leave their opponents stunned and themselves with a county final against either Drumgoon or Killeshandra to savour next month.

Enda Gaffney had Crosserlough off the mark after two minutes when he rounded his man and sailed his shot between the uprights.

From the resultant kick-out Ray Cullivan found Colm Reilly in the right corner and the veteran attacker crossed towards goal where a Crosserlough defender carried possession across his own line, under pressure from Gerry McRudden, and the umpire's green flag was raised.

A Stephen Smith free would stretch Ballyhaise's lead to three only momentarily, as their opponents created an opening which saw Gaffney smash a shot off the crossbar and from the rebound Eoin Cusack was quickest to pounced and tuck the ball past goalkeeper Rory Donnellan to leave things at 1-1 apiece.

A Gaffney free and a superb point from Barry McKiernan had the black and ambers back in front, before Eamonn Costello fired over a fine score to bring it back to a one-point game.

Smith and Gaffney (free) swapped scores at the end of an even opening 30 minutes to leave the score-line at 1-4 to 1-3 in Crosserlough's favour for half-time.

Shane McKiernan would look to set the tone for Ballyhaise in the opening seconds of the resumption with a splendid point, but Ray Cullivan's charges would be caught cold by two quick goals from Karl Smith and Barry McKiernan, with the latter's strike coming after some fantastic work by wing-back Damien Lynch to carry possession out of his defence and set-up the corner-forward.

McKiernan would return the favour to the outstanding Lynch later on, but not before the Kilnaleck men would stun their opponents with another major after Karl Smith got himself dragged down in the Ballyhaise square and the lethal Gaffney buried the ball underneath Rory Donnellan's dive.

Stephen Smith shot two points to try and stem the tide for Ballyhaise, but they were quickly wiped out when Bernard Morris's charges again broke superbly out of defence and located McKiernan in the corner from where the ace attacker crossed to the onrushing Lynch in the square and the defender finished goal number five to the net to kill off any outside chance of a Ballyhaise comeback.

The game's second penalty would be awarded just moment later when Colm Reilly was impeded in the Crosserlough square and Shane McKiernan lashed the spot-kick to Ciaran Galligan's right hand corner.

However, the goal would only suffice as consolation, as not evening grabbing the last three scores of the game through McKiernan and substitutes Conor Lyons and Adam Boyle could save Ballyhaise from another intermediate championship exit, with Crosserlough's final place against either Drumgoon or Killeshandra having been long confirmed beforehand.

Crosserlough: Ciaran Galligan; Mark Rehill, Pauric McKiernan, Kevin Finnegan; Damien Lynch (1-0), Colin Lynch, Paul McEvoy; Mark Lynch, James McEvoy; Eoin Cusack (1-0), Declan McCabe, Jimmy Higgins; Barry McKiernan (1-1), Karl Smith (1-0), Enda Gaffney (1-4, 1 pen, 3f). Subs: John Lynch for D McCabe (58mins), Dara McVeety for Cusack (59mins).

Ballyhaise: Rory Donnellan; Aidan Moran, Sean McCormack, Fergal Slowey; Francis Moore, Brendan Lyons, Michael Rooney; Ray Cullivan, Barry McRudden; Kevin Tierney (0-1), Eamonn Costello (0-1), Stephen Smith (0-3, 2f); Colm Reilly, Gerard McRudden, Shane McKiernan (1-2, 1f). Subs: Adam Boyle (0-1) for G McRudden (35mins), Conor Lyons (0-1) for C Reilly (51mins), Donal McGoldrick for Rooney (58mins),

Ref: Donal Reilly (Kingscourt Stars)

[Ollie]

On the Gaels v Ballinagh match I felt the Gaels were considerably the better team. Ballinagh where very disappointing. There marking was very loose and they lacked creativity in all sectors of the field. If it wasn't for their keeper who made some excellent saves the game would have been over in the first half. I thought the referee was awful. Anytime a player went to ground he blew for a free and he must have dished out at least 12/13 yellow cards with less then half of them being deserving of a yellow card. Martin Dunne was excellent for the Gaels. As was Sexton, Meehen, Smith and Murray. Cant see Castlerahen beating them in the final.
The Minor game was poor. The Gaels never really got going. O'Raghallaigh Gaels had just a bit more strength in power in all sectors of the field. Although its ridiculous that Kingscourt and shercock joined up for the championship. Any team thats capable of winning the League should have no reason to join an amalgamation for the Championship. Wasn't surprised to hear that the Minor Board chairman is a Shercock man.     

[CC1]

The Minor game was poor. The Gaels never really got going. O'Raghallaigh Gaels had just a bit more strength in power in all sectors of the field. Although its ridiculous that Kingscourt and shercock joined up for the championship. Any team thats capable of winning the League should have no reason to join an amalgamation for the Championship. Wasn't surprised to hear that the Minor Board chairman is a Shercock man.     

Bitter, bitter post.

First of all, the amalgamation was decided at the very start of the year before the league even started. Shercock and Kingscourt have a history of joining up at under age level and even senior level.

Secondly, how is it ridiculous that Shercock and Kingscourt were allowed to amalgamate? Shercock struggled to field a team this year and on one occasion were forced to forfeit a game because of it. They struggled to get 15 together for other games too. What do you suggest they do for the championship? Not enter a team at all? I can't see how that would help anybody... Kingscourt had low numbers to lesser extent throughout the league, so why not?

Shercock have had to play other amalgamations over the years in Division 2 and 3 (yes an amalgamation in division THREE), such as St. Finbarrs, Cornafean/Killeshandra, all of whom have had players play senior and underage intercounty football over the years we played them (Barry Watters, Ciaran Galligan, Declan McKiernan, Mark Johnston, Cillian Reilly, Liam Duignan etc.). We had great games against them, some we came out on top and others we didn't. Killeshandra and Cornafean would have had good enough players to win those divisions by themselves, but you never had anybody moaning about their amalgamations existance. We understood that it would be tough for them to have 13 players out each time on their own.

O'Raghallaigh Gaels played St. Joseph's (amalgamation), Eire Og Celtics (amalgamation) and Cavan Gaels (a county town team that has more of a pick than Shercock and Kingscourt put together) on their way to winning the championship. So there is obviously no problems with amalgamations in Cavan, our geographical location just seems to have better players than everywhere else at the moment.

It would just be nice to see some grace in defeat from some people.