Official Cavan GAA Thread

[cavan4sam]

Terrible news indeed, RIP Paddy Bird. Condolences to his family and friends.

[Breffni_Yank]

Absolutely terrible and awful news. All thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time of year.

One of the more interesting characters to ever play football in this county. He was usually worth the entrance fee alone and by all means he could play football. Such sad news. RIP Paddy. You will be long remembered around Bailieborough and the surrounding areas.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-16/20111216-darwin-blast-man-dies/3734692

[whats my name]

Played against paddy a few times great footballer terrible news for his family and friends my he rest in peace

[tierworker blue]

Terrible news. RIP Paddy.

[CC1]

Awful news, I work with one of his best friends and you could tell that he was a great character and loved amongst those who knew him. Great footballer as well, remember playing against him once where he came on and changed the game for Bailieboro. Another sad loss of a young mans life down this end of the country.

RIP Paddy.

[Denn Forever]

Back to unimportant things in the grand scheme of life.

Didn't know Walsh had emigrated.

Have a good break and don't drink or eat too much.

Walsh backs Johnston switch
22 December 2011


Seanie Johnston of CavanFormer Cavan midfielder Nicholas Walsh believes Seanie Johnston is well within his rights to leave for another county after he was deemed surplus to requirements by Breffni County boss Val Andrews.

The gifted Cavan Gaels attacker, who will spend Christmas and the early part of the New Year in Australia, has been linked with a move to Kildare, and his former club and county team-mate Walsh says he would understand if the player decided to turn his back on Cavan and line out for another county in 2012.

Former AFL recruit Walsh, who is a strength and conditioning coach with new Aussie Rules franchise Greater Western Sydney, said in the Irish News: "I know the way that it was left in terms of him and Val Andrews and Cavan, he was very disappointed.

"Seanie's only 26-27 years of age and probably one of the top footballers in Ulster and I think he's being denied the opportunity to play at the level he wants to.

"He hasn't made a decision and obviously with work commitments and that it just depends, but if he got the right job opportunity and the opportunity to move to another county, then I'd be wishing him the best of luck.

"Seanie's a great footballer and he needs to be playing football at the top level and if Cavan can't provide that and he's not getting the opportunity under the current management, then I'd have no qualms with him going and playing with another county."

[mylestheslasher]

How does a story like this get to "print". It's not like journalist bumped into Walsh given that he is in Australia. To me it reads like some gaels buddies painting the "doomsday" scenario that Johnston will walk if Andrews doesn't change his mind. Im looking forward to see can the new team gel better without him, especially in the forwards. I suspect they will.

[Denn Forever]

I should have indicated that I took it from HS. 

SJ should be relishing his time off.  I'd say he'll be back for the Championship and that hopefully other players may have cemented their place in the team so that  SJ has to fight for his place.

[boojangles]

What are the opinions on the dramatic new changes being introduced to club football in the county?
I would like to see a full run down of all the changes but I am led to believe that this years Division One league will decide the future make up of the Senior Championship. Basically the top nine teams in the 2012 league will compete at Senior Championship level on their own. The remaining seven? clubs will be relegated to Intermediate but will all have to join with other Junior or Intermediate clubs to compete in the Senior Championship. The Intermediate and Junior Championships will be run earlier in the year.
I am fully behind the attempts to get a stronger Senior Championship and give everybody a chance to play at Senior level. However I feel that the means by which they will be grading clubs is wrong. Clubs will be judged on their league form this year instead of championship. The Championship is where a club will show its true potential (if at all) IMO.
I would agree with the end result but I'm just not sure that the methods to get there are correct.
Anybody able to shed some further light on the changes?

[mylestheslasher]

What are the opinions on the dramatic new changes being introduced to club football in the county?
I would like to see a full run down of all the changes but I am led to believe that this years Division One league will decide the future make up of the Senior Championship. Basically the top nine teams in the 2012 league will compete at Senior Championship level on their own. The remaining seven? clubs will be relegated to Intermediate but will all have to join with other Junior or Intermediate clubs to compete in the Senior Championship. The Intermediate and Junior Championships will be run earlier in the year.
I am fully behind the attempts to get a stronger Senior Championship and give everybody a chance to play at Senior level. However I feel that the means by which they will be grading clubs is wrong. Clubs will be judged on their league form this year instead of championship. The Championship is where a club will show its true potential (if at all) IMO.
I would agree with the end result but I'm just not sure that the methods to get there are correct.
Anybody able to shed some further light on the changes?

Doomed to fail in my opinion. I have never seen anything but disdain for senior level amalgamations. Can't see how this will change. Back when I was playing St josephs (Killeshandra, Cornafean and Arva) used to amalgamate for senior championship. There was normally one other team and the amalgamated teams had to play off for thr right to enter the senior champ proper. Neither team won a game in it I don't think. Maybe it is different now for some reason.

[boojangles]

What are the opinions on the dramatic new changes being introduced to club football in the county?
I would like to see a full run down of all the changes but I am led to believe that this years Division One league will decide the future make up of the Senior Championship. Basically the top nine teams in the 2012 league will compete at Senior Championship level on their own. The remaining seven? clubs will be relegated to Intermediate but will all have to join with other Junior or Intermediate clubs to compete in the Senior Championship. The Intermediate and Junior Championships will be run earlier in the year.
I am fully behind the attempts to get a stronger Senior Championship and give everybody a chance to play at Senior level. However I feel that the means by which they will be grading clubs is wrong. Clubs will be judged on their league form this year instead of championship. The Championship is where a club will show its true potential (if at all) IMO.
I would agree with the end result but I'm just not sure that the methods to get there are correct.
Anybody able to shed some further light on the changes?

Doomed to fail in my opinion. I have never seen anything but disdain for senior level amalgamations. Can't see how this will change. Back when I was playing St josephs (Killeshandra, Cornafean and Arva) used to amalgamate for senior championship. There was normally one other team and the amalgamated teams had to play off for thr right to enter the senior champ proper. Neither team won a game in it I don't think. Maybe it is different now for some reason.

I'm led to believe that every club in the county will have to be represented in the Senior Championship. So it seems like the County Board are really pushing for this. Who chooses the make-up of the amalgamations I am not sure. It appears that there could be up to five clubs in some amalgamations which is unworkable IMO.
There will be alot of Senior clubs in a tricky situation. Do they do their damndest to stay as a Senior club on their own to compete at Championship level or do they take their chances in Intermediate and decide that its better to try and amalgamate to win a Senior championship.
Interesting times ahead.

On another note, I seen the annual convention report where the County Board recorded a surplus (profit) of around 150k for this year. Considering the costs involved in bringing home two cups at provincial level the County Board and all involved deserve serious credit. Lets hope these profits can be re-invested to continue with the great strides that have been made in the last few years in Coaching and Development within schools and at grass roots level.

[Denn Forever]

Re John Morrison.

According to our county board he will be back training Cavan in January!

Talking to the great man yesterday - and have to say he looked very well, out and about!

Glad to see it!!   

[Celt_Man]

Who chooses the make-up of the amalgamations I am not sure. It appears that there could be up to five clubs in some amalgamations which is unworkable IMO.

The County Board decides who is involved in each amalgamation....

[tommysmith]

Who chooses the make-up of the amalgamations I am not sure. It appears that there could be up to five clubs in some amalgamations which is unworkable IMO.

The County Board decides who is involved in each amalgamation....

Clubs must be bordering and they wont force teams who dont want to join into joining.

[Breffni_Yank]

Well Lads, hope you all had a good christmas and rested up.

Whole new season for Cavan and for once I think there is genuinely  a bit of optimism.

What are we looking to get out this year? Any word in the McKenna Cup panel? Seen most counties have released their squad at this stage.