Official Cavan GAA Thread

[rodney trotter]

Gary Donohoe is on Brennan and Donohoe's show on Cavantv tonight, hopefully his last act as Minor manager.

As for next weekend well I think expectations have been tempered dramatically given the injury worries and the two losses within a week in April and Clark's subsequent departure for Boston. Going up to Armagh, who will be baying for our blood after last year, we'll have to be very good on the day to get a win.

O'Connor had a fantastic game against Wexford by all accounts and could provide a decent option for the inside forward line from the bench. Armagh will look at the game last year and see that even though their full back line got absolutely annihilated they were still very much in the game with 65 minutes gone. Clarke will be a huge threat, hard to see us keeping him scoreless again. I still think we're a better side than we were at this point last year, the players believe in the system and it's got them to an AIQF, McKenna Cup Final and League Final in the last 12 months.

Anyone know if you'd be safe enough to get a ticket on the day up there?

He resigned last Monday... on the show tonight is probaly to chat about the match last week and the past 4 years. He won a Minor title in that period so it wasn't all bad, lost by 2pts in the Minor Semi last year to Monaghan, could possibly have beaten them. This year was a big disappointment as there was good talent in this years Minor team more so then in the past few years.

[Westside]

Hadn't heard that. Great news for Cavan. He can go back to being a poor club manager. He deserves some credit for the Minor win in 2011 certainly (with one of the best Minor panels in years) but with the benefit of hindsight, was there more in that team than an Ulster Title? I would say so, and certainly more than a dull defeat to Connacht runners up.

Who would be in the running to replace him rodney would you think? Surely we have another in the county in the mould of Peter or Terry.. Does Peter Donnelly have any involvement with the Minor panel?

[rodney trotter]

Hard to know. Lots of good coaches in the schools at present with Virginia and Pats. They would have to quit that role in order to manage the Co Minor team

[comeysfield]

Conor Gilsenan; Jason McLoughlin, Rory Dunne, Feargal Flanagan; James McEnroe, Alan Clarke (capt), Damien O'Reilly; David Givney, Gearoid McKiernan; Cian Mackey, Niall McDermott, Martin Reilly; Eugene Keating, Martin Dunne, Jack Brady.

The liklihood is that at least 2 of this team will not start due to injury. So I would expect a couple of changes yet !!!

Good to see Jason back at the same time that at least he is considered to fit enough to put on a teamsheet

[rodney trotter]

Would be tough on Hayes if he is left out after starting every game this year , McKenna Cup and League. Doubtful if the team will start like that. Dunne and Mackey wouldn't be 100% fit.

Jack Brady has played lots of football with Ramor since the League final and that will have brought on his fitness.

[Westside]

I took a gander at the Armagh Fans website, the Orchard lads are very confident over there. One or two expecting Armagh to win pulling up. Another reckons it's just a matter of time until this Armagh side come out and blow the opposition away and that could well be this Sunday. There's predictions that Morgan is able to come out well on top against Dunne and Vernon to be well able for Keating. A few taking a more cautious approach but there's a general bullishness in the attitude towards this game from them.

The worries for Sunday for me would be the form of Jack, Keating and Givney. The loss of Mackey. McLoughlin's lack of game time recently before going out to pick up Clarke.
The bonuses would be having Gearoid, Argue as an option from the bench too. The team has matured immeasurably in the last year and we won't show the level of uncertainty we did in the opening round last year I would hope.

[rodney trotter]

It's a whole new Armagh full back line from last year. Vernon would have been midfield last year only for injury, full back Sunday. Andy Mallon didn't play Co football last year and James Morgan missed the game too with injury. Dunne won't get it easy on Morgan similar player to Colin Walshe,  maybe less cynical.

Plus to have Geaorid back this year. Martin Reilly has been having a good year and hopefully he continues that form into Sunday. I think Keating can do damage on Charlie Vernon, with a good supply of ball.

[Itchy]

Best of luck to the lads this evening. Bit worried about m Dunne if its a dirty wet day, doesn't suit him. Hopefully the lads produce their best display this year and if they do they will win.

[rodney trotter]

Depends how well he is marked too, wasn't wet against Monaghan last year and he didn't get into the game. Good luck to Cavan

[Westside]

I've seen Dunne turn it on on dirty evenings before, give him the right ball and he'll be grand! Best of luck to the lads later.

[hugh the root]

It was a disgrace that Armagh employed this tactic to make sure Martin Dunne would play no part in the game. if Grimley gets off with this then the whole thing is a mockery.Its a good job Sky were nt covering it as Pauric Duffys diaspora would have seen first hand the shambles that Gaelic games has turned into!I am not from either county and have no allegiance to Cavan. The Ulster council are only interested in money. This could have developed into a riot yesterday so heads must roll with heavy suspensions the only deterrent.Ciaran Mckeever lead the riot as per footage!

[comeysfield]

No naming names as far as I am concerned every player was involved. It really does not matter who started it as it was just stupid. We will get into school ground blame the child who ran away. I know it might seem just a little excessive but if both teams were kicked out on their ear it would send out the right signals. This kind of pathetic shambles has to end. Just a pity we allowed ourselves get dragged into this shite. Incredible toothless performance by us in the first half. How many times did we get turned over the mad thing is that Keating was winning a bit of ball or frees so why not try something. Ran out of counting when we decided to not shoot and then just got bottled up.

Maddening for Club players that weekend games are now Friday and no reserve fixtures have. Do second team players not need football !!!

Anyway will be interesting to see can we get the wheels back on the Blue Wagon against Westmeath and build again. We really really need forwards who will shoot it is the first step to scoring

[beer baron]

Hugh the root if you seen what Martin Dunne did you wouldn't feel much pity for the lad.

Cavan were disgustingly bad yesterday,could've been beat 15 points easily and Armagh are no world beaters. I didn't think i'd see a performance like that for the next 7 or 8 years.

We all know our system at this stage with in general 2 or 3 lads given the ball to score and everyone else that's attacking usually  there to get the ball to them but yesterday was shocking. In the 1st half  i was thinking Gearoid was carrying an injury because he wouldn't shoot at all and him a lad well able to score,Jack too,what ever happened to to the young lad that used to swing points over from all angles? Mc Enroe had a good game i felt but other than that there weren't too may positives to take out. Sorry Mc Loughlin did pretty well too.

[tommysmith]

I'm fed up with the Cavan style of play its is way to slow at times yesterday we were breaking foward from the back with the inside forwards making runs and instead of kicking it in to them the ball went sideways or backways and allowed Armagh to set up there defensive wall.

It's pure shite to watch when its done right but when its done badly its f**king desperate to look at.

As a poster above said why are lads who are well able to shoot not having a go.


Why did Mackey not start if he was fit to come on,he should have been starting and get maybe forty or fifty minutes out of him.

[rodney trotter]

Why did Aaron Kernan not start for Armagh , he wasn't fully fit to start neither was Mackey... Mackey has only trained a couple of times since the League final.