Official Cavan GAA Thread

[mylestheslasher]

I think we must be one of the most stylish county teams. Hannon looks a bit like Nesta, Lyng has a nice hair cut and even Seanie Johnson is looking pretty cool these days. Pierson I am not so sure about, those big bog man locks are a little too retro for me.

Onto the match...

Make no mistake lads, we were well bet. We might have strung some nice moves together but the Directness of Armagh ye again tells every team we play how to beat us. Don't like to be critical of new players but Dunne will struggle unless he puts on some serious muscle. Fannin was subbed before he got sent off. He had a yellow and gave away two frees after that so that decision was correct. Hannon was ok but not fully fit. Half back line was poor defensively in the 2nd half and midfield was very bad. All Lorcan wanted to do was stick out his chest and walk into lads of the ball. He might be big and strong but he'd want to grow some brains. John Cunningham struggled to compete but this was his 1st ever game for Cavan so maybe he has more to offer. Agree that Walsh could have had something to offer if he was around. Martin Reilly was very impressive. Tremendous ball carryer, passer and scorer. His work rate is also tremendous. Cavans best player. Forde is a waste of time out the field. For me I'd give him a run at corner forward and see if he can do anything for us. Lyng was decent when he came on too but a bit to go to get to his best. Full Forward line was shocking bad. Jelly did quite well. Mad Eddie tried hard but is just lacking a bit of skill - at least he looks to lay of the ball when nothing is on. Jayo was pure shit. He looks heavy and slugish and I think his days are numbered. Pierson tried hard but he seems to be lacking some conviction (or confidence?) when his on the ball. He hit one pathetic shot for a score of his left from a very tight angle, knowing himself that he wouldn't score it. Ruairi Donohoe is no Ctr Forward and needs to be in the backs or nowhere really. Special mention to James Reilly who was top class. However, when a forward is 1 on 1 for a goal he should not be missing. Armagh could have scored 4 goals and hammered us. That team will be heavily beaten by Monaghan next time out without some drastic surgery. Maybe the following...


Reilly
Hannon
Colm Hannon? Need to try someone else.
Fannin
McCutcheon
Podge
Waters
J Cunningham
Sean Brady
M Reilly
Lyng
Flanagan (if hes back)
Jelly
Eddie Reilly
Pierson

Like I said I'd give Forde half a game at corner forward. I'm presuming McKeever is still out.

I think we'll be doing very well to stay up this year.

[cavan4ever]

Sean Brady and Lyng aren't fit enough at the moment to start games.  I heard that some weren't impressed with them getting on the last day.

[cavanmaniac]

With impeccable timing, I arrived in on Sunday just as Watters was drilling over that last point so I missed most of the action.

On the face of it, it seems our performance was fairly decent (first half especially) but not so much maybe from reading everyone's eye witness accounts. I thought there'd be more positives than just Miller and Martin Reilly. I'd still be hopeful we can take points off Westmeath and Roscommon however, games against Meath are always tight so anything's possible, and with Cork in the mire, as long as we avoid relegation I'll be happy.

[shotstopper1]

In all fairness to Mulvey he doesn't pick the team,and I'm sure he does his best.As anyone who has seen him play down through the years knows, he may have stood out in Div 3 & junior championship football,but when the 'Bridge moved up a grade to Div 2 and intermediate he just couldn't hack it.

As for Dunne & Watters these are good young lads who could do with bulking up a bit, and a few more years club football before being thrown on the county.Dunne had a bad ankle injury which kept him out of football for the best part of a year when he 16/17.How many good young lads have had career threatening injuries , by being thrown on to the county panel too soon,Cullivan being the lastest.I may be wrong but I believe that players should have at least two full years of senior club football to get them used to the senior game.It's a very big jump from county minor to county senior.
McCormack likewise, heard he has really only played one year senior club,had a shoulder injury for the early part of the year and was in the States for the summer.

It's time we looked to the future and not the present,why not take the likes of the 3 lads above,put them on a weights programme, or whatever, to build them up over a year or so ,and let them do their playing and training with their clubs.Would this not be better than spending money on medical bills?
I may be wrong but it's just an opinion.

As for the current league,we have Westmeath and Roscommon as the last two games and at that stage it looks like the 3 of us will be fighting for 6th position (depending of course on the outcome of the Cork situation),we'd need at least a couple of points going into these games,but where are they going to come from .

[cavanmaniac]

It's time we looked to the future and not the present,why not take the likes of the 3 lads above,put them on a weights programme, or whatever, to build them up over a year or so ,and let them do their playing and training with their clubs.Would this not be better than spending money on medical bills?
I may be wrong but it's just an opinion.

A man after my own heart. The short term view is king though, and will never change until someone with an eye on the bigger picture takes control at county board level. It's the same at clubs pitching in young fellas too early as well. We have a new county chairman who seems reasonably enlightened in the interviews I've read, so maybe there's hope.
But for now the county team is trapped in the twilight zone of being just too good in status terms - in that we haven't hit toal rock bottom yet - to warrant a root and branch, back to basics start afresh, while at the same time are really going nowhere fast because of the lack of a long term plan and examination of the bigger picture. Like, for example, getting under the real reasons why we have moral victories aplenty versus Tyrone, Armagh, Down etc. at underage and senior in recent years, but always seem to come out on the wrong side by a point when it really matters, cursing our supposed and mythical "bad luck." We're like the Irish rugby team of a few years ago, always have a big display when written off, always struggle under any degree of pressure or expectation.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Shotstopper is 100% correct in my opinion.

Young players like Dunne, Barry Watters, and Sean McCormack in my opinion should be given a 2 year weights programme to build themselves up before getting on the county team,

Ray Cullivan was and is a bit different,seeing as hes been been on a serious Weights programme in the DCU Academy and is very well built and is more than fit for IC Senior level.

If you looked at the Armagh team,There wasnt one player who you could consider light,
Even the smaller guys like Brian Mallon and Paul Duffy and Enda McNulty none of whom are near 6ft were built like absolute tanks.

We on the otherhand have too many light players,

Martin Reily for example is a great player,But the abuse he must take from physically fit players 2 and 3 stone heavier than him will take its toll.

id be of the opinion you could probably get away with a lack of height in some areas if all your players were very physically strong.

[shotstopper1]

Have heard that, although not injured during the game Rory Dunne's ankle swoll up afterwards, but he's not too sure of what damage, if any, may have being done.

[cavan4ever]

Anyone get a look at the fixtures yet.  I think there is going to be a vote(maybe it has taken place) on whether Templeport are relegated or not.  I heard that they are going to go to the Ulster Council if they are relegated.  They reckon that a motion wasn't passed to relegate a team to Division 4 that it was only prosposed.

[mylestheslasher]

First round games...

Round One - Div 1

Cuchullains v Belturbet
Ballinagh v Mullahoran
Ballyhaise v Gowna
Denn v Cavan Gaels
Drumalee v Lavey
Lacken v Killygarry
Crosserlough v Castlerahan


Round One - Div 2

Drung v Drumgoon
Cootehill v Kingscourt
Redhills v Drumlane
Ballymachugh v Killeshandra
Knockbride v Bailieboro
Shercock v Killinkere
Ramor Utd. v Cavan Gaels

Round 1 - Div 3

Arva v Maghera
Swanlinbar v Butlersbridge
Kildallan v Crosserlough
Corlough v Shannon Gaels
Muntirconnacht v Mountnugent
Laragh Utd. v Cornafean
Kill a bye

[Mr. Pain]

So is that the way it is. Would Templeport rather sit at the foot of Div.3 or take it like men, play in Div.4 and get promoted back to Div.3. If they are good enough they will get back up. What happens next year? Can a team not be relegated? Is there a glass ceiling above Div.4. It ruins the league for everyone. If this does go much further Mr. Pain predicts a late start for the league. Mr. Pain sees a conspiracy where the top-class facilities at Templeport will be used to leverage a deal with the County Board. Just a theory. Rant over!

[BallyhaiseMan]

So is that the way it is. Would Templeport rather sit at the foot of Div.3 or take it like men, play in Div.4 and get promoted back to Div.3. If they are good enough they will get back up. What happens next year? Can a team not be relegated? Is there a glass ceiling above Div.4. It ruins the league for everyone. If this does go much further Mr. Pain predicts a late start for the league. Mr. Pain sees a conspiracy where the top-class facilities at Templeport will be used to leverage a deal with the County Board. Just a theory. Rant over!

Its a complete Joke Mr Pain, i hope our club appeals to the county board should Templeport stay in Division 3, over our junior teams relegation to Division 5.

Templeport are afraid of their lives to go down to Division 4 because they wouldnt come straight back up.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Lads just reading on the main board about break out stars this year

who do we all think could be Cavans break out stars this year

Im expecting big things out of Martin Reily,Podge
and Ronan Flanagan this year.i also think this could be the year Michael Lyng exerts himself into one of the best Centre Forwards in Ulster.

[cavan4ever]

Our young talent are a bit like this

[Mr. Pain]

Mr. Pain gives the thumbs up c4eva!

[Davitt Man]

I hear Colin O'Hara has transfered back to kildallon after a year in allenwood. Kildallon could be a force to be reckoned with this year. It mustnt have worked out in allenwood.