Official Cavan GAA Thread

[Lawrence of Knockbride]

You'll also note Homer that McCabe is named at midfield, McKeever on the 40 and Ronan Flanagan at Full Forward. The obvious guess is that those 3 will switch around with McCabe on the square and McKeever on the 40 but you never know with that old fox Keoghan. Disappointed to see Watters keeping his place. I'm sure he'll turn out to be a fine player but a definite weak link as Rory Dunne is likely to be. Surprised Jason kept his place too as a fit Sean Brady is surely a much better option. Mulvey never plays for more than 10-15 minutes so I'm glad he is where he is. I'm more anxious about the Armagh team to be honest.

[Mr. Pain]

Mr. Pain was just browsing through the Armagh thread. There is barely a mention of this match at all. For them a win must be a foregone conclusion. Mr. Pain would disagree with Hollow Man anout Crowe. He would bring a bit more power than some of the carboard cut-outs that line out on that team. This is looking like a complete disaster and Cavan will be annihilated. Mr. Pain does not know if he spelt annihilated correctly but he will fast all day in hope that he will be eating his words after the game.

[Uladh]

The Armagh club thread is for discussion on club football. There's a hint in the title. discussion on the game is in the Cavan Vs Armagh thread (clue in the title), which very few of you boys seem much interested in.

[cavanmaniac]

...but you never know with that old fox Keoghan...

[Mr. Pain]

That was an oversight on Mr. Pain's part. He didn't see the word "club" first time around! iT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Im getting to this discussion late

Keith Fannin is a better player than all the following in my opinion, Rory Dunne, Padraig Reily(on current form anyway),Martin Cahill,Anthony Forde and Barry Watters(at this stage in his career),Dermot Sheridan,Johnny Crowe and John McCutcheon
Yet he is nowehere near the reckoning for the team.

[Homer]

Although I would agree that Fannin has been given a raw deal recently, my sources tell me that he is in poor enough himself of late and doesn't seem to have the same interest anymore. That's just going on what I'm told though as I haven't seen the lad play since he fell out of flavour.

Any word on the fitness of Darren Rabbitte? At the time of his injury i was led to believe it was not too severe.

[CC1]

Although I would agree that Fannin has been given a raw deal recently, my sources tell me that he is in poor enough himself of late and doesn't seem to have the same interest anymore. That's just going on what I'm told though as I haven't seen the lad play since he fell out of flavour.

Seems to be the case alright. He was woeful against us a few weeks back and kicked a sight of balls out over the sideline. When you compare that to the Keith Fannin we faced last year the dip in form is very noticable... Doesn't look interested to me either to be honest.

[anglocelt39]

 Interesting article from the Echo. Think everybody knows there has been an increasing issue with fellas opting out of county football but when it's brought together in an article like this you really get a feeling for the extent of the problem. The problem was there, I think, before the current management team came on board but it hasn't lessened by the looks of things. Anyway heres hoping for both teams on Sunday, looks like we need a very fast open game at senior level because we sure as heck haven't selected a team to take part in an arm wrestle. 


 

 
 
THE BURNING ISSUE: A chore rather than an honour? 
 
Cavan Echo 
 
By Declan Gallen 
 
30/05/2008 
 
And yet another player falls by the wayside. Gerald Pierson has left the county panel in what will be seen as another blow to the team's build-up for Armagh. Pierson, on form, is one of the best corner forwards in Ulster, but unfortunately he has not been at his best at all this year. It is hard to put your finger on why so many of our players are dropping from the county panel. Is it lack of hunger, lack of opportunities — or lack of motivation?
It does not seem to be a problem in other counties. The turnover in players in Cavan is simply huge. Every year to the next there seems to be a massive clearout of players with new more inexperienced ones in to take their place. A few players stick out already this year: Eamon Reilly from the Gaels, Donal Thomas from Killygarry and Ciaran Galligan from Drung. Reilly and Galligan all played Championship football for Cavan last year and while Thomas didn't, he has been most impressive for Killygarry in their bad performances and good so far this year.
Pierson leaving the panel is a blow no matter what way you dress it up. Accounts will put it that he has not had the hunger to push himself into the starting 15 and from the appearances he has put in he did not look overly intent on keeping a jersey. But how can this be? Rewind to last year's Senior Championship final. Ger Pierson put in one of the most impressive performances seen in Cavan club football this side of the turn of the millennium. He very nearly single-handedly pushed Gowna over the finishing line, shorn as they were of the talismanic Dermot McCabe. Pierson took over McCabe's mantle that day and, despite at times being treble marked, he still managed to give the Gaels back line a severe chasing. The guy is obviously still hell-bent on success for his club, so why would it be any different for the county team.
Add his name to Raymond Galligan, Rory Donohue and Micky Lyng – to name but a few – then you have players who, with a bit of work, could have pushed themselves maybe not into the starting, 15 but surely roles on the bench; Galligan of Lacken especially, on current form, as he beat Belturbet by himself last weekend. He is coming back to himself after injury and the confidence hammer-blow he received in Navan.
With such a small player base in the county, we cannot afford to lose players mid-way through the year. People who come in to replace these bodies will not have the same preparation put in or have the benefits of league football behind them. Whatever happens against Armagh – whether we get beat by twenty points or by two, if we go into the qualifiers and get beat by 10 points or go on to the quarter finals of the All-Ireland – if we win and go on to an Ulster Final, the most worrying thing about this year is why all these players are quitting the county panel in the heat of the summer months.
Easy answer: blame management. Easy answers are not always the correct ones. Any player in this county should be willing to give his right arm to play for Cavan, whether Donal Keoghan, Martin McHugh or Mickey Mouse is over the team. You just don't see that hunger in too many of the players around at the moment. When you see Terry Hyland having to ring up to 60 people just to get twenty to say yes to play for a Cavan development squad, there must be a problem somewhere.
Is the gloss coming off representing Cavan? Would players rather play away for their clubs where the pressure is off and with the spotlight removed from their every step? The rewards of playing at inter-county level do not represent an equal exchange for the amount of time, effort and dedication players are putting in. Training will take over your life, your family and job will play second fiddle. Maybe it is no surprise that players who have been exposed to it so young are stepping away from it long before their prime. In reality, if you are not in one of the top five teams in the country, playing Gaelic football is an occupational hazard that will bring you attention (good or bad) for a maximum of three days a year. The rest of the time you will spend slogging it out in the gym or running the hard yards around a training field. Is it really worth it?

[BallyhaiseMan]

Alright lads, Judgement day has arrived

i think we are going to sneak it today 

[BallyhaiseMan]

Good win for the minors today anyway, i thought they were very impressive and much better than they were against Antrim.
Next Up Future AFLer Kyle Coney and co, should be a terrific game in Clones on the 29th.

[anglocelt39]

Sorry folks being in exile in the outer regions of the country I was reduced to watching this on the web which is better than nothin but not exactly like being behind the town goals. Looked to me like the expression "thrashed by 4 points" applies. Physical power certainly was an issue all through the game. What the fecking around at midfield with McDonald/Mulvey was is a mystery, and that's being charitable. I don't like having a go a fellas, so will confine it to saying Mulvey was off the pace.............The use, or lack of use, of Sean Brady, who was playing at a gool level at midfield with UCD when the won the Dublin County Championship is a bit of a mystery. Now we knew where the Armagh threat was going to be......Clarke and Stevie, did we have any plan at all to try and deal with them, none that I could see really, certainly not in the first half. On the other hand they knew where our threat lay and they really managed to bottle up Jelly in the first half particularly, mind you the quality of ball going in was nowhere near what Stevie and Ronan were getting.

Final point, almost, Michael Hannon would be considered the nearest thing we have to a man marker well jesus he took some chasing from Stevie today in addition to the one he took from Coulter last year. Has he lost a small bit?

Keogans skills will be stretched to the last now, we might start to see the real fallout from the Chicago last year scene now. While I'm rambling, saw a pic from yesterdays paper of the 04 clash against Armagh and two physical looking lads mixing it with the Armage attack-Rabbitte and Gaynor. Pity, see above article from Gallen in the Echo.

Delighted for our minors, really would love to see them roll Tyrone, and fair play the hype bullshit has been contained so far.

[KIDDO 4]

Mulvey seemed to have his hand bandaged today, perhaps  this is why  he was  so ineffective on his introduction.

[shotstopper1]

The treatment of Declan Gaffney was a disgrace,a lad (centrefielder) who was on the panel all year having to sit on the bench and watching them f**king about with McDonald and Mulvey,surely he should've being given a chance.It wouldn't really give a young lad the desire to put the commitment in for county football now would it?on another note why play a big full forward and not give the ball into him?Also this carry on of bringing good minors from the year before onto the senior panel will have to stop also,it was clear that Watters and Dunne were too light and not up to Championship football.

[CC1]

Anyone know what the official attendance was for the game yesterday? I think I may have won a bet... Unfortunately the only bet I'll have won this weekend.