Official Cavan GAA Thread

[PhilsJemmysField]

We woz woeful,

That phrase County Star has reached a new low ebb. We have to hope that we can some form of a spark out of the club championship now. Even if you look at the physical profile of our lads versus Louth, Longford and Meath we are way behind

[anglocelt39]

If it wasn't for the small bit of  hope we got from our Under 21's this year I'd have given up altogether but sure instead I'll do a copy and paste job on the post I put up last June and the June before that etc.

Our senior championship record over the past three years has to be close to the most inept and embarrassing in the country. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, Cavan GAA seems to have a patent on insanity. Returning to unfit, uncommitted players year after year in the hope that something is going to change. Putting out a team that is physically at a disadvantage to every other county in the Country and expecting they are somehow going to find a way around that. The signs were there even in the last year we had a bit of modest success under McIlkennon. During the game against Mayo in Dr Hyde Park we had a few subs came on that day who looked in a level of condition you used to see in Junior games circa 1970's-a neutral mate of mine turned to me and asked if we were having a laugh.

I don't totally blame the players-it seems to have got to the sad stage where fellas are actually doing the management a favour by coming down to tog out for the County.

And yet, we were capable of putting out an Under 21 selection that made it to an AIF ( and I'm not getting my hopes totally up on that). From what I understand they were the bones of an Under 16 development panel that stuck together so is there something to be learned there.

Any chance that this coming October we do a detailed assessment of what's in the County with a view to pulling together a group of 40 players that will commit to a few basic principles-i.e. committing to the life of an inter county footballer for a 12 month period i.e. gym work, skills improvement, look after yourself socially etc. Basic rules, sign up or ship out, no exceptions. FFS we have 40 clubs in the county surely to christ you could find ONE lad from 30 of those clubs to take up that challenge for starters. If it delivers us to Division 4 next year I really don't care as long as there was some level of improvement in the longer term. Plenty of counties out there have managed a significant improvement in the last few years Rossies, Longford etc.

Could type more but can't be arsed. Hope our minors have some bit of success against Tyrone, somebody was posting about a 3 point defeat to Tipp in a challenge, Tipp looked serious when the beat Kerry a few weeks ago so won't lose hope just yet on that front.

Have a good summer folks.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Its hard to know how exactly things are going to improve.
My thought include

1. Discarding the management? Even if this management is discarded with, The Cavan County board has shown itself incapable of selecting decent management teams and even has went as far as embarrassingly handing the decision to an outside source(sportstracker). They may once again appoint an inept management team.


2. Players acting the c**t days before an IC match.
Whether its drinking in killeshandra 6 days before an IC match,or getting wasted in Quinns 3 days before a League match,Realistically  a list of these players needs to be drafted and their IC playing careers ended for good.
The Meath lads had a few, Saturday night after the game,and there is nothing wrong with a few after any game,but going on absolute benders before and for days after games is unnacceptable at this level.

3. Gym and physical preparation.
There is a terrific set-up in regards gym facilities in Breffni,as good as vitually any other county bar maybe Dublin(DCU elite gym) Limerick(UL) and maybe one or two of the Nordies.
There should be no excuse with regards players not being powerful/strong/heavy enough to break tackles at this level.
Players who dont show the necessary guts and ambition to develop themselves into athletes fit for this level of competition should be discarded with, no matter what their football ability.

Eugene Keating is an example as to the type of player we should be looking for,outstanding football ability coupled with  power and strength.

Feel free to add to this.

[rodney trotter]

Who was the lad that was on the piss before the game anyway?.. Cavan should follow Kildare, while they lost yesterday they are a top team and every player on that team is physically built unlike Cavan. Since Mcgeeney has taken over they were all given weights programs and its showing the benefits 4 years on..They have probaly the best facilities for gym work and training in carlton house hotel. I think Cavan made a mistake in not appointing Pete Mcgrath last year, he would have been a shrewd manager with maybe hyland as a number 2 and 2 selectors.. I agree about keating he was probaly one of cavans better players this year. He has loads of ability, he was a big loss to the u21s last year as he wasn't involved with them at all..I dont know what players are out there improve the panel as they have looked at a few hundred at this stage

[Breffni_Yank]

Attitude is clearly the problem. Therefore any manager with any balls at all would worm out those who have a negative influence. Young lads are coming through now and they need guidance. Not selfish individuals who have constantly shown that they do not have what it takes.

Therefore I would keep the likes of McCutcheon, McKeever, Podge and a few others who people know have a good attitude and I would use the likes of McEnroe, Keating, McKiernan and McDermott in and around them in a settled team next year from the very beginning and see if they click. What harm can it do?

Does anyone on here know Johnson? What is his problem? I thought he was deplorable in the two championship games. By my own admission I didn't see too much of the league so can't comment. Not even the cousin of a captain in my book. 

[anglocelt39]

As one of the, ahem, older members on this thread I wish I could state that drink related indiscipline is a recent problem but unfortunately it's anything but. You can go back as far as the late 70's and the "hilarious" stories were legendary at the time of lads taking 3 or 4 days to make it back from League games in the deep south. This was when the stars of St Pats only Hogan Cup winning team were coming through so the assumption was that our brief break from collecting Ulster Medals like you now collect Tesco Club card points would be a short term thing. And here we are 40 years later.

On a national thread I've heard some guy insinuate that the GAA's worst drink problems would include Cavan football and Tipp Hurling. Interesting parallels there, lads who were collecting provincial medals for fun up to the late 60's and then disappeared without trace. Tipp have made it back to a fair degree but they have the numbers and Hurling would be a bit less competitive at any rate.

What all this proves I don't know apart from the point that I am as depressed as the next Cavan man and need to get some sleep.

[ACDC]

Returning to unfit, uncommitted players year after year in the hope that something is going to change. Putting out a team that is physically at a disadvantage to every other county in the Country and expecting they are somehow going to find a way around that.

We Cavan supporters are delusional. We come up with random shite and keep going with it, even when it's not true or relevant. I honestly think, on average, we are less intelligent than other counties.

Never posted before but just had to jump in when I saw the post above.
What a groundless statement. Who are the unfit, uncommited players we've turned to year after year? Bear in mind that we brought in seven debutants last year and nine over two games this year. We have done the opposite - we've changed half the team every year or two. Your point is completely factually wrong.

The signs were there even in the last year we had a bit of modest success under McIlkennon. During the game against Mayo in Dr Hyde Park we had a few subs came on that day who looked in a level of condition you used to see in Junior games circa 1970's-a neutral mate of mine turned to me and asked if we were having a laugh.

Again, you pulled this from your hole!
The subs used that day were a 17-year-old Mackey (his debut), Gaynor (always a greyhound), Collins (great shape), Paddy Brady (at 21, he was flying) and John Tierney.
Tierney always carried a few pounds, but your thing of "a few of the subs made my neutral mate think we were having a laugh" is more revisionist spoofing, I'm afraid.
Nothing personal here, mate, just typical of Cavan supporters. Rant away and ignore the truth.
The truth is we have 30 footballers in Cavan as good as a lot of counties, but they're not committed enough. They either won't play county at all (as in the case of some of the Gaels and Kingscourt boys) or they'll play but not really, really put it in.
You have to torture yourself to make it at county level these days and we don't have 30 willing to do that. It's as simple as that, I'm afraid.
It's sad but it's true.

[mrdeeds]

I tried to put a message on Hoganstand and the editor would not put it up. I believe there should be a name and shame policy if players are drinking and print that view. Too many times indiscipline is given as a reason. It might be hard if it is your own club player but so be it. One poster mentioned players who were committed and yet named one, who a few years ago got out of the bus on the way to a challenge game to go on the beer. This year we had a player playing who last year quit because he was a sub and we will always have Oxygen. Cavan are always in the national press over player issues and never what they do on the field. Always moaning about managers. Sorry the players are going to have to take a long look at themselves. Yes a drink culture existed years ago but times have changed, players in this county need to as well. They may be amateurs but most counties train and behave at a professional standard. An inter-county career is short, and the off season can be used to let loose, but when games and hard training starts, the fun is over.

[mrdeeds]

And it can't be a coincidence that our last two managers both questioned our players. "Want to be county players but not live like one."

[Dougal]

neither me or myles a have problem in naming the player through private message,but i wont put it up in public.

Had a bit of a gigle when i saw his name mentioned as a commited player,although he does seem to be a lot more commited now than he was then.

Anyone want to PM me the names of players who went to oxegen that time,dont think i ever heard for sure who it was.

[mrdeeds]

Dougal, I did not mean name and shame here, but it should be told to the manager and/or selectors.

[BallyhaiseMan]

ACDC and Mr deeds, welcome to the Cavan GAA board thread.

Be warned,participation may cause clinical despression.

[Westside]

One of the U21s has felt the need to register and post in defence of Hyland on HS. If it's true then the U21's have a lot of less than favourable things to say about the Seniors and the people involved. My fear is that these lads will hold the U21 run in their heads as the pinnacle of their achievements and because of the poor shape of the Senior setup they will feel there is nothing to be achieved by playing for the Seniors and either not bother committing at all or fall into the trap of just going through the motions and never really achieving their potential..

Just on Johnston, I was talking to a panel member a few years ago, he had just joined. He told me that before the Tipp game (I think) Carr said "Sean we're going to give Pierson the frees today" The response was something to the effect of "Ah fook that.." Followed by a walk away and Carr basically had to follow and cajole him into lining out.

[put-it-up-again]

ACDC and Mr deeds, welcome to the Cavan GAA board thread.

Be warned,participation may cause clinical despression.

I'm at the stage where all the sharp objects in my house are kept out of view 

[put-it-up-again]

One of the U21s has felt the need to register and post in defence of Hyland on HS. If it's true then the U21's have a lot of less than favourable things to say about the Seniors and the people involved. My fear is that these lads will hold the U21 run in their heads as the pinnacle of their achievements and because of the poor shape of the Senior setup they will feel there is nothing to be achieved by playing for the Seniors and either not bother committing at all or fall into the trap of just going through the motions and never really achieving their potential..

Just on Johnston, I was talking to a panel member a few years ago, he had just joined. He told me that before the Tipp game (I think) Carr said "Sean we're going to give Pierson the frees today" The response was something to the effect of "Ah fook that.." Followed by a walk away and Carr basically had to follow and cajole him into lining out.

Good point Westside. Already this year Minnagh and Barry Reilly didn't bother.