Official Cavan GAA Thread

[Homer]

  lads and congrats to Killeshandra on their victory too, a great year for local saffrons (and an even better day for local publicans).

Was heart in mouth stuff at the death but we just about held on to grab that elusive title and more importantly the opportunity to rub shoulders with the big boys next year.

Heard the county boys met up during the week, Podge is back in there but I think the jury is still out on Gaynor (ye' mightn't recognise him now as he is sporting a much leaner haircut after taking the shears to it this week).

Good luck to Gowna and Cavan Gaels this weekend. I believe Gowna will put it up to them especially with Jimmy Galligan refereeing (likes to let the hard stuff go) but can't imagine the Gaels letting this one slip. Gaels by 4.

[Our Nail Loney]

How'd Gaels match going?

[Hollow Man]

Gaels by four

Gowna lost McCabe after 15 mins with a very serious looking ankle injury, unfortunate for them with Paddy Brady out as well

Gaels were the better team, Gowna couldn't handle Johnston at all

Lot of play acting and cocky shit as usual though

[Homer]

Gaels by four

Gowna lost McCabe after 15 mins with a very serious looking ankle injury, unfortunate for them with Paddy Brady out as well

Gaels were the better team, Gowna couldn't handle Johnston at all

Lot of play acting and cocky shit as usual though

Pierson was excellent yesterday for Gowna and I felt he fully deserved the MOM award. First time I've seen him play as well since the Meath game a couple of years ago. I recall some posts suggesting he may be excluded from the Cavan panel this year, I doubt this will be the case now.

On the other hand I can see Keoghan sticking to his guns on the Chicago 3 issue. He has already shown with Gaynor that he is a man of his principals(/stubborn  ).

McCabe was carrying a back injury going into the match and I apparently the ankle injury occurred as a result of compensating for it, looked to be in a great deal of agony before going off.

There was a comical incident between Walsh and McCabe before his departure. Elliot was about to take a kick-out for the Gaels when Walsh ran over to the wing and stood on the sideline. McCabe followed him half-way before he realised what he was doing and began shouting out to Walsh "Come over and stand beside me like a man". Walsh didn't move but he was probably frozen with fear at this stage.

McKeever came into the game in the second half and like Pierson showed some excellent long lost form.

[Kentucky Blue]

Malachy O'Rourke certainly appears to have the Mida's touch, 3 championships in 3 different counties. Loup in 2003, Errigal Ciaran in 2006 and now Cavan Gaels in 2007!

some achievement!

[wobbller]

 None in his own county

[cavanmaniac]

Gaels by four

Gowna lost McCabe after 15 mins with a very serious looking ankle injury, unfortunate for them with Paddy Brady out as well

Gaels were the better team, Gowna couldn't handle Johnston at all

Lot of play acting and cocky shit as usual though

Pierson was excellent yesterday for Gowna and I felt he fully deserved the MOM award. First time I've seen him play as well since the Meath game a couple of years ago. I recall some posts suggesting he may be excluded from the Cavan panel this year, I doubt this will be the case now.

McCabe has had ankle trouble before - kept him off international rules team down in OZ a few years ago I think - so I'd be very much afeared he's out now for a while with the usual long grind back to fitness as well. It's a shame as he'd been on his longest injury-free run for a while and was playing good stuff by all accounts.

On Pierson, I think the question marks are over his attitude more so than his talent. I've heard it from alot of different people that he just isn't particularly arsed about playing for the county apart from when Coleman was there to get the best out of him and he got subbed alot last year - harshly sometimes - so I wouldn't say he's best buddies with Keogan either.

Another potential intercounty star to waste his talent in Cavan?

And a last word on Johnston - great player on his day but if he's not committed enough to stay with his county until the championship is over, Keogan is right to leave him outside the tent unless/until he can prove otherwise, along with the other two. This issue is actually bigger than merely three players pissing off, if they're let back in it will - yet again - send out the entirely wrong message that favoured/talented players are bigger than the county team and so desperately needed that no matter how they behave all will be overlooked if they'll only be so good as to line out for the team. This short termism has left us running to stand still the last 10 years and this is a good opportunity to send out a message that the team is bigger than all individuals and that only those there for the long haul and willing to put in the work are welcome on the squad from here on. Backing down would be a disiastrous move IMO.

[Hollow Man]

I think it is the manager who should be looking at himself, not the players.

Sending out the wrong message? Are you joking? This is Donal Keogan we're talking about - the man doesn't exactly command respect, or "send out the right message" in general.

Here's my take on Johnston:

Sean Johnston was 23 in August. He has, incredibly, played six championship campaigns for Cavan, which means six winters training, not drinking, sacrificing nights out, watching what he eats - putting his life on hold actually.

In 2006 his form was so good he was picked for the Ulster team, and this year he trained like an animal and lifted weights religiously to bulk up, only to be dropped for the replay against Down. He came off the bench to kick three points from play, but he was badly hurt I would imagine.

He then faced a choice - he could go to America for the first time (he hasn't had a chance before due to football), earn money to keep himself in college (he hasn't had time for a part time job because he has been on the Cavan team since he was a boy of 18 remember) or he could hang around to get mistreated by management again. What would you do?

Would you be the martyr who takes his medicine, hanging around to warm the bench while Cavan bomb out in the first round of the qualifiers and then heading back to college penniless again?

Or would you live in the real world?

The bottom line is that Johnston is the best forward in the county bar none, he's committed and he's a winner.

[Homer]

My two cents on the issue would be to insure Johnston would only return if the other players expressed their willingness for his inclusion.

We only have to look at the Graham Geraghty incident last year to see the possible benefits of such a turn around. Battering a fellow team-mate sends out as much of a bad message as Johnston's stunt, yet his return was vital in the defeat of Tyrone.

On the other hand what's to suggest that come next summer Johnston wouldn't take the hump again and pull another Houdini? He was a great success over there and I'd imagine even more lucrative offers may be thrown his way.

Also if Johnston was that p**sed off with the set-up last year, has he even made himself available for selection this year?

[mylestheslasher]

I think it is the manager who should be looking at himself, not the players.

Sending out the wrong message? Are you joking? This is Donal Keogan we're talking about - the man doesn't exactly command respect, or "send out the right message" in general.

Here's my take on Johnston:

Sean Johnston was 23 in August. He has, incredibly, played six championship campaigns for Cavan, which means six winters training, not drinking, sacrificing nights out, watching what he eats - putting his life on hold actually.

In 2006 his form was so good he was picked for the Ulster team, and this year he trained like an animal and lifted weights religiously to bulk up, only to be dropped for the replay against Down. He came off the bench to kick three points from play, but he was badly hurt I would imagine.

He then faced a choice - he could go to America for the first time (he hasn't had a chance before due to football), earn money to keep himself in college (he hasn't had time for a part time job because he has been on the Cavan team since he was a boy of 18 remember) or he could hang around to get mistreated by management again. What would you do?

Would you be the martyr who takes his medicine, hanging around to warm the bench while Cavan bomb out in the first round of the qualifiers and then heading back to college penniless again?

Or would you live in the real world?

The bottom line is that Johnston is the best forward in the county bar none, he's committed and he's a winner.

Sorry Hollow man. I wouldn't agree with the Poor Seanie Line. 1st - No one forced him to play for Cavan for the last 6 years. 2nd - He has an attitude problem, constantly shaking his fist at the crowd etc, wanting recognition of his greatness,  which tells me not to send too much pity his way. If he wanted to go to the US he should have planned it up front and declined to play for Cavan. He ended up taking someone elses place on the panel, f**king over his team mates and showing the followers of Cavan no loyalty at all. For me those 3 guys are out for next year with a possible review the following year. Lack of loyalty must be punished by any manager who wants to keep a good morale and team spirit in the camp otherwise the message is "anything goes". Agree that Keoghan is an idiot but even idiots can be right once in a while.

[cavan4ever]

Didn't gunner say at start of last year that he was going to concentrate on Handball and was quiting county football anyway. 

[Homer]

He said back in January/Febuary that it was going to be his final year playing county football and he was going to give it his all. 

[Hollow Man]

Brady did give it his all in my opinion - he was shafted though and sometimes you have to take a stand.

I personally think the three lads were dead right - the set up is a joke, you had fellas overweight starting against Down and others who were clearly underperforming getting their place all year.

It's easy pontificating on a message board - put yourself in their place and then say that you would have hung around all summer to sit on the bench when there were fellas who clearly hadn't done the work starting?

[cavanmaniac]

Sorry Hollow man. I wouldn't agree with the Poor Seanie Line. 1st - No one forced him to play for Cavan for the last 6 years. 2nd - He has an attitude problem, constantly shaking his fist at the crowd etc, wanting recognition of his greatness,  which tells me not to send too much pity his way. If he wanted to go to the US he should have planned it up front and declined to play for Cavan. He ended up taking someone elses place on the panel, f**king over his team mates and showing the followers of Cavan no loyalty at all. For me those 3 guys are out for next year with a possible review the following year. Lack of loyalty must be punished by any manager who wants to keep a good morale and team spirit in the camp otherwise the message is "anything goes". Agree that Keoghan is an idiot but even idiots can be right once in a while.

Agree fully. Keogan is no Einstein but even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

I also agree Johnston is a very valuable player. But never to the extent that he be allowed call the shots over ANY manager, Keogan or not. Think about how Larry, Jason and countless others have been indulged, indulged and indulged again over the years because they're 'star' players and the short-term view has always been taken. Getting that league promotion, winning that first round Ulster tie has always been more important than taking a step back and asking: "What sort of culture and philosophy are we putting in place for the county team and what long term damage are we doing by carrying passengers and allowing the tail to wag the dog?" Alot of Cavan's problems are IMO due to the fact that players think the team owes them a living as opposed to knowing that they are servants of the team and only passing through in something that is much bigger than any individual.

Hollowman you say the set up is a joke. Your answer to the problem is to re-admit three players who abandoned their club and their county at the height of the season for a few dollars in USA and basically pubicly announce to the county that no matter what, good players always get their way? You speak about these players as if they have all lived like Trappist monks, are you sure about that? Have you also considered the countless indirect benefits players accrue simply because of their status as a county player, when it comes to jobs, lifestyle and other opportunities? It's not all give give and hard grind you know, you do get something back in return or else nobody would bother, would they?

Nobody forces Sean Johnston to play intercounty football. If it's stopping him getting a job etc. nobody will begrudge him quitting to look after himself. It's a voluntary thing on his part and we're glad to have him when he's fully there and committed to the cause but he cannot be there part-time or on his own terms. He's smart enough to know the duties and sacrifices that come with being a county player if he cannot meet those then thanks Sean, you will be missed certainly but off you go, Cavan needs 30 players busting a gut, not 22 with the other 8 getting special dispensations to cut corners just because of who they are. And if those players aren't immediately as good and results suffer then so be it, at the end of it all we'll have a proper environment in place where the good players of the future can prosper instead of the one at present which is getting us nowhere and won't either with flawed thinking like yours.

The message that if you're a good player, you can do what you like and still have a county jersey waiting for you regardless simply has to stop if we're to go anywhere in anything other than the short term. And yes, Keogan needs to take that stance not just with the abandon ship brigade but also with the others who stayed behind but hadn't trained or looked after themselves.

I call that living in the real world, if you're more concerned with short term gains then go ahead, but in due course you'll be back here talking about the set up being a joke and you won't even notice the irony.

[Hollow Man]

Think about how Larry, Jason and countless others have been indulged, indulged and indulged again over the years because they're 'star' players and the short-term view has always been taken

You're right. Johnston should have hung around and been a sub so, while both these fellas were starting ahead of him this summer.

That would have achieved a lot...

You speak about these players as if they have all lived like Trappist monks, are you sure about that?

Yes. Johnston and Brady were two of the players that you definitely could have no doubt about in terms of fitness and whether or not they did the work. They are the best two best athletes on the panel, and they are both winners, which is why they took a stand.

I say fair play to them - we'll win f**k all without them.