Official Cavan GAA Thread

[rodney trotter]

The Championship starting in July is alright, maybe a little ealier for sharpness for the Co Seniors. Didn't mean as in April. The League  is still going to drag on until xmass, whatever way they think it won't. Some clubs have only 3 games played , others have 5 etc.

Preview of the Cork side http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/daily-news/2/1804131230-final-four-rebels-looking-beyond-munster-success/

[rodney trotter]

Vidoe of all 4 sides in the Provincial finals http://www.thescore.ie/heres-how-cavan-cork-galway-kildare-reached-the-all-ireland-u21fc-semi-finals-871607-Apr2013/

the 4 counties have all players in Carlow It http://www.thescore.ie/all-ireland-u21-football-875012-Apr2013/

[tommysmith]

Rodney round 17 of the league is fixed for the 3rd of July so id reckon there is a good chance that it will be over by xmas.

There are two double weekend fixtures in May so that will be four games played in 2 weekends.

[rodney trotter]

Suppose it would depend if the U21's win Saturday aswell, the Seniors against Armagh which will be a struggle, there has been a lot of games called off with weather etc, they will probably get them played mid week in May

[tommysmith]

While Cavan are in the Senior Championship games will go ahead without county players up to a max of 6.

There had been one or two of that 6 used up already it think though.

[anglocelt39]

There was a time when Cavan's footballers could justifiably walk tall alongside Kerry's as the games leaders. The days when John Joe O'Reilly, John Wilson and Phil 'The Gunner' Brady were household names.


By Terry Reilly
Deputy Sports Editor
But those times have long passed. A senior Ulster title in 1997 represents their only silverware at that level in 43 years. So for a county with as many Anglo Celt Cups as Armagh, Tyrone and Down put together, the barren spell has been tough.

With Ulster's rise, Cavan fell further down the pecking order.

"We were bottom of pile in Ulster," said county chairman Tom O'Reilly.

A radical approach was called for; a practical one was applied. When O'Reilly was appointed in 2010 he sat down with current senior manager Terry Hyland and looked at the problems within Cavan football.

Their results up to minor looked respectable and just needed tweaking. At senior and U21 level it was a different story. Tradition dictated the seniors and U21s train together but the fall off in players aged between 18 and 21 was staggering. By the time a good minor team's year to play U21 had arrived, the players were no longer around or interested. So they extended their panels, sometimes up to 40 players.

"There had always been fights between the senior and U21 manager, which goes on everywhere. So I decided there would be no crossover when U21s are playing," O'Reilly said.

"Now we were in a situation this year where the last two league matches had to be played without our U21s and it had a bearing on our promotion prospects. But we stuck with it because we believed in it.

"Initially we found it didn't cost a fortune and in the second year we saw the players coming through because we had 20 players ready to go straight away."

By isolating their players, they were also able to target them based on age. The formula was repeated further down the line with retention as their motto. They entered the Leinster JFC to give players who weren't up to U21 level yet, but had potential, games. In 2010 and 2011, they lost the finals. In 2012 they claimed a first Leinster title and were beaten by Kerry in the semi-final. Those players filtered into the U21 set up this year and a seamless progression was crowned with a third Ulster U21 in as many years.

In beating a Paddy McBrearty-inspired Donegal in the final, they found their emphasis on squad development outweighed individual talent. While Donegal had stars, they had 20 players they could rely on.

"Organising something well... you can see the benefit of it in a year or two," said Tom. "[It cost] €60-70,000 a year outside the norm of school coaching. But you see the strength in it when you it comes to sit down and pick an U21 panel. We know 20 straight away. In club football for the first time you can pick a county player on the field in the last 20 minutes. you could never do that before.

"Keeping lads interested in wearing the county jersey, we want that. Our mindset has changed. Three or four years ago lads were saying college football was more important than senior. The next step is to galvanise these lads into a senior set-up. There is a four-year plan in place by Terry Hyland and his selectors and we have to keep expectations at a level they are at. It will take a while. They're a very proud people in Cavan and when they see the county slipping down in Ulster they did the hard work to get there. But our biggest enemy in Cavan was our attitude. There can be no more excitement about a good team coming through. We are where we are and will take six years to make an impact at senior level. People needed to realise this. They will buy into it."

Last year they brought in the National Athlete Development Academy (NADA) to show the U21s what was required to make it as a senior players ("Our senior team's average age is 22 so they needed that awareness"). This year that role is occupied internally.

Two-time senior All-Ireland winner Peter Donnelly together with Finbar O'Reilly, Andy McGovern and former Fermanagh footballer Sean Doherty had completed strength and conditioning courses. Donnelly was appointed to a full-time role for the senior, U21, minor and development squads. But his main role is to coach the coaches.

Together with games development officer and former All Star Dermot McCabe they are creating a new template for the next Cavan production line. After the past 40 years, Tom knows the county can't rest on laurels. "We are revamping all underage panels now and it's in the early stages of that," he said.

"When [Dermot] took over the minor team [Ulster champions in 2011] we went for a different profile of players. We used to look for the skilful players but now we're looking for taller and stronger players. It's the same at U21 level. They developed lads whose skills were not as good.

"This Sunday against Cork you will have a team of 20 fellas but no stars. Before lads felt it was good enough to just wear the jersey. These U21s are different. It's lovely to be associated with them."

[rodney trotter]

Good article, I think Cavan playing in the Leinster Junior Championship has been a good help for the development of the younger lads, along with all the good coaching at schools and development Squads. Last year was the 5th year playing Junior, the first 2 years they were beaten in the first round, they were then  beaten in the final  in 2010 &2011, , before finally winning it last year. It might only be junior but its a good way of keeping the younger lads together and benefiting from winning a few games.

Paul O Connor missed out with the u21's last year with injury, but was fit again for the Juniors and came on made a big impact against Kildare in the final last year, he is a key player this year with the u21's. Jason McGlaughlin and Dara Sexton were also part of the panel. Chris Conroy started that final and had a good game aswell.

It was also beneficial for the likes of Martin Dunne who missed the Senior Championship last year coming back from injury and Martin Reilly. Last year was Dunnes  first year on the Senior panel and getting game time with the juniors gave him confidence

[BallyhaiseMan]

Disappointed with todays result,but we have to proud of their efforts all year and their comeback today. I didn't think Gilsenan done much wrong for that last free, the Cork player shouldn't have been let in behind and Conor had to come out and go for it.
Gerard Smith was outstanding,he is one of those players who always seems to be in space,He is just an absolute class act.
I thought Jason McLoughlin done well on Brian Hurley,who is an outstanding prospect,How many feckin forwards do Cork need these days,Donncha,Gould,Kelly,O Neil,Sheehan,Kerrigan and now this man. Killian Clarke done well and made a difference when he came out around Midfield where we got well beaten today.
I hope to see him line out there next year.
Conor Moynagh changed the game when he came on,terrific display.McVeety was also very good. Fergal Flan had a good overall game despite a few turnovers near the end,he went through a mountain of work.  Jack was his usual industrious self,O Connor and Enda Reily done very well and kicked some lovely scores.Conor Madden was also very good when he came on.
We were crying out for a targetman inside to counteract the Cork blanket defence, i would have loved to see Big Conor Finnegan thrown in alongside Madden.

[rodney trotter]

Cavan showed great spirit to fight back from 6pts down. Moynagh was class when he came on, always uses the ball well and has a great determination. I felt Cavan probably didn't get the ball in quick enough at times into the inside lads, aka O Connor and Enda Reilly. They were casing the full back line a lot of hassle when they got ball and kicked some great scores. The hand passing game slowed down the tempo, and Cork probably used the ball at a quicker pace. Great effort by Cavan and brilliant to win 3in a row Ulsters. Pressure kick for Enda at the end was a hard call.
I think Cork will beat Galway in the final, if Kildare had their shooting boots Galway would have been out of sight today.

[Denn Forever]

Heatbreaking end yesteday but a lot to be proud of.

[tommysmith]

How you guys rate our chances against Armagh?

[mylestheslasher]

How you guys rate our chances against Armagh?

Hard to know. I think (hope) the league has told us where are strengths lie and where we are struggling. Givney should be in midfield and I think maybe with Corr. McKiernan wing forward. Keating FF. Do we have someone to bring in to play in the forwards? O Connor? Maybe Kevin Tierney? We will need something more than Dunne trying to do it all. The backs will be interesting. Who will be FB and I assume Clarke will be on the 40. We need to change the corner backs though. McLoughlin will surely come in. Clarke also perhaps.

In general I am sure Hyland will do his homework on Armagh and will come up with a plan to beat them but we also know Hyland but a great stake on loyalty to lads that put it in. That is admirable and right but he may need to make some tough decisions and I think he needs to cut a few of his regular starters. If he takes these bold steps we have a chance, if not I think it will be Armagh.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Tierney is playing centre half back for us and is in great form. Kicking 0-3 and 0-4 from play in the last number of games.

[tommysmith]

I listened to one of the Celt Podcasts a few weeks back with Paul and the lads from the Celt and a interesting point that was made was that the game Cavan play now (esp U-21) isn't as efficient on a big pitch and if they were to play similar system against Armagh they should narrow the pitch.

[rodney trotter]

That will keep the grounds men busy. I wonder how many of the u21 players will be brought into the Senior panel now