Ulster Under 21 Championship

[Old yeller]

None of these lads have ever been beaten in an Ulster u21 match, some feeling!

[FermGael]

Firstly Great achievement by Cavan.  Great underage set up that is the best in Ulster.

Secondly, an awful advertisement for Gaelic Football.  Both teams set up ultra defensively.

[Zulu]

Have seen very little of Cavan at U21 and not a whole pile at senior but are they setting all their teams up defensively or was it just this game or this particular squad who are defensive?

[armaghniac]

Have seen very little of Cavan at U21 and not a whole pile at senior but are they setting all their teams up defensively or was it just this game or this particular squad who are defensive?

They are a bit defensive about the issue. Its the Cavan stereotype, don't give anything away.

[nrico2006]

Firstly Great achievement by Cavan.  Great underage set up that is the best in Ulster.

Secondly, an awful advertisement for Gaelic Football.  Both teams set up ultra defensively.

Best u21 set up in Ulster.

[mylestheslasher]

Made the long trip up to Armagh yesterday. It wasnt pretty but it was intriguing to me, although I can see why a neutral would not be impressed. The physicality in the tackle brought to bear by both teams was huge, way above anything I've seen in the last 4 years at this level. It was bone crunching stuff. For whatever reason both teams set up to stop the other. Donegal were equally impressive defensively with the only visible weak spot was under the high ball into Dillon where he had a couple of half chances before bagging his goal. Cavan too were excellent at the back with Paddy McBrearty only getting one half chance which he nailed. When McBrearty finds the going tough in the forwards at an U21 game you can imagine how good the defenses were.

The finish was stunning. We were gone as far as I could see, out of ideas but still trying hard and with our captain and leader long gone. The goal was brilliant, young Buchanan, not even down to start, ploughing up the middle and burying a low shot into the corner. It floored Donegal who were sure they had it won. We sliced them open once they came out of their shell for the last 3/4 minutes. Donegal will feel they left this behind them and they are probably right.

Super atmosphere at the end. The lads won due to pure fight until the death attitude. Conor Moynagh gave a superb speech. Referencing the greats of Cavan football and how he and his players were only borrowing their jerseys before handing on. A nice touch he asked the crowd to be quiet while the panel of players clapped for the fans. I said it last year and the year before, these young Cavan men are made of different stuff and they are what the fans in the county have been waiting on for so long. Well done to them all.

We will certainly be underdogs the next day as we really struggled up front but don't underestimate the quality of the Donegal defensive effort. If Dublin are a little more open to play the typical Dublin free flowing game I think Cavan could shock them.

Anyway, history has been made and 4 in a row has been achieved by beating Derry, Tyrone, Monaghan and Donegal in the space of 5 weeks in knock out football. A fantastic achievment.