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From the Hoganstand


Cavan take alternative route in management appointment
07 August 2008


It is understood that Cavan County Board will be looking to a Dundalk-based recruiting company to help find a replacement for Donal Keogan, who left his position as Cavan senior team manager last month.

SportTrackerjobs provide an analysis support system for sportspeople and are the company that will play a major part in allocating a new senior boss in the Breffni County.

Anyone considered by the County Board as a potential candidate will be invited to apply online at www.sporttrackerjobs.ie and nominations from clubs within the county can be made until next Monday, after which a list will be constructed for interviews for the position.

According to Managing Director Peter Larkin the service will be free to Cavan on SportTracker's part in order to raise awareness of the company which began last year.

Cavan County Board chairman Philip Smith admitted that their reasons for using the recruiting companied were to consider all options and appoint the best person possible.

"We want to make the best effort we can to find the right man for the job which is why we're involving SportTracker," said Smith.

Whether or not the new Cavan boss' appointment proves to be a success could have a telling impact on whether the company will last, but with several managers departing in recent weeks it looks to be a good time to launch the programme.

Keoghan in midfield dilemma-From Hoganstand.

16 July 2008


Cavan boss Donal Keogan might have to start his veteran All Star Dermot McCabe at centre-field this Saturday against Kildare after it has emerged that the Breffni County may have lost five midfielders in a fortnight.

Withdrawals from Michael McDonald, John Cunningham and Declan Gaffney from the panel last week have preceded the news that both Sean Brady and Lorcan Mulvey have picked up serious injuries ahead of the Newbridge encounter.

Brady was forced off the pitch in a recent challenge match with Laois at Mullingar and is rated as doubtful for his county's clash with the Lilywhites, while Mulvey has suffered a hamstring strain in what is reported to have been an injury picked up off the playing-field and he looks certain to miss out on his county's first round qualifier.

Along with McCabe, who has started Cavan's two Championship matches thus far at full-forward, it leaves Nicholas Walsh as the only natural midfielder on the panel fit to play at Newbridge, but the Cavan Gaels clubman's action for his county this season has been limited, with no appearances at all in the Championship this summer.

Therefore, Keogan may opt to start team captain Mark McKeever alongside McCabe, reuniting the pair as they have both been playing at centre-field for their club side Gowna as of late

As far as I know it's on BBC 2.

Nicholas Walsh returns to the county senior squad
18 April 2008


There was good and bad news on the county senior front this week. The good news first is that Cavan Gaels clubman Nicholas Walsh has returned to the county squad, and hopes to be in contention for a place in the side for the forthcoming Ulster SFC opener against Antrim in Casement Park, Belfast on Sunday, 18th of May.

Walsh took a break away from county football some weeks ago but now feels that the hunger and determination is back, and his return will give Manager Donal Keogan another midfield option ahead of the championship campaign.

His clubmate, Michael Lyng has decided to quit the county senior panel - due mainly to a series of niggly injuries that have hampered his comeback. The talented DCU student has only played a peripheral role in Cavan's disappointing NFL Division Two campaign that ended with relegation to Division Three of the NFL next season.

"Michael has decided to take a 'break' from football,'' said a Cavan spokesman. "He has had a series of niggly injuries in recent seasons that have really frustrated him. Hopefully, he will get these injuries cleared in the coming weeks, and that he gets his hunger to return to the game. He will always be welcomed back on the Cavan county panel.''

Not much talk about this game lads. How do ye think it will go?

Is Pierson injured? I heard that's why he was taken off on Saturday. Yea Johnston is going to be a marked man for the rest of the year but against Cork in the 2nd half he had two on him and when he got quality ball he still did good. It's true we can't be relying on Johnston all year but I don't think we have too. If McCabe can pull it off at midfield I think that would be a huge bonus and if we get good games from Flanagan, McKeever,Lyng, Reilly and Pierson in the forward line I think we could win on Sunday. Hannon is having as good a year in the back line as Johnston is in the forward line so we have to hope he stays in form and injury free. Sherdian is also coming into his own in the back line and we know Podge is a good player I think a bit of fitness and he'll be there. I didn't understand why Fannin was dropped last week and he isn't injured as he played for the club on Sunday. I think a major problem is the constant changing of the team. Week in week out there has been at least four changes. I'm not saying that others don't deserve a chance but I do think it takes a game or two to link well. We seen on Saturday how Jelly and Lyng linked well and McCabe and Pierson did too and I think this id due to the fact that they are used to how each other play.

Good April Fool it got someone on Hoganstand aswell I see there were a few more yesterday according to the papers today-not sport related.

So lads what do ya think our chances are on Sunday? If we play with confidence I think we can win. Mite be tough though being an away game.

Mr. Pain's message got posted. Good win on Sat night by the lads! Johnston was class in the forward line. McCabe hit some lovely ball in as did Lyng when he came on. Eddie did some good hard slogging to win ball. And I thought moving Hannon earlier on was one of Mr. Keoghan's better tactical moves this year. How do ye think they will get on this weekend, they'll have a bit of confidence now. Yea hope Johnstons ankle is okay.

Things would want to get a lot worse than at the moment for me to miss a Cavan game to watch a bunch of f**king pussies diving around the field in England. I'd say keoghan is just making changes for the sake of it, to show he is taking no shit. Mad Eddie has had his chance and if that is the best he can come up with then we are in big trouble. Mackey disappearance as quick as his reappearance is no harm. Flanagan at Ctr forward - why? Played brilliantly at Ctr Back in his last game - how does he expect players to grow into these important roles. Forde won't cut it there anymore so he should be on the wing. And as for his abysmal f**king around with midfield. Young Galligan gave a decent account against Meath and got took of and then dropped to be replaced by a guy who he gave a similar cameo appearance to previously to be dropped. What the f**k is he at?

Just to summarise his stupidty, did any of you see last weeks celt? Reporter ask Keoghan if he has any intention of addressing the fact that Cavan haven't had a proper settled midfield partnership since the 60's. Keoghan says that he will bring back John Joe O Reilly - very funny except John Joe played Ctr Back. Then asked to explain why he took of Galligan when most observers thought he did well Keoghan says he'd rather keep that one to himself (translates as I haven't a f**king clue).
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Aw this got me lauging. Excellent synopsis.

I'm not sure about changing Flanagan from CHB to CHF and I think it was tough on Lyng don't think he deserved to be dropped. Can't show much flair if your not getting the ball and when your told your job is to stay on the CHF line. Was the same with Martin Reilly in the Meath game he didn't see much of the ball in the 2nd half.  I also think Galligan should be given another opportunity at midfield he wasn't bad two weeks ago.

From the Hoganstand

Keogan rings the change
28 March 2008


Cavan boss Donal Keogan has made four changes to his team as the Breffni County go in search of their first NFL win against Cork at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday night.

From the side that lost to Meath a fortnight ago, out go Keith Fannin, Raymond Galligan, Micheal Lyng and Cian Mackey. They are replaced by John McCutcheon, John Cunningham, Ronan Flanagan and Eddie O'Reilly.

Cavan have lost all of their Division 2 games to date, and another defeat on Saturday would almost certainly consign them to Division 3 next season.

Cavan (SF v Cork): J Reilly; M Hannon, P Reilly, M Brides; J McCutcheon, A Forde, D Sheridan; D McCabe, J Cunningham; M Reilly, R Flanagan, M McKeever; E O'Reilly, S Johnston, G Pearson.

Are Northern Muppets not commentating on it. 250 mile round trip on a wednesday to watch a team managed by Keogan is a bridge to far for me.

It's a pity that this is the way we are thinking. I think it would be nice to get a crowd up for the lads and cheer them on. 

I completely agree that we lost the game at midfield. I think we made one clean catch in the first half and it was Raymond Galligan who caught it. The wind was unbelievable and it was a contributing factor to how each team played in each half.

Was at the game on Saturday night and what I don't get is that we were winning in the first half well and come 2nd half Keoghan changed what was going right. From what I could gather Lyng and Reilly in the first half were allowed to roam quite freely and won some good ball with Reilly scoring and Lyng setting up a few. Then in the 2nd half it all changed. It seemed to me that they were told to stay in closer to the goals and it made it look like there were no forwards available for the ball. IMO they contributed to the midfield area in the first half. Thought McCabes point from play was excellent and it was great to see more forwards getting on the scoreboard. Johnston played well but he lacked getting ball in the 2nd half. More positives in the game were the performances of the players in the 1st half. It showed that we do have the talent in this county so what is the problem? It's just a pity that after such a good first half a lead like that was let slip. Anyway thats all I have to say.   

BHM what's the story on McCormack was he taken off injured or was he sent off? Seeing as HM hasn't commented I'd presume its the former .

I heard that he came off injured (his groin). Not 100% sure.

Well hello, it has been a while.

So we are back to game week and it's Meath up next. So what are people's thoughts on the game? We all know it's a must win game in order to try and avoid reglegation! Can we do it?

We did well against Dublin in the first half. Can that performance help us beat Meath?

Crowd- 8,500 I think was the number released.