Your county - Reflections on 2013 / Hopes for 2014

[seafoid]

2013 was a great year for Cavan in which we really made tremendous strides at senior level ahead of schedule I would say. The seniors with a young team had a mixed league and finished mid table, usually struggling when the U21 players were not available. However they destroyed Armagh and beat horrible Fermanagh and were eventually beaten by Marty Duffy in the Ulster semi final in what most rank as one of the worst refereeing displays (for and against both teams) of the year. Another easier defeat of Fermanagh was followed by  the highlight of the season in a wonderful contest with Derry in Celtic park. Fantastic feeling leaving that game. Beating London with a strong last quarter put us in the business end of the championship for the first time since 97. Alas we didn't really "go for it" in the game with Kerry, giving them far too much respect and were deservedly beaten. Great Year none the less.

Our U21's won their 3rd Ulster in a row beating Patrick McBrearty in the Final. This was the best of our teams and it was a real pity we couldnt get over the line against Cork in the Semi final, losing by 1 point and missing a last minute free to get to injury time. But the good news is some players from that team look to have serious class and will be excellent senior players if they keep going.

The minor team was very young this year and not much was expected but I think they gave their all winning two tight games against Fermanagh and Armagh before eventually losing a game by a small margin against eventual winners Monaghan. Much of the team are minor again next year.


Next year will be a difficult one for our seniors. It will be hard to live up to last years highs and a tough away draw to Armagh does not help. Its a 50:50 on the face of it, we may need to try and make progress in the back door. However, top priority must be to get out of Div 3 in the league which again has handed us 4 away trips and none of them easy. I'm hoping for promotion - 2/3 wins in the championship and then to set up an assault on Ulster for 2015.

U21's have another strong team but got a horror draw in Ulster. They still have the players to do it though. I'd love them to go all the way but it is a huge ask.

I think our minors could do some damage in Ulster this year but again it is so hard to predict.

The future though, whether next year or not, is blue!

It's great to hear that sort of optimism coming out of Cavan. I bought a copy of the Anglo Celt during the summer
and the pride in the team was so evident in the journalism. 

[Sleater]

2013
What a year for Monaghan. With the announcement of Malachy O'Rourke as manager I was optimistic that Monaghan could get out of Div 3 and make it to an ulster final. It was obviously the players believed it too, as in the trials and McKenna cup every club player who should be there, was there. This was not the case for Eamon McEneaney who had players opting out.

It took O'Rourke a while to know his best team, and for the most part of the year, they played some sparkling attacking football. The Ulster Final will live long in the memory.

Minors
Arguably the best year ever for Monaghan at minor level with both the ulster championship and ulster league captured. Again optimisim was high for 2013 after the 2012 team got to the ulster final and 5 forwards from team were again there in 2013. These forwards were the foundation of the team's success. This Monaghan team scored heavily througout the season barring a couple of occassions. It made up for a pourous defence and mediocre midfield which were all at sea on many an occassion.

U-21's
At the beginning of the year I hadn't much hope for this team but as they progressed they gained belief though the pre season Shamrock Cup and came oh so close to knocking out Cavan. A few injuries to key players before the Cavan game hampered them but they battled manfully before falling in extra time.

2014
Seniors2014 will be a tough year for Monaghan. Div 2 will be very competitive and Down or Tyrone in the Ulster first round is a nasty one. The trick will be whether the players have the same belief in O'Rourke and have the same hunger. Crucially O'Rourke needs to blood 3 to 4 new players into the team. Some of the older players have had a hoodoo about Tyrone for a decade and I know the younger players don't have the same hang ups. O'Rourke has been tactically astute for most of the season but he needs to refine the gameplan for next year. Hopefully a Div 2 campaign where Monaghan win more than they lose and serveral new players have bedded themselves into the team. The Ulster campaign rests solely on getting past the first round. It's a massive ask for Monaghan, but fingers crossed O'Rourke will have learned enough to navigate Monaghan past it. After that anything is possible.

MinorsThe minors will find it very difficult to replicate 2013 and with only a handful of the 2013 team returning in 2014, getting past Tyrone or Down in Ulster is a longshot. There is some talented lads there but it's difficult to tell at this level. I suppose the minor league will show their potential.

U-21'sI'd be hopeful of the U-21's reaching the Ulster final. They have a lot of quality players but there's a worry that there will be too much of a reliance on the attacking players who backboned both the 2012 and 2013 minors.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

2013: Slow build up that finished with a big bang, but could have been so much more. Was painful watching the Dublin game the other night on TG4 again..Dec Sullivan with the ball 30 yards out with the scores tied and 69.30 on the clock. 

2014:
Think we'll be as close again at least next year and with Dublin hopefully dipping a bit, its all open I think. Need to bring a few younger lads on a bit more which with Cian O'Neill's training I'm confident we can do. Need to sort out midfield aswell..If Buckley can't improve his conditioning, then Moran/Sheehan will have to come in. Defence may need tweaking with the possibility of Marc or Galvin playing centre back maybe. Looking forward to it anyway...super minor team next team with (for the first time in roughly 10 years) a competent team on sidelines aswell.

[Fuzzman]

2013
I suppose had you have told me this time last year that we would get to the Div 1 league final and get to the AI semi I would have been more than happy. However, having lost to Donegal in the first round confirmed that we have slipped down the pecking order in Ulster and just can't seem to get the better of this current Donegal team and system.
I had a lot of hope last spring that we've a decent amount of young forwards coming through to be a good team in the years ahead but again most of them fell by the wayside with injuries or lack of form.
As I've harped on about all year, I was a bit annoyed with the overly cautious defensive system that Mickey seems to have stuck to and so despite putting up a massive score v Offaly, I just feel talented young players like Ronan O'Neill and McAliskey along with more established ones like Penrose & Stevie  no longer get good quality fast ball into the forward line. Instead every attack is built up from the back with very little attractive incisive passing involved. I blame playing & losing against Donegal for 3 years in a row for this of course. The easy answer is of course that we just don't have the talent any more and that had Mickey not played like this we would not got to a league final or the AI semis. Maybe true

2014
I'd like to see more use of a young 6 man forward line and a little more risk taken with not so many bodies behind the ball. I don't think we'll do as well in the league this year but then I thought that last year too. Will it be another year of frustration for Peter Harte or will he finally break free and show us all his true worth (or do we just expect too much from him)
Big Sean was immense for us last year with Stevie O being rather disappointing after a good league. Young Clarke has really impressed me last year and think he will be a good player in the years to come. Also young McKenna & McGinley progressed well last year in the qualifiers in the half back line but alas I fear another year of Justy being out injured.
I'd be happy to get back to the semis again show we are still a team to be feared but at the moment I don't think any of the top 4 teams really do fear us any more.

[muppet]

2013

Lots of highs, one terrible low which sadly defines the year.

2014

It will be interesting to see how the successful minors progress. The 2006 U-21 success came on the back of a decent minor team in 2005 blended with some good players from the 2004 U-21s and minors in between.

The Senior management need to address the 2nd half of the final and part of that includes their own decision making. But we also need a bit of luck with the fitness of key players. Hopefully Andy Moran, Barry Moran and Cillian O'Connor especially get a clear run. Dillon could also do with a bit of luck in this regard.

Target: Do what Galway hurlers did in 1987 and Cork footballers did in 1989.

[ross4life]

2013

Seniors - Two championship games we were never expected to win though very disappointing how we threw the towel in after 20 mins v Mayo the following game v Tyrone we at least showed more fight for 70mins.

In the league we finished on the 9 points the two promoted sides (Monaghan,Meath) ended up on 10 pts id have to wonder what if we have full panel to choose from.

U21s - We went into the Connacht final as defending champions & lost that final AET in a game we really should have won in normal time.

Minors - Wasn't a lot expected at the start of year but Fergal & co got the best out of the side/players we were only one score away from reaching the AI final.

Club - After 7 senior club All Ireland final defeats a side from Roscommon finally did it, well done to Brigids & it was great to see the likes of Cake,Mango,Frankie etc win senior AI medal.


2014

Seniors - John Evans 2nd year & providing we don't get a pile of injuries he should have a full panel to choose from during the league, promotion has to be our target & two or three championship wins is the type of progress us supporters are all looking for.

U21s - Pick of the 2011,2012 Connacht minor champions we have the players to win back U21 title but we have been given a stinker of a draw.

Minors - will be weakest panel for the best part of a decade but Fergal & co has the ability to get the best out of players.

Clubs - Hopefully Fuerty can give a very good account of themselves in All Ireland series. Hard to know how Brigids will react if don't win another Ros title i would like to see another Ros side winning a Connacht title.

[Croí na hÉireann]

How about a hope for 2013? That the year had finished after the league.