Mayo v Cavan

[mannix]

Monsignor horan hit the nail on the head there.Mayo have every right to feel like we can beat cavan, we were in 2 of the last 3 allirelands and very strong in the league and cavan are a bottomfeeder at the moment getting beaten by waterford and co.
If Mayo cannot beat a team in the lower divisions we may as well take up baking or crochet and leave the football for the men.

[cavanmaniac]

Monsignor horan hit the nail on the head there.Mayo have every right to feel like we can beat cavan, we were in 2 of the last 3 allirelands and very strong in the league and cavan are a bottomfeeder at the moment getting beaten by waterford and co.
If Mayo cannot beat a team in the lower divisions we may as well take up baking or crochet and leave the football for the men.

That's a fair enough assessment from where I'm sitting anyway. But if there's one thing the last few years have taught me it's to be more positive ahead of a Cavan game that nobody expects us to win than ahead of a game we're expected to win. It's the psychology of our players to perform best when they know they can afford to lose and not be pilloried for it. Still Mayo by 3 though.

[An Gaeilgoir]

Its been a long time since so many sensible comments were made on a thread. Refreshing.

[Farrandeelin]

Monsignor horan hit the nail on the head there.Mayo have every right to feel like we can beat cavan, we were in 2 of the last 3 allirelands and very strong in the league and cavan are a bottomfeeder at the moment getting beaten by waterford and co.
If Mayo cannot beat a team in the lower divisions we may as well take up baking or crochet and leave the football for the men.

That's a fair enough assessment from where I'm sitting anyway. But if there's one thing the last few years have taught me it's to be more positive ahead of a Cavan game that nobody expects us to win than ahead of a game we're expected to win. It's the psychology of our players to perform best when they know they can afford to lose and not be pilloried for it. Still Mayo by 3 though.

Yes cavanmaniac, and in my case it's a case of being negative ahead of games where Mayo are expected to canter through, well the ones I expect them to canter through because they lose them. I think Cavan will put it up to Mayo though, we still are unsettled at some central positions. I still think we will win by around 5/6 points and will be shouting our heads off about how great we were again... Still the players have some anount of convincing to do in my eyes.

[Barney]

Great to hear Ronan McGarrity made his comeback against Cork at the weekend.

I don't think he will have any huge impact for 2007 and his loss is huge. But the positives are improved health and the chance to see him involved in 2008.

I do agree that we deserve to be favourites but people that are thrilled at us beating Cork in a challenge ignore the fact that we lost to Cavan two weeks ago! Remember our backs are at sea and Cavan have some pacy forwards and a poacher in Jason Reilly that could put us under major pressure.

As I said before Castlebar could be the crucial factor here - maybe the last championship match in McHale Park for 2 years even though we are due home advantage against all Connacht teams next year.

[IolarCoisCuain]

I do agree that we deserve to be favourites but people that are thrilled at us beating Cork in a challenge ignore the fact that we lost to Cavan two weeks ago!

Good man Barney, keep focusing on the positive whatever you do. 

As I said before Castlebar could be the crucial factor here - maybe the last championship match in McHale Park for 2 years even though we are due home advantage against all Connacht teams next year.

Sorry Barney, you have me there - how could it be the last game at Castlebar for two years if Mayo have home advantage in the Championship? I hope things haven't got so bad that Mayo will be bet before they even kick a ball?

[stephenite]

Castlebar is due for planned redevelopment so I'd guess that this is what Barney maybe referring to .

Great news to hear Ronan is back involved

[MacDanger]

Great to hear McG is back.......Could well struggle this year though so wouldn't expect a huge amount from him.

mabye K O Neill are just not up to it really anymore.

Only 9 months ago people were moaning about why was he taken off in the AIF and now he's finished..........Not certain if he's worth a starting spot but well worth his place on the panel. With ball in hand he's by far and away our ball-playing forward (after McD obviously).

I'd say there'll be 3-4 changes to personnel and aother 3-4 positional changes.

Luckily we're at home and Cavan seem to be at a real low point. We aren't great either but hopefully we can win by a couple and I'd like to see us drawn against Armagh/Donegal in the next round to see if we're any good - if not, we might as well be out before reaching Croker.,,,,,,,,,

[mylestheslasher]

The question I ask myself as a Cavan man about this game is how could it possibly come to pass that Cavan could win. I believe that there is a chance, but the odds are long. It would require the following things to happen....

- Mayo have better players than Cavan so I believe if there would need to be an element of compacency present in the Mayo squad.
- There is a doubt whether some of the Mayo players have grown a little long in the tooth. I am not so sure but Cavan would need it to be true.
- Cavans management would need to spring something unsuspecting on Mayo - for me it is a ball winner at FF. Ray Cullivan perhaps.
- The whole Cavan team would need to play at the top of their game.
- But most importantly is the issue of camp morale. It has either been strengthened by the leaving of 3 "traitors" and the lambasting of these players by Keoghan + the challenge game win over Mayo a few weeks ago or it is the shambles reported often of players out on the beer etc etc.

In summary Cavan would need a lot of things to fall into place for them to win so you'd have to go for mayo by 4-5 points really.

[Mayo4Sam]

It should be a cracker of a match. Cavan mayo matches usuallly are .

Jaysus Ros u have a short memory, I was wishing they'd throw both teams out of the championship 2 years ago above in hyde, worst match ever

[cavan4ever]

The question I ask myself as a Cavan man about this game is how could it possibly come to pass that Cavan could win. I believe that there is a chance, but the odds are long. It would require the following things to happen....

- Mayo have better players than Cavan so I believe if there would need to be an element of compacency present in the Mayo squad.
- There is a doubt whether some of the Mayo players have grown a little long in the tooth. I am not so sure but Cavan would need it to be true.
- Cavans management would need to spring something unsuspecting on Mayo - for me it is a ball winner at FF. Ray Cullivan perhaps.
- The whole Cavan team would need to play at the top of their game.
- But most importantly is the issue of camp morale. It has either been strengthened by the leaving of 3 "traitors" and the lambasting of these players by Keoghan + the challenge game win over Mayo a few weeks ago or it is the shambles reported often of players out on the beer etc etc.

In summary Cavan would need a lot of things to fall into place for them to win so you'd have to go for mayo by 4-5 points really.

Having seen Cavan against Fermanagh last nite i don't think Mayo have much to worry about.  The score was Cavan 0-13 Fermanagh 1-9 although some people had it that Cavan had it as a draw . 

[rosnarun]

The score was Cavan 0-13 Fermanagh 1-9 although some people had it that Cavan had it as a draw . 

think of points as pennies or cent no problem keeping track than .

way too much mealy mouthed 'ah sure were no good cute hoorism going on here time to up the ante

[cavanmaniac]

Er...but we're not.

Taken apart by the Rossies at Croker who have subsequently done nothing.
Beaten by Down who have subsequently done practically nothing.
Three players fecked off to USA
Low numbers at training
Lads on the beer

Mayo have their problems but I'd gladly swap ours for theirs.

[Uladh]

I think the cavan lads are doing themselves a disservice here. Before the draw i thought mayo would be a good outcome for ye. Beating a strong Mayo team a couple of weeks ago, albeit in a challenge, should remove the players doubts in their capacity to do it again, which is half the battle. mayo are expected to win and in the recent past they haven't coped too well in that situation. Given their poor form, their mindsets could be cautious because of the backlash waiting if they were to get turned over.

Added to that, although decent players you haven't lost any starters to the usa. i thought you were the better team in newry until lyng's sending off and would have won the game. who knows, if that had happened you could be preparing for an ulster final now. cavan have always been capable of playing to their potential when least expected.

[Denn Forever]

I was pleased when I saw when we drew.  I think that we could win this if only for badness sake.  In the words of Cop. Jones, "they don't like it up em".  Although Mayo should win (two AI finals in last few years but again that should give us hope!), it is a marvellous excuse to go west young men.