Official Cavan GAA Thread

[mylestheslasher]

Brides must hold some sort of record for never kicking a ball and playing inter-county football. I reckon he never 100% recovered from the leg break down in Limerick a few years back, at least his performances never got to the same heights since. I also seen him play for redhills a few times recently enough and he didn't really shine as a county player. Pity.

[cavanmaniac]

B'haise man...you hit the nail on the head. Crosserlough have had minor teams that have figured at the sharp end of the Minor A championship for a decade and a half but always came short...generally running into the sharp propellers of the Gaels on their record breaking underage run. Still, it would suggest that some very good players have passed through the hands of the mentors down in Kilnaleck, only for nothing of any note to be achieved at senior level.

Look at Martin Donohoe, a star at minor for club and county, played international rules for Ireland (I think I have the right guy here, someone can correct me if not) and was well on the road to being a top player. Now he's shuffling around for Crosserlough Junior Bs I think. There's been too many players like this down the 'Lough way and a succession of bad managers hasn't helped. I don't see it changing anytime soon with teams like Gaels around either...but if they got their act together they'd certainly be competitive.

[cavanmaniac]

To add on Brides, he looked a helluva prospect then he came on the scene first but I think he was a Val Andrews discovery, not Mattie Kerrigan - because as we all know, fat Matt basically recruited from the U21 sides rather than bother his hole seeking talent anywhere around the county. Open to correction there as always, but don't let the facts get in the way of a dig at Mattie Kerrigan is what I always say.

There was great cutting in him, lots of guts, very like Martin Cahill in his tigerish ways. But the leg break finished him completely. His angle of running was way off after it, he seemed to be throwing his leg out when he sprinted and had lost alot of pace. Shame really as he looked to have alot of potential.

[Border Fox]

There was great cutting in him, lots of guts, very like Martin Cahill in his tigerish ways. But the leg break finished him completely. His angle of running was way off after it, he seemed to be throwing his leg out when he sprinted and had lost alot of pace. Shame really as he looked to have alot of potential.

I went to school with him, and he made the senior cup rugby team in 6th year, more through guts than ability, he was one of those lads who always punched above his weight. He would have worked hard at building himself up, and on his pace. The brother Declan probably would have had more natural ability,  but always seemed to be injured at school.

[Homer]

u21s beat Longford today 1-10 to 1-7 team was

Andrew Smith
Emmet Madden
Padraic O'Reilly
Fergal Slowey
Finbar Jordan
Dermot Sheridan
Cormac Geoghan
Pauric Smith
Micheal McDonald
Martin Reilly
Alan Clarke
Anton Reilly
Killian Lynch
Sean McCormack
Raymond Galligan

Smith was at fault for goal, Madden played very poor gave away alot of frees taken off, Fergal Slowey was very good,  Martin Reilly scroed 1-5 nice player, Clarke played well had a very nasty knock at the end may have cracked the knee.

Poor game in awful conditions, lucky to pull through in the end.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Homer
i guess its about time the management called Terry Smith up for goals.... why hasnt he been called?
Sean McCormack at full forward 
Christ the boy has played in just about every position for us ,Trinity or the county bar Goalkeeper in the last year....
did he get on well?

Id say
when Enda McCormack gets back from injury....
that full back line of Slowey, Podge and him will be set...

[Homer]

McCormack was lost at full forward, taken off before half time. I don't know what they were expecting of him.

Terry Smith won't go in as far as I know.

Raymond Galligan should be the keeper come championship great kickout and a fine goalie, if he doesn't make it outfield anyway.

On the mickey brides subject, the lad has never recovered from that injury you only have to watch him run, his leg doesn't move right at all. He still has decent pace but nothing compared to what he had.

[never kickt a ball]

cavan beat QUB by 2pts tonight in McKenna cup

[cavanmaniac]

What sort of team had we out I wonder? Hopefully we got a few more minutes into some of the new lads.

I guess this shows that against a team with a good bit of fitness work done, we have our work cut out? Maybe. Hard to read the form at this time of the year. All that's certain is that we have to keep the heads down and keep working, should be an interesting game with the Tyronies next week.

[BallyhaiseMan]

well as theres training early tommorow...no night out for me... went into freezing Breffini Park,im sure some of you were there as well...so il give my opinions and ratings out of 10 for each player....  Cavan 1-13 Queens 1-11

1.Colm Anderson....Kickouts were ok...the wind was horrible though......im not sure of his abilities under the high ball to be honest...dropped one down and luckily had enough time to grab it again..... 6

2.Martin Cahill....gave away a few stupid frees in the first half but improved dramatically in the second half of the first half and in the second half...drove forward at every oppertunity and kicked a great score in the second half on his left foot. 8

3.Thomas Corr... the Denn man was taken off after 25 minutes...gave the ball away a few times but didnt do anything particularly wrong...wasnt involved in the game very much as Kevin Niblock pulled him out to the half forward line to leave a 2 man full forward line...wasnt on long enough to give a rating..

4.Keith Fannin....Loose like cahill in the early stages,and picked up an unreal amount of ball throughout...Hardworking if nothing spectacular. 7

5.Eamon Reily... Chesty started off fairly sluggishly but grew more confident as the game went on...Looked alot more at home in the half back line than when he was switched into the Full back line against Derry...
His driving Runs up the stand side in the second half were the catalyst to much of Cavans good play. 7

6.Nicholas Walsh....Started at CHB but seemed to be playing around the middle..One marvelous catch in the second half...worked tirelessly throughout...distribution was top class...put himself about a bit and had a bit of a running battle with Charlie Vernon at times...One of Cavans better performers on the day. 8

7.Jonatan Crowe...The Crosserlough man is growing into the half back line...does all the basics correct...always seems to get a hand in to break up a play when he shouldnt,lacking a bit of pace,but when hes lighter and fitter in the summer,wont look out of place at Inter County level....i still think hed be more useful in the forwards though. 7

8.Donal Thomas...tried hard, broke up alot of posession,done the basics right,but not really an impact player....as Brick said..hes not an Inter County Midfielder in my opinion...a good player nonetheless wa sreplaced after about 30 minutes so cant really rate him.

9.Dermot McCabe...f**ked about in Midfield,done little seemingly was hobbling and moved into Full Forward,were he proceeded to roast Daniel McCartan,scored the penalty and set up a few of Pearsons scores. 8

10.Michael Brennan...not a forward...taken off after about 23/24 minutes....needs a chance to claim his position in the backline.

11.Mark McKeever...Kicked a few frees over...and generally worked very hard getting in a few blocks and tackling back well....its good to see hes added this to his game as his wonderful footballing ability is beyond doubt. 8

12.Michael Cunningham...started brightly...won a few frees in the first half by running at the Queens Defence..then went out of the game abit.....Along with Crowe...Hes one of the newcomers that looks that he can have an impact at this level...... 6

13.Cian Mackey....fairly good game,not sure if he got on the scoreline but worked hard..... replaced in the second half 6

14 Sean Brady..... switched with McCabe and was playing Midfield for most of the game...Dont think he has the size for Intercounty Midfield...but held his own nonetheless..nothing spectacular but done ok. 7

15 Gerard Pearson....i criticised him after the Derry game for being behind his man too often...well he was outstanding tonight from frees and from play...showed very well...and tormented one of the Queens Cornerbacks...... scored 7 points i believe with 3 or 4 of them from play. 8

Subs
Lorcan Mulvey for Michael Brennan....Caught a good ball in the first half but looked lost at wing forward...place for him is midfield....done ok though 7

Anthony Forde for Thomas Corr....Forde made many timely interventions when he came on....tackled very well....One of Cavans better players on the night. 8

Paul Brady  for Donal Thomas...had a very good game, made a big difference when he came on,Carried the ball forward and tackled well. 8

Jason Reily for Cian Mackey...dont think he touched the ball at all

Rory Gallagher for Gerard Pearson...kicked a marvelous point...not very fit looking but wouldnt be worried about that


it was a poor game in poor conditions...Queens started to take control after about 20 minutes and fair play to the Management,They
made two key switched bringing on Gunner and Forde and it paid off....
Looking forward to the game against Tyrone in Breffini next Saturday night at 6.30

[cavan4ever]

ballyhaiseman i though that mackey had a very poor game and don't think he is worth his place.  He would be better off with the U-21's and i can't understand why he isn't playing for them.

[Rossi]

Ballyhaiseman,disagree with you on Jason,only on for a short time but won 2 or 3 scoreable frees in that time.Mackey,not up to it in these conditions,maybe will make a bigger impact with a drier sod but as Cavan4ever states should be with the U21's.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Indeed why wasnt he playing for the under 21's in the Hastings Cup.... 
In my opinion when everyones fit and competing for spots...he wont get his place on the Senior team anyway.
wouldnt be suprised to see Gallagher get a starting spot Saturday night,although he didnt look terribely fit when he was tracking back.

[mylestheslasher]

Yip, agree that Mackey was poor. It is too soon for him and I am also not sure if he has the brain for this level at the moment. He reminds me of Larry Reilly. I also thought Eamonn Reilly was poor. Dire passing from him and loose marking. The rest of the team were only average with the exception of Forde and Pierson.

Saying that I did say last week that we shouldn't read too much into the win over Derry and likewise we shouldn't read to much into this. I do think we will do well to stay withing 5 points of Tyrone who tore Derry apart yesterday.

[cavan4ever]

what did u thing of jonathon crowe i though he played quiet well?