Official Cavan GAA Thread

[BallyhaiseMan]

did Mulvey get a straight red?
would that mean him missing the Down Game?
C4ever
i think we all especially me want Galligan to succeed in making the county team,we dont see too many players of his size with enough talent, However you've seen him alot more than me,so il take your word for it.

Must agree with Gortnaleck

Pierson,Jayo,Cullivan,Gallagher and McCabe all were taking frees today,They should settle with one right footed and one left footed and stop all the chopping and changing,
My Personal choice would be Lyng to take those favouring a right footed kicker, and McKeever to take those suitable for a leftfooted one.

Anglo
I think we just need to give up on Rabbitte making it back for the championship,With all the training hes missed,i doubt he would be sharp enough to play against Down, Without any high intensity(National League Semi final etc) games behind him.
what worries me now,who is going to play full back.
Anthony Forde was caught out with the aerial ability of Paddy Colfer yesterday,Im shocked it took an opposition team so long to pin point that weakness.

Brick
would agree that will most likely be the team,mine would be a bit different.

1. Miller

2.Hannon
3.Brennan
4.Fannin

5.Flanagan
6.Forde
7.Gunner

8.Mulvey(if not suspended)
9.McCabe

10.Cullivan
11.McKeever
12.Cunningham

13.Pierson
14.Jelly
15.Lyng

[Blue06]

Good spirit in the end to rescue a point yesterday.  We are in the same position we found ourselves this last 2 years neding a win to secure promotion.  Meath 05, waterford 06 and Wateford again, third time lucky maybe.

As regards our championship starting 15.  Here would be my definite starters based on the games I have seen.

GK James Reilly.  Though we do need backup here, Anderson doesn't fill me with confidence,
FB Micheal Hannon & Martin Cahill
HB Paul Brady
MF Dermot McCabe
HF Ray Cullivan & Mark McKeever

Sean Brady (as someone else on here pointed out) will definitely start also.  I expect him to be named in the FF line but playing as a 3rd midfielder.

Then imo all other positions are up for grabs.  Hopefully we will have 3 more games to give the likes of Lyng & Johnston time to get match fitness.
Does anyone know what suspension Flannagan got?

[anglocelt39]

agreed, if Rabbitte is injured again it's time out for the championship. It's not as if the lad was ever the next Darren Fay at any rate. I'll have to take your word on Mickey Brennan at full back since I don't see much ball kicked up at home. I was at the Wicklow match in Aughrim last year and Mickey was ROASTED at full back. Grand when he had the ball in his hand, the defending was a huge problem that day anyway. Was subbed at half time that day. Maybe it was a one off, but it was pretty awful.

Now I'm going to cause Brick to have a dose of the vapours but it seems that there may be one option left to explore at full back and that's the man who plays on the edge of the square for the Neagh by times, yes Gaynor. A gamble, yes, but we are in serious trouble in that position. If John O Mahony can wait on Kieran McDonald to get himself into shape perhaps Donal can take a similar view for the good of the team.

[cavan4ever]

did Mulvey get a straight red?
would that mean him missing the Down Game?
C4ever
i think we all especially me want Galligan to succeed in making the county team,we dont see too many players of his size with enough talent, However you've seen him alot more than me,so il take your word for it.


I could be wrong but i though that he got a straight red, i didn't see a yellow before it anyway but may have missed it.  IF it was a red and it was for kicking he would be out till end of june.  I'd love to see galligan doing well but im sorry to say he just isn't good enough.      We have being talking about the full back position here along time now and there is still nothing done about it.  Colm Hannon should have been brought into the panel weeks ago he is playing well for drumgoon.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Indeed Colm Hannon would be a great addition to the county panel.
Didnt know he was even back in the country to be honest.
Would certainly fill the void at Full Back,but its probably a bit late in the year now to be bringing players in,With the club championships not starting until July,I doubt he would have the fitness at the moment.

[cavan4ever]

Yeah it is prob a bit late but id like to know what the management were at all year.  Is it possible that they think forde is best option at full back or did they have all there eggs in the one basket hoping that rabbitte would be fit.  It's a bit of a joke that we are heading into another championship without 1) decent full back 2) Gaynor and 3) a midfilder to play along side mccabe.  Cunningham could end up there when he is fit he might be the best of the rest. 

Id like to know what anyones views are on martin cahill at corner back.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Martin Cahill is a good player,
Lacks the ideal  speed to really be able to stay with Lightening quick corner forwards like Ciaran Lyng yesterday and Young Kelly of Sligo before though.
If we were dealing with the Down Forwards,only player id be afraid of him against would be Daniel Hughes.,Definetely worth his place on the team in my opinion.

[cavan4ever]

yep i agree.  whats gonna happen Fannin though id say Hannon will get the other corner.  Would love to see him get a chance at wing back or wing forward.  He is one of not many players who can kick a long range point and is also a good free taker.

[The Bottom Brick]

1. Miller

2.Hannon
3.Brennan
4.Fannin

5.Flanagan
6.Forde
7.Gunner

8.Mulvey(if not suspended)
9.McCabe

10.Cullivan
11.McKeever
12.Cunningham

13.Pierson
14.Jelly
15.Lyng

No Jason? No Cahill?

I think they are both definite starters for me...

Cahill has been excellent thus far. M Hannon is our best corner back (could he do a job full back?) and while Fannin is a superb ballplayer, he's not a corner back.

He would be much better suited to wing back, possibly at the expense of Ronan Flanagan.

Chesty is doing OK at 6 but he doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

[BallyhaiseMan]

to be honest with Rabbittes probable unavailability i wouldnt be suprised to see Michael Hannon at full back against Down for the second year in a row with Fannin and Cahill in the corners.
IF Coulter is at centrefield,id have no problem with this..But Hannon cant compete with Coulters aerial abilities as we seen last year, few Players can, Hannon is outstanding though.
Fannin would complete one hell of a half back line with Forde and Gunner in my opinion.
Obviously with Chesty,Flanagan and Brennan possibely losing out.

[BallyhaiseMan]

1. Miller

2.Hannon
3.Brennan
4.Fannin

5.Flanagan
6.Forde
7.Gunner

8.Mulvey(if not suspended)
9.McCabe

10.Cullivan
11.McKeever
12.Cunningham

13.Pierson
14.Jelly
15.Lyng

No Jason? No Cahill?

I think they are both definite starters for me...

Cahill has been excellent thus far. M Hannon is our best corner back (could he do a job full back?) and while Fannin is a superb ballplayer, he's not a corner back.

He would be much better suited to wing back, possibly at the expense of Ronan Flanagan.

Chesty is doing OK at 6 but he doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

I think highly of Cahill,But i think in Rabbittes absence Brennan is one of the few backs,(alongside Gunner,but we cant afford to sacrifice him for a man marking job),that could compete with Coulter at Full Forward.

[cavan4ever]

Anyone know how coulter is playing anyway there isn't the same chat about him as there was last year.  Down are struggling at the moment and confidance must be low in there camp but i supose the teams that are beating them are alot better than the ones were struggling to beat and draw with. 

i dunno about brennan at full back i think they will leave forde there.

[BallyhaiseMan]

I seen on the Down Thread,they were debating whether Coulter was training at all,Thats obviously a good sign from Our point of view,Hes obviously not at his best.

[cavan4ever]

yeah he isn't scoring the amount of goals he did last yr anyway. I think we could beat down but im afraid of monaghan in both league and championship.

[cavan4ever]

Home draw – but Cavan still have promotion destiny in their own hands
02 April 2007


Cavan and Wexford turned in a real competitive encounter on Sunday, 1st of April at Kingspan/Breffni Park, Cavan with the sides finishing on level terms 0-11 apiece. The stakes were high in this game for both sides, and this showed over the duration of the game as the tension at times seemed to get to both teams.

The opening half was closely contested with the sides afraid to make mistakes and at the break it was the visitors who were ahead by 0-6 to 0-4 after Wexford led at one stage by five points 0-6 to 0-1.

Wexford were down to 14 players just before the interval break when wing-half back George Sunderland received a second yellow card.

The home side started the second-half with a numerical advantage, and were expected to come more into the game. However, it wasn't to be as Paul Bealin's side worked hard all over the field, and more than held their own with the home side. With the game heading towards the final quarter it was Wexford side who looked the likely winners now leading by four points 0-8 to 0-4 and playing with some confidence.

And things seemed to be getting better for the visitors when the Cavan midfielder Lorcan Mulvey received a straight red card in the 44th minute. However, in adversity the Breffni side lifted their game and points from the Gowna duo of Pierson and McCabe reduced the leeway. Wexford hit back with two further points to go ahead again by four points with 15 minutes of normal time in the game remaining. Ciaran Lyng point in the 58th minute was to prove Wexford's final score as the Cavan side upped their game and urged on by the big local support they finished with a brace of points from Gerald Pierson, Mark McKeever and veteran Jason Reilly to leave a point between the sides with time almost up.

In a frantic last few minutes there was tension and excitement galore. First Wexford lost another of their key defenders centre-half back David Murphy who received a second yellow cards.

In the additional five minutes extra-time the Belturbet Rory O'Moore's marksman Jason Reilly converted a late free to give his side a share of the spoils, and leave Cavan's promotion hopes in their own hands to their final game away to Waterford on Sunday next. A win would see them gain automatic promotion and a semi-final place as well. There is a lot now handing on this Waterford game on Sunday next down in the 'sunny south-east'.

Referee Gregory Walsh from Antrim had his hands full in this game which threatened at times to get out of hand. Over the duration of the game he issued three red cards and ten yellow, and awarded a total of 27 frees, 18 to Cavan and nine to Wexford over the course of almost 80 minutes play. With so much at stake for both sides there was no 'half measures' and the players went in for the ball as if their lives depended on it.

On form this season, this is a game that Cavan can and must win as Waterford have struggled badly in the league to date, and they suffered a heavy defeat to Meath last Saturday evening in the competition in Pairc Tailteann, Navan. However, in saying that it was a similar scenario last season when the Waterford side came to Kingspan/Breffni Park in the final league game and ended up party poopers on that occasion.

Cavan – Jimmy Reilly; M. Cahill, A. Forde, K. Fannin; M. Brennan, Eamon Reilly, Paul Brady; Dermot McCabe 0-2, Lorcan Mulvey; Ray Cullivan 0-2, Mark McKeever 0-1, C. Galligan; Gerald Pierson 0-2, Rory Gallagher 0-1, Jason Reilly 0-3.
Subs – Michael Hannon for K. Fannin; S. Brady for C. Galligan; M. Lyng for Rory Gallagher; Martin Reilly for M. Brennan; Jonathan Crowe for M. Cahill.

Wexford – John Cooper; C. Morris, P. Wallace, B. Malone; George Sunderland, D. Murphy, A. Morrissey; P. Colfer, T. Howlin; A. Flynn 0-2, R. Barry 0-1, E. Bradley; C. Lyng 0-3, P. J. Banville, Mattie Forde 0-4.
Subs – N. Murphy 0-1 for P. J. Banville; P. O'Dwyer for E. Bradley; D. Fogarty for P. Colfer; G. Gorman for A. Flynn; A. Doyle for A. Morrissey.

Referee – Gregory Walsh from Antrim.