Cavan vs. Armagh, Sun. May 19, Breffni Park, Ulster c'ship prelim

[rodney trotter]

 Who else would start full back though. McEnroe would, but he is selected at half back

Think that team might change, be very surpised if Mark McKeever doesn't start. I don't know why teams have to name the side so early in the week,
is it some rule by the Gaa for the Championship? League teams weren't named until friday. Obviously the championship has a higher profile,

[Westside]

I just don't think his form this year warranted a start for the seniors. Caught for two goals in the Ulster U21 Championship. Gave away a lot of frees in the first half v Cork, granted he played well when brought to midfield. But He doesn't have the physicality for midfield at Senior yet surely. I thought last year he didn't look ready for Senior football and that was when he was imperious in the U21 campaign. I still don't think he's ready this year.

But look, Hyland knows best I'm sure and when there actually does seem to be some strength in depth he wouldn't be starting Clarke if he didn't think he was able for it. Hopefully the experience of last year will have stood to him and he can play his part well.

[rodney trotter]

Can only work with who is on the panel. Dermot Sheridan would be a good addition but has been injured on/off for the last 6/7 months.
Clarke was thrown in too soon last year, and is still very light. Even against Cork he looked light in the u21's in the full  back line. Still another year u21. Oisin Moynagh offers a lot more physical presence than McGlaughlin, but McGlaughin was probably selected to man mark Clarke.

Moynagh done a good job on Mattie Donnelly in the u21 final in 2011, never got a chance to nail down the full back position with the seniors. Don't think he was that bad at corner back during the league

[tommysmith]

It is a very average Cavan team.

[stew]

Cavan don't have a settled full back, midfield, or full forward. Armagh have a young team but have some top quality experienced players mixed in there too. So it's a huge task for us. A hammering here for Cavan would be a massive blow. If we can be there or there abouts it'll show we are in fact on the right track.

Forget cute kerry hoorism, this is cute Cavan hoorism at it's finest.

[rodney trotter]

Cavan don't have a settled full back, midfield, or full forward. Armagh have a young team but have some top quality experienced players mixed in there too. So it's a huge task for us. A hammering here for Cavan would be a massive blow. If we can be there or there abouts it'll show we are in fact on the right track.

Forget cute kerry hoorism, this is cute Cavan hoorism at it's finest.

It's true all the same. There wasn't a settled full back during the league due to injuries. Givney didn't play at midfield in the league and Damian Reilly was in defence. Keating missed the majority of the league through Injury.

Still would expect Cavan to be there or thereabouts. Depends how well Jamie Clarke is marked, although Stefan Forker is capable of doing damage aswell. Aaron Kernan is always a big threat from half back.  Kevin Dyass gets a few scores every game too. Clarke is the obvious threat.

Be surprised if that's how Cavan will line out on Sunday

[tommysmith]

1.  Conor Gilsenan (Bailieborough Shamrocks)   Don't think he has even played a game in league for Seniors and prone to .       .                                                                          doing something stupid.
2.  Jason McLoughlin (Shannon Gaels)                Still very inexperienced for this level but is good player.
3.  Rory Dunne (Redhills)                                     Being injured for 2 or 3 years and has played very little this year.
4.  Killian Clarke (Shercock)                                 Still very inexperienced for this level  but is good player, could make surprise . . . .                                                                           move to midfield.
5.  James McEnroe (Ramor United)                      Being injured or unavailable for few years and has played at full back in a few      .                                                                           league games.
6.  Alan Clarke (Kingscourt) Captain                   Steady enough center back
7.  Ronan Flanagan (Castlerahan)                      Not a favorite of mine, more likely to go backwards with ball that forward.
8.  Damien O'Reilly (Belturbet)                            Would prefer see him at wing back.
9.  David Givney (Mountnugent)                          Decent midfielder.
10. Cian Mackey (Castlerahan)                           Good in early part of league hope that form comes back.
11. Jack Brady (Ramor United)                            Would rather see him in Corner.
12. Feargal Flanagan (Butlersbridge)                 He will do a job on A Kernan.
13. Niall McDermott (Ballinagh)                           One of Hylands Favorites and prob should not be starting
14. Martin Dunne (Cavan Gaels)                         Top Scorer in League so automatic choice.
15. Eugene Keating (Saint Sylvesters)               On his day could destroy any full back.

I would have like to see the following starting James Reilly,  Mossy Corr, Martin Reilly, and Mark McKeever. Mossy may be injured but no excuse for the others not starting.

[rodney trotter]

1.  Conor Gilsenan (Bailieborough Shamrocks)   Don't think he has even played a game in league for Seniors and prone to .       .                                                                          doing something stupid.
2.  Jason McLoughlin (Shannon Gaels)                Still very inexperienced for this level but is good player.
3.  Rory Dunne (Redhills)                                     Being injured for 2 or 3 years and has played very little this year.
4.  Killian Clarke (Shercock)                                 Still very inexperienced for this level  but is good player, could make surprise . . . .                                                                           move to midfield.
5.  James McEnroe (Ramor United)                      Being injured or unavailable for few years and has played at full back in a few      .                                                                           league games.
6.  Alan Clarke (Kingscourt) Captain                   Steady enough center back
7.  Ronan Flanagan (Castlerahan)                      Not a favorite of mine, more likely to go backwards with ball that forward.
8.  Damien O'Reilly (Belturbet)                            Would prefer see him at wing back.
9.  David Givney (Mountnugent)                          Decent midfielder.
10. Cian Mackey (Castlerahan)                           Good in early part of league hope that form comes back.
11. Jack Brady (Ramor United)                            Would rather see him in Corner.
12. Feargal Flanagan (Butlersbridge)                 He will do a job on A Kernan.
13. Niall McDermott (Ballinagh)                           One of Hylands Favorites and prob should not be starting
14. Martin Dunne (Cavan Gaels)                         Top Scorer in League so automatic choice.
15. Eugene Keating (Saint Sylvesters)               On his day could destroy any full back.

I would have like to see the following starting James Reilly,  Mossy Corr, Martin Reilly, and Mark McKeever. Mossy may be injured but no excuse for the others not starting.

Who would you start instead of McDermott? He had a great game against Meath in Navan, played well against Wicklow, was poor against Fermanagh then again so was Martin Dunne. Dunne was also poor against Ros in the final game and has been in poor form with Cavan Gaels recently. While McDermott has been playing very well

[tommysmith]

Martin Reilly and put Jack Brady in the corner.

[rodney trotter]

Martin Reilly must have picked up a knock because he played in almost every league game was playing well. I would have had him half forward instead of Flanagan, but it's probably more about tactics to try and stop Kernan making runs up the pitch and Flanagan is a more defensive minded player.

Bit shocked that Gilsenan is starting over Miller, hopefully he doesn't get a rush of blood to the head.

[tommysmith]

Martin Reilly must have picked up a knock because he played in almost every league game was playing well. I would have had him half forward instead of Flanagan, but it's probably more about tactics to try and stop Kernan making runs up the pitch and Flanagan is a more defensive minded player.

Bit shocked that Gilsenan is starting over Miller, hopefully he doesn't get a rush of blood to the head.

McKeever should be playing aswell thats a mystery also.

[rodney trotter]

Martin Reilly must have picked up a knock because he played in almost every league game was playing well. I would have had him half forward instead of Flanagan, but it's probably more about tactics to try and stop Kernan making runs up the pitch and Flanagan is a more defensive minded player.

Bit shocked that Gilsenan is starting over Miller, hopefully he doesn't get a rush of blood to the head.

McKeever should be playing aswell thats a mystery also.

I agree, usually one of the first lads that would be starting


Artcile from the Gaa site :

Hyland Keeping Cavan on an Upward Curve

Tuesday, May 14, 2013


 



In a county where patience hasn't always been an abundant virtue, Terry Hyland is sticking admirably to his long-term vision for the development of the county's senior football team.



Keep them on a slight upward step all the time, that they can see progress. That they can see progress within the management and what's been done for them

Terry Hyland

Hyland's young side host Armagh in the Preliminary Round of the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship at Kingspan Breffni Park on Sunday (throw-in 2pm), and the Lacken man isn't setting any ambitious goals for the year other than for his team to make a little more progress.

Last year, Hyland took over as Cavan senior manager and made the brave decision to base his team primarily around the U21 side he led to an All-Ireland final in 2011. With a very inexperienced squad, Cavan lost to Donegal in the Preliminary Round of the Ulster Championship and were heavily beaten by Kildare in Round 2 of the Qualifiers.

An up and down Allianz League campaign followed this spring – they won three, lost three and drew one of their games – but Hyland says they made a little more progress, and that is key to convincing his players that they are taking the right approach.

"Like anything else, it's a learning curve for us as management as well but I would say probably the biggest thing is you don't keep lads disillusioned," Hyland told GAA.ie. "Keep them on a slight upward step all the time, that they can see progress. That they can see progress within the management and what's been done for them, that they can see progress when they go out and play their games.

"Go back to the national league. We didn't have a brilliant national league but it probably was the best in the last three or four years so that would be a little bit of progress. We only take things as percentages, as small steps at a time.

"We're not looking to suddenly win an Ulster title or an All-Ireland title within a year or two. We're building for the future and that was a conscious decision taken in Cavan in the last few years, that we were going to look at certain age levels and focus on that and try and put in a good strong foundation going forward.

"We have brought in some of the older players who have featured in the last three or four years to build on that and to add physical and mental strength to the squad, and that has worked out quite well for us this year as well."



After last year's dramatic overhaul, Hyland has added seven more new faces to his squad from the U21 team that reached the All-Ireland U21 semi-final and only lost to Cork by a point in a dramatic conclusion to the game.

Cavan have now won three Ulster U21 titles in a row and Hyland says an invaluable winning mentality is among the qualities the new players he has brought into the squad possess.

"They're good footballers, for a start. That's the first thing you have to be when you are playing at inter-county level. They are good natural footballers and they have a good work ethic.

"The most important thing they have is a winning mentality. The whole secret for us is that they don't lose that.

"With the fellas we had in last year, we had four in from last year and we have brought in three on top of that. So seven from that team is in. In fairness, they only featured in two of the national league games and so I suppose you could say we are bringing in seven new lads now."

Inconsistency this spring was one of the inevitable outcomes of putting faith in such an inexperienced squad. Cavan comfortably beat the top two sides in Division III, Monaghan and Meath, results that were particularly hard to fathom when you consider they lost to Antrim in Round 1 and were heavily beaten by Roscommon in the final game of the campaign.

"That's the learning curve for us, and that's where we have to harness probably the young potential we have where we can out and play so well and then sometimes go out and be not as good as we should be. It's up to us to get the balance right.

"That is probably the challenge and the trick for management to do that. We feel within the management of the county that we have some very good quality players coming up if we can harness the talent properly.

"We had very good wins over Monaghan and Meath. Antrim pipped us the first day by two points and Fermanagh by two points. Ok, Roscommon gave us a bit of a hiding on the last day but apart from that we didn't take any big beatings in the league."

Despite that inconsistency and their lack of experience, Hyland says home advantage will count for something on Sunday. Armagh have won seven Ulster titles since Cavan's last success, back in 1997, and have been operating in Division II of the Allianz League this year, but Hyland still sees it as a '50-50' game.

"We played them in the McKenna Cup. Armagh are under new management with Paul and are probably developing their style. In fairness, they improved a lot as they went on in the national league. They had a shaky start but had a very good finish to the league.

"To me, it's a 50:50 game. People will say that's a cliche in the GAA, but I would say that's what it is. They have a great proud history, Armagh, in Ulster football, and in the last 20 years have probably won more titles than anybody else. I would call it a 50:50 game because of the fact that it's in Breffni Park."

With the big hitters – Donegal, Tyrone, Down and Derry – all on the other side of the draw, the winners of Sunday's game have a great chance of making some decent progress in the competition. Hyland believes that part of the appeal of the Ulster Championship is that it is the most competitive of the four provincial championships and it offers his side a chance to take a big scalp against a more established force. 

"It is competitive and is probably one of those unique championships where every county within the province believes they can beat each other. And that is why it makes it unique," he adds.

"Look at the other provinces. There are usually some very, very strong teams and then some weak counties. But every county in Ulster, whether it is Cavan, Fermanagh, whoever, we all believe that we can beat Donegal or Tyrone on a given day and that's what makes it unique

[tommysmith]

It will be interesting to hear what his excuse will be if we are beat on Sunday.  He wouldn't want to say it was lack of experience when he hasn't picked the experienced players who in my opinion offer more than those he has picked.

i hope im wrong but i think Armagh will win by at least 5 or 6 points.

[rodney trotter]

I think this year has been an improvement on last year. Tommy Carr set Cavan back a few years, and then Val Andrews almost got Cavan relegated last year. And fell out with far too many players. an example being Alan Clarke, he wasn't even on the panel last year and is captain this year. Cian Mackey was let go by Andrews and is a key player this year too. The league form was steady enough this year, the Fermanagh game was where promotion was lost .

Strange enough selection, but no point giving up before the game is played. Armagh are no world beaters.. granted they have a couple of really good players.

[tommysmith]

I don't think he has picked the strongest team which is a pity but i will still be there hoping for the win and cheering them on.  I think it's time to be winning championship games and not taking moral victories from losing by a few points or a good performance.

No point in bringing Val Andrews into anything he was setup by both Hyland and the county board for a fall last year.