The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Lemlin · 04-01-2022 11:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118417010#Comment_118417010

Ryan O’Neill was in there before. 2019 I think. He definitely played a McKenna Cup game that was down in Ballyconnell.

Will be interesting to see what team plays on Thursday. Even in the McKenna Cup, it’d be nice to try and move towards some type of settled forward line.

Danny Cusack from Lavey is off the panel which is a real pity. It might be because he was on crutches after a bad injury and missed the whole club championship last year. He’s a very good man marker and I definitely think there was room for him in there. That said, he was called in based on his 2020 club championship performances yet didn’t get a kick in 2021 League so it appears Graham isn’t a fan.

baconsarnie · 05-01-2022 12:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118418959#Comment_118418959

Forgot about that game in Ballyconnell.

Is my memory failing me or did Cusack play at all for Lavey this year? I thought he was out injured so it may not have been relating to performance but more to do with fitness.

You'd hope McMenamin could improve our tackling and defensive structure this year. We were awful last year and coughed up a lot of easy frees. Johnson is in as a forwards coach- and let's be honest, that's where we need real improvement.

tanko · 05-01-2022 1:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118420472#Comment_118420472

Cusack didn’t play any championships games anyway, if i remember right. Who is this Johnson?

mogue77 · 05-01-2022 1:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118420696#Comment_118420696

Seanie Johnston Cavan gaels

baconsarnie · 05-01-2022 1:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118420696#Comment_118420696

Doh! Typo. Johnston ex Gaels. I think you know who i mean ☺️

mogue77 · 05-01-2022 2:32pm

What’s your opinion on Ryan mcmenimen ? I think he will bring lots to The table in terms of tightening up the defence and putting a bit more steel into our defence, hopefully Faulkner hits his 2020 form again and that we have the holla and James smith back they were huge losses last year.

baconsarnie · 06-01-2022 12:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118421124#Comment_118421124

The Holla is irreplacable on the Cavan team. He's one of the real leaders on that team and sets the pace in so many games. I know we shouldn't have needed it, but I think if he was playing against Wicklow we wouldn't have been so casual and lackluster. I really hope we see him back sooner rather than later. We were very lucky with injuries in 2020 and incredibly unlucky in 2021 so hopefully we get some luck that our key players stay relatively unscathed this year.

I think McMenimen is a really good addition. He's bags of experience and let's face it, he knew how to defend up to the line (and often beyond it) and we definitely could do with more "cuteness" there. It's not lack of players. With Clarke, McLoughlin, Faulkner, Holla, Gerry Smith, Fortune, the Gunner, Kiernan we have lots there. In the middle between Conor Brady, Galligan and James Smith we have options. I think Gearoid on the 40 roving out also gives a lot. We need someone to stand up and nail down positions on the inside line: Madden, Conor Smith, Oisin Brady or some of the new faces.

Beo Sport are streaming all McKenna cup games. I can't go, so it's a decent (if slightly pricey) option. I think Armagh and Tyrone will look to lay down markers and add to recent scar tissue. I really would love us to put it up to them but at the same time, it is more about being ready for Leitrim at the end of the month.

And typing that as a statement is rather depressing (no disrespect to Leitrim!)

baconsarnie · 06-01-2022 1:19pm

Also, listening to the We Are Cavan podcast, they said that seven Ramor lads invited into the panel and all bar Liam Brady declined. I don't know what the work / education or personal commitments lads have and all that but it's pretty depressing that the best inside forward in the county (James Brady) has declined again. And given that O'Connell was one of the players who had a decent game against Tyrone this year, you would be hoping he would stay on the panel and push on.

baconsarnie · 06-01-2022 1:19pm

(apologies, double post)

mogue77 · 06-01-2022 2:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426337#Comment_118426337

very disappointing if brian O’Connell didn’t go back in this year, it’s an awful shame to lose a player of his ability.

rrs · 06-01-2022 2:56pm

Ray Cole was kind of lambasting that there wasn't more Ramor players involved with the County after the co final,but they can't be forced to play. They are asked and don't want to commit..

Ciaran Brady unlikely to feature for a few months with the recovery from cruciate

baconsarnie · 06-01-2022 4:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426960#Comment_118426960

Its more frustrating that when a player comes in and does a year of conditioning and diet and so on and breaks through and then steps down. Realistically it usually takes a year or two to get up to speed at intercounty level.

That's why you would be hoping the likes of Oisin Brady, Conor Smith and Cormac Reilly would kick on. Having said that, Graham was saying in the Celt that there are a lot of injuries and of course Covid is rampant so we have no idea who will line out tonight. Armagh have more or less announced a full strength team for tonight.

baconsarnie · 06-01-2022 4:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426992#Comment_118426992

I remember listening to Martin Corey on Cavstream and he was asked after one of the Ramor games (possibly the final) why wasn't James Brady on the panel and he replied with a sheepish "just because a lad isn't on the panel, doesn't mean he hasn't been asked".

I know it is a massive commitment and it is easy for me sitting on my backside by a laptop to pass judgement, so I won't. I just think that James Brady is the best corner forward at club level in the county and would love to see him give it a lash for Cavan.

rrs · 06-01-2022 4:46pm

Yeah its frustrating as even if it's just Division 4 Cavan need all the best players available.

Leitrim in Carrick will be a good test first game of the league. They have a couple of really good forwards. Keith Beirne is excellent.

Armagh always name a strong team in the McKenna Cup. There could be a few early season bets with the likes of Forker and Stephen Sheridan playing

piplip87 · 06-01-2022 5:00pm

Fairly depressing stuff that the commitment isn't there from some of the best players in the county again. I can't judge them as I've worked in Dublin for years and the last thing you want to do after that commute is go out and kick football.

rrs · 06-01-2022 5:11pm

The best players play for Monaghan. It's rare that many of their players pull out. They all seem to play well into their 30s also. Eoin Lennon, Clerkin, Vinny Corey, Dessie Mone retired at 36.

Darren Hughes will be 35 this year and Conor McManus.

mogue77 · 06-01-2022 5:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427750#Comment_118427750

That’s for sure, that’s sean mcavoy and brian O’Connell now that done a year in and are gone, them lads in there 2nd year should be pushing on and becoming main players for the team

rrs · 06-01-2022 6:27pm

I didn't see the point of McEvoy being there last year ,as he was always going to go back to play soccer. He was playing with Bray and then stopped for the leaving Cert. Back playing with Ballinamallard now.

baconsarnie · 06-01-2022 6:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428029#Comment_118428029

You can say success breeds success and you would have thought after 2020 that lads would be jumping at the bit to join in and get the county to kick on.

Anyways, no point crying about who isn't there (a countywide hobby for Cavan fans. I await the annual "I hear David Givney is back on the panel" discussion 😋) and rally behind who is. For one, I hope Patrick Lynch is in there for the league and continues his progression.

celt262 · 06-01-2022 9:29pm

Half time and 6 - 3 down. Haven't scored from play and no score since 15th minute.

Just following on twitter.

celt262 · 06-01-2022 9:49pm

Good start to 2nd half four from play in first 5 minutes.

celt262 · 06-01-2022 10:27pm

Beat by 4 in end conceded 1-1 in injury time.

Anyone watch stream or attend?

rrs · 06-01-2022 10:50pm

Some bits of good play mixed with really poor handling and shooting. A typical early McKenna Cup game. If Gearoid McKiernan picks up a injury scores will be hard to come by. Conor Madden not reliable enough to kick 4 or 5 pts every game.

Lemlin · 06-01-2022 10:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118430032#Comment_118430032

Jack McKenna missed a great chance to put us ahead earlier too. I was disappointed with it to be honest. I know it’s the first game of the year but we still don’t look like unearthing a first class forward. I thought Patrick Lynch was poor. Couldn’t even make the ball stick.

The game was definitely there for the taking. Faulkner was named on the subs bench. Tommy Galligan disappointing enough.

A few decent goal chances missed too. Too many wides overall and we still don’t have a free taker who will score 80-90% of the frees within their range.

rrs · 06-01-2022 11:19pm

I wouldn't think Holla will be back playing for a while. He done the cruciate in May and generally takes 9 months recovery all going well.

baconsarnie · 07-01-2022 10:25am

Considering how awful 2021 was for Cavan football at intercounty level, last night wasn't as bad as I feared. I had spoken to a fair few friends and the consensus was Armagh would come out all guns blazing to lay down a marker and be ready for a serious test in division one and that they would blow us away.

The McKenna cup is one step up from a friendly and all things considered (first game back since the Tyrone match, Covid in the panel, three debuts and a few other lads with limited game time, lads like James and Gerry Smith coming back from injuries, shocking weather conditions and all that) we played some decent stuff in patches. Disappointing not to close out a win but it was about getting game time into people's legs, not picking up knocks, introducing new lads to the pace of intercounty and really importantly, not getting a demoralising tanking.

I still think Lynch has a bright future and if he had have scored that goal....who knows (he should have squared it to Gearoid!). Encouraging signs from Oisin Brady and James Smith looked great in spells. McKenna limped off- I hope it wasn't anything serious as you would like to see him get a decent run in the league. He clearly has the power, pace and skillset to make it at this level.

Happy enough with that.

rrs · 07-01-2022 11:03am

Armagh were far from all guns blazing. A few of their players looked to be carrying weight.

They have a few average players in defence who could be found wanting in Division 1. They were involved in a mini Ulster league last year,avoided Kerry and Dublin.

celt262 · 07-01-2022 11:20am

Still is a Division 1 team against Division 4 so its good that we were competitive and some what unlucky not to get anything out of it.

rrs · 07-01-2022 11:25am

Yeah it was competitive. I remember Armagh hammered Cavan in the McKebba Cup a few years ago.

Tyrone next week will be a good test before the League

mogue77 · 07-01-2022 12:38pm

Happy enough with last night, lots of positive’s to take from it, good to get game time into a good few lads as Micky said we were very flat going into the Fermanagh game last year, it would be good to see falkner, Connor brady, and Connor smith and Martin reilly playing the next game

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