The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Great team performance on Saturday. I thought we played some lovely stuff in the first half but obviously the wind seriously affected our score taking. Paddy Lynch rightly gets the plaudits but I thought James Smith's movement in the first half was excellent and caused Antrim all sorts of problems. Gerry Smith had his best game for ages and lovely to see a fully fit Conor Brady tearing into people. Martin Reilly showing that class is permanent and lovely to see the Holla back in a Cavan jersey. And as usual, Jason was brilliant (even if RTE referred to him as Paddy McLoughlin in their minute review on the Sunday game!).

So Donegal in the semis. Great, bring it on. I always fancy our chances against any team in Ulster in the championship as long as it isn't Tyrone. They'll be looking for revenge, but our panel is stronger now than it was in 2020. Have they improved? As long as we put it up to them (and we will), i think we are in with a shout. Gone are the days of 2019 when we went in meekly against them and the game was over at half time. Match ups will be crucial but I think Mickey Graham excels at that.

They are 1/5 favourites which is insane. We are 4/1, I'll have a bit of that.

You could argue for the odds being crazy in 2020 given that they had us beat in the final before half time in 2019 (i still think the odds were shocking for a two-horse race) but this year that seems a bit much. From a Cavan side, all of this should be fueling another performance, which i have no doubt we will get.

No, Paddy Lynch should have.

I agree. I think many of us have been saying that since the Carlow game, Gearoid's form has dipped from his normally very high standards. Still, he took his goal well and you got the sense in the second half that he was getting back to his best (which we will need him to be against Donegal). But definitely would have had Gerry Smith in there. Lynch definitely should have been listed.

My issue is with pundits as opposed to journalists. The latter go to Sigerson games, club games (in their own counties and often see other club teams in the Ulster club championships), minor and u20 games. They know their stuff, know who players are, how (and where they play).

Pundits watch highlights (at best) and the odd one just about know stuff from their own county and make lazy assumptions about teams (ie division three trumps division four, ergo Antrim will beat Cavan). They typically will know one player per county outside of a division one team. They are also the types to make nonsense statements about the likes of Armagh being Ulster contenders. Fermanagh have a better recent record than them in Ulster :)

I agree 100%. In the past teams often have succeeded in nullifying Gearoid and no one else stood up. There were many games even when he was closely marked and he nearly won games single handed (Tyrone 2018 being a case). These days with Thomas, James Smith and now hopefully Paddy Lynch (and possibly Conor Brady if he keeps developing and obviously a fully fit Holla as well) you have players who can stand up physically and drive the team on and that all need minding. I don't think it's a case any more of "stop Gearoid, stop Cavan".