The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Armagh are a better side than Cavan at the moment there ability to stay in Division 1 is proof enough for me.

Yes we could and hopefully will beat them in a one off championship game but the league is the best indicator off where a team is and we have consistently failed in it.

Safe travels to everyone heading today hopefully we get up and running with 2 points.

Are Monaghan then a better team than Cavan if that is how you measure teams? Again, we have beaten them in the last 2 games we played them that really matters. I think everyone would accept that if you are of a mind you can train a team to peak in the league and you can train a team to peak for championship. To peak for both well that's not possible. Only the big guns with their wealth of playing resources can play at a decent level in Div1 and step up again for championship. What we see with Monaghan and Armagh, up until this year at least, are two teams that put huge focus on the league and tend to flop in the championship. Of course you are entitled to say the league is as important but for me its all about championship. Its not that long ago either when we were in Div1/2 and many supporters gave the team no credit for that based on the poor championship performances. It seems to be a Cavan supporters thing to talk down your own team and out of the other side of your mouth exaggerate other teams - I've lived in a few other counties and you dont hear that.

Anyway, lets hope for a good start today. I think if we go in with the right attitude we can do it.

Those games were in 2019 and 2020 though. Unfortunately our performances have dipped somewhat dramatically since. If they hadn’t, you could maybe argue the point but not based on what we’ve seen.

If you asked a neutral who is the better team, what would they say? Who would the bookies instill as favourites if they played in the morning?

Would Monaghan lose games to Fermanagh, Tipp, Wicklow & Westmeath?

I think the answers to those questions answers what you’ve asked.

Championship is where it’s at I agree but we can’t even get into the qualifiers and didn’t win the second rate competition so our own performances have been poor.

How is it talking down your own team to be realistic about how we haven’t been at the races since 2020?

If anything, I think it shows the madness in the county that we’re living in a dreamland from three years ago and comparing ourselves to Division 1 teams, acting like 2021 and 2022 never happened.

Re peaking for championship and League, our own manager commented last year that the split season has now put this issue to bed because there isn’t a long delay between League and championship anymore.

Some championship “flop” for Monaghan in 2021 by the way to reach the Ulster final.

Anyway, I fail to see our fixation on comparing ourselves to Division 1 teams. There’s a whole Division there between us at present and our lot today is a Division 3 Westmeath team that we couldn’t beat in battle only six months ago. Let’s start with trying to beat them. We can worry about Monaghan or Armagh in the League when we get promoted and earn the right to play them.

Good win today even though at times we tried our best to lose it

Good performance from the new lads in which was good to see

We should have been out of sight mid way through the 2nd half but let them back in to it and made for a nervy finish

Anyway we needed that....

That might be the best game I've ever seen Ciaran Brady play for Cavan. Thoroughly dominant.

Niall Carolan was brilliant. His best game for Cavan so far. Tiarnan Madden also held his own. I thought Oisin Brady looked to struggle a bit physically which is strange because he's an excellent athlete.

The goal was a real defensive lapse. Can't allow players to get up the line that easy. We struggled around midfield.

Westmeath were poor on the day. I'd expect next week in Breffni to be a tougher assignment. Brilliant start and wonderful to see a hungry team and a vocal Cavan support.

We let them back into it and it became a real test. Good to get the win and get out of there with three points. I do feel the Down game will be the strongest test.

Down is our 5th game so we’ve Tipp, Longford & Offaly away before then. Tipp have had great success over the years in Breffni so we can’t look past them next weekend. Even when Madden scored a belter of a point to win us promotion in 2018, we had a fair bit of luck with decisions that day.

Yes possible knee injury

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41059379.html

Good solid start yesterday with some very impressive performances.

One massive frustration I have over yesterday is there was times when the inisde forwards were making runs into space and weren't picked seen. A bit more directness at times could really pay off.

I think that's the problem. Faulkner isn't a full back by trade and last season wasn't his best (i rate him very highly) but more often than not, despite form he's given the danger man to manage. I thought we looked a very cohesive unit against Westmeath, so that's encouraging (albeit it's only one game!)

Tipp are no one-trick pony and Russel for example did some damage against us in the final from distance and kicked three or four monster points before he ran out of steam. Tipp will absolutely have no fear of us and we need to bring the same level of intensity from Sunday from the throw in next week. If we do, we have enough and talk of Conor Smith and Gearoid being ready to get minutes.

Mickey Graham name dropped pretty much every player in his interview yesterday saying they should be fit next week but I take anything Mickey says with a pinch of salt, he gives nothing away.

Saw mention of Russell that kicked those monster scores in Croke above, Kevin Egan who spoke to WAC seemed to think they’d be missing him - injury I think.

Get through the Tipp game and there’s a two week window to the next game against Longford.

Looking at the link you posted, Russell came on in the second half. Quick scan of the programme for the division four final last year and Tipp had nine players from the game in April in action against Down o Sunday, we had 8 in action (including Madden and Lynch coming on as subs) from that final involved against Westmeath. I know Egan said they were down loads incluing Quinlivan and i think both Mahers- i can't remember.

Conor Sweeney gone for season, big blow for Tipp.

Team named for tomorrow, one change to the starting 15 with Ryan Donohue replacing Conor Brady. Some changes to the match day panel, Moynagh, Gerry Smith & the Gunner back. No sign of Gearoid and James Smith- as was flagged on the WAC podcast interview with Mickey Graham this week.