The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Westmeath aren’t that good a team. We played terribly in that Tailteann Cup Final, got very little right on the line and still could have beaten them.

On top of that, I’d imagine Dessie Dolan is going to be a terrible appointment. Great player in his day end a local hero but no managerial experience even at club level.

I wouldn’t be as dismissive of Offaly as Kevin Egan was on WAC this week. He’s from the county though and some people tend to talk down their own county.

Good win today and a good performance. Cavan wanted to push the pace and move the ball fast and Offaly couldn't keep the pace we set.

Some great performances, Lynch was excellent. If he could work on his initial burst of pace to get away from his marker he would be a massive goal threat. His movement and balance are outstanding. He got great service today too.

I thought Ryan O'Neill was excellent too and Gerry Smith covered a huge amount of ground.

We are humming along nicely. Down will be a step above anything we have played so far, looking forward to it. Hopefully Breffni will be hopping for it. As King says, win and we are are almost certainly up.

Good to see James Smith & McLoughlin get game time today. I don’t think either will start next weekend but they’ll be there if things get sticky.

Offaly scored 7 out of 8 shots in the first half. They were never going to keep up that level of conversion. Those points at the end of the first half were vital to knock them for six.

Down will be the toughest task we’ve had yet and we’ve now basically a mini Ulster championship left to lead us into the Armagh game.

Not getting promoted from here would be a travesty and I would expect it’ll be Fermanagh or Down we’ll be playing in a League Final.

Game is on BBC iPlayer next week so let’s put on a show.

The first half was very entertaining and both teams kicked some fine scores. As Cavan_King stated, Offaly hit some amazing points (that mark on the sideline and their full back landing one from about 40 metres) that wasn't likely to happen against a tight breeze.

Lynch will get plenty of plaudits but Faulkner man of the match for me. He's looking back to his best in the last few games, which is a great sign. Looks fitter and far more mobile. Like the Longford game a lot of players played well and even though Offaly had a plan to stop McVeety, we had more than enough in our front 6. Clarke and Brady did really well in midfield too.

No wanting to put a massive hex on us, but where are Down showing that they are a cut above everyone else? Beat Tipp by a goal, fell across the line against Antrim at home, shipped late goals against Fermanagh and somehow Westmeath managed to lose from being 6 points up.

Okay, the Antrim and Westmeath games show resilience at home and clearly have the appetite for goals, but they're shipping big totals as well (in three wins their score difference is plus 5). They've definitely improved, but given where they were at, that's not much of a statement.

Well Westmeath were the best team we played and Down beat them and are 2nd in the table so it's probably safe to assume they're better than anyone we have played so far. Bookies have Cavan at 1/2 Down 2/1 and a 2 point handicap.

Division 3 is low quality but you'd wonder how Limerick got promoted ahead of Westmeath last year. Being totally outclassed in Division 2

Westmeath played the more direct football in that final. Cavan were slow and ponderous even before Galligan went off.

James Burke seems to have Cavan more on the front foot. I don't think Johnston brought much as a forwards coach.

Wish this game was Saturday evening i miss the evening games with the lights on and a decent crowd in.

Looking at Downs Results so far there goal scoring ability seem to be something that we need to weary off on Sunday, and what has got them over the line in there 3 victories so far. In saying that they are letting a few in as well so hopefully we can take a few of our goal chances this week.

They kicked 18 points against Antrim but in the other three games the most they kicked was 11. There biggest win so far (3pts) was against Tipperary who are possilby the worst team in the Division.

Tipperary 1-11 Down 2-11

Down 2-18 Antrim 2-17

Fermanagh 2 -14 Down 3-10

Down 1-10 Westmeath 0-11

Paddypower have it as Cavan 1/2 and Down 2/1 with Cavan (-2) even money

I would always be cautious about Cavan and how we will get on in games but i think we will be beat the handicap easily on this one.

We were very open in that game- in fact, barring the Fermanagh game, we really were very open through the middle against running teams in the league and Tailteann. Sligo in Croker for example. We seem in the first four league games this year to have dealt with that much better.

O Hagan caused us all sorts of bother in that game, and he is out for the season and he is a huge loss for them.

Since losing to Down in the Ulster Semi final in 1996 i can’t remember us losing any important games to them. I’m sure there are some but i can’t think of them.

Same team as last week named. I’d expect we may see more of McLoughlin or James Smith off the bench this week though.

Gearoid, of course, is also due back this week!!

The game is on GAA Go as BBC iPlayer are showing it so I assume it will be available to purchase to watch back later? Let’s hope it’s one we want to watch back later!

Laverty was mouthing at anyone he seen in blue and someone barged into him it must have been ricey.

Great win in the end first half was a hard watch Down were very negative.