The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Carolan and Ryan Donohoe both played Sigerson tonight. It will be tough for them to go again on Sunday. Liam Brady played too but should be less risk for a keeper.

Cian Reilly came on for TUD so presumably he just didn't make the Cavan squad at the weekend which is a pity.

WAC said Cian Reilly has had a really bad run of injuries but is still on the panel. A fully fit (with game time) Reilly would be huge asset to the panel with league games coming thick and fast.

Cavan aren't unique and I assume each county that has players in action at Sigerson will try and manage them. The Canavans lined out for Queens for example, you would assume Tyrone will play them.

I expect if Cavan are fully up for it (and they should be) that we will beat Meath in Breffni but it won't be by a lot.

This Sunday will tell us a lot. Donegal are being blown up out of all proportions based on a new manager. It's fascinating to see how people think that one change can suddenly make them a top 6 team again! Maybe I'm the fool but I think there won't be much in it on Sunday.

Absolutely, there should be no aura about this Donegal side, despite the non-stop "return of the Messiah" narrative. They've lost their once in a lifetime player and I don't think McBrearty is to be feared either.

Having just typed that he probably will score 2-5 from play now! Brennan is hit and miss but if you let him find form in a game, he can be devastating. He was the difference for me in 2022 (and Conor Lane, but I'll let that go now!) Like ourselves they have scorers across all lines but I would be happy that we can and should have a decent cut at them. Would love to see us rip into them on Sunday. C'mon Cavan!

I’m not reading too much into our performance last week or Donegal’s. As I keep saying, it was the first day of the League and you can get freak results.

What I did see is in Donegal is a huge intensity as they hunted in packs. They were playing Division 1 last year and will bring a standard we mightn’t see again in this Division other than in Armagh.

Again, and this proved wrong last week so hopefully it does again, going on the level the two teams have been playing at, and the fact that they beat us by six points in 2022, you have to expect a Donegal win.

In your experience do u find that Cavan’s teams are more up for games vs Meath ? I presume Monaghon is your big one? Would Cavan get hard get up for a dear by game v Longford or Leitrim ?

I think it depends on the player and their area to be honest. I’d talk to people from Mullagh & Virginia and they would see Meath as our big rival. I know people in Ballyconnell who absolutely hate losing to Fermanagh.

Leitrim are generally working off too low a base for anyone to take much notice of them.

It’s very much a geographic thing but I do believe the Meath rivalry went back to the 50s and battles for All Irelands so is probably the oldest.

I would have thought that after such a good showing last week Cormac would be ahead of O'Neill for a start, O'Neill is a workhorse but I would doubt his ability to do much damage on the scoreboard.

It might mean we need to recalibrate how good our win was last week? By all accounts Fermanagh were much better than Kildare.

Meath are there for taking but if Meath finish in bottom 2, 3rd bottom will go into the Taillteann.

Also, as shite as Kildare seem. There's a good chance they'll make the Leinster final as they are in easy side of the draw. It Kildare and Meath went down 4th bottom could also end up in the Taillteann!

RTE make it a hard luck story for a "wasteful" Kildare. Their keeper fumbled a ball into his own goals, and they missed a penalty.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0203/1430252-fermanagh-do-enough-to-take-the-points-against-kildare/

I think some Cavan supporters got a bit carried away after a win over what looks like a poor Kildare team. We could be relegated yet, i’d take staying in Division 2. Today will tell us where we stand.

The difference between the teams was kick out retention. Cavan forced long with almost every kick out and while the did ok on those 50:50 long balls, there was no plan b and they as a result they didn't get enough possession. The referee was appalling. The last play was a joke, Smith winning a mark. He threw it up and then blew final whistle despite Donegal feigning injuries about 3 times in injury time.

As for Donegal, they are anti football and will win nothing playing like they do. Gallen is quality but their style of play is muck.

Oisin Brady was a miss today he would have been good for 2 or 3 scores. For all the good Faulkner does his shooting let him down today dropped a couple off scorable shots short and a couple of wild shots.

Referee desperate for both teams. Jim McGuinness seemed to be worried second half as he never left wee Barry Cassidy alone. That was after the Donegal lads had provided some half time entertainment by arguing with the stewards that they should be allowed warm up on the pitch amongst the kids.

I’d move James Smith to midfield & put Killian Clarke into full back. Killian Brady will not want to see Oisin Gallen again.

Caoimhin O’Reilly did well when he came on. Had a bit of purpose about him.

Donegal are expected to walk through most of Division 2 so today should be a good sign.

The Cork game in two weeks is huge now.

Decent enough in the second half. A few lovely moves that should have been finished off. Ref had a very bad game, McGuiness brought something from the Soccer world with him.. Donegal lads going down like they were shot after the slightest contact.

Best thing is we went four down and didn't cave in, showed some balls and nearly brought the game back level.

Every game maybe apart from Armagh is a winnable game we should be looking at finishing third and maybe Fermanagh could do us a favour against Donegal or Armagh.