The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Brilliant 2 points to get in Ardee. Sets us up lovely in the table.

First half I thought Louth looked very good. Big physical team, looked stronger on the ball, good runners and ball carriers and very sharp forward play. We played ok in spurts, got a lucky goal but thought we faced a real uphill task against the wind for the second period. Don't know what was said in the dressing rooms at half time but can only assume that Ger Brennan, unhappy with the prospect of 2 points, asked his team to go out and lose by any means possible. They had no interest in football and sure enough found themselves a man down and 6 points behind with the clock running down. Game over or at least it should have been but some of our players, cottoning on to what the Wee men were up to, would not be outdone. Very uncomfortable viewing the last quarter. Hugely intense and enjoyable in a sadistic sort of way with all the errors, ill discipline and unyielding determination by both teams to give away possessions as urgently as possible. But we held on for a famous win. In truth a draw would have been a fair result. No one deserved to win it.

Very happy with what I've seen so far. Three big away wins and in a better position than I would have predicted. Yes there are some major worries. A lot of our problems are stemming from a porous midfield but no obvious solution. We'll just have to ride it out and hope we hit on a fix. We cannot manage possession either when in front and see a game out comfortably. Again hopefully we'll learn and on a positive slant there's something to admire there in the honesty of effort and lack of gamesmanship from the players. These lads want to play and won't lie down. Goalkeeper looks good. Some of the younger lads have stepped up. Paddy Lynch was the difference between the two teams yesterday. Carolan looks a player. Maddens will come good. O'Connell has stepped up. Older lads like Faulkner, Holla, Gunner, McLoughlin and G. Smith are putting in shifts. O'Reilly and Brady upfront will be pushing with more game time and the lads off the bench yesterday all put their hands up. I was skeptical of Ray's appointment but I like what I've seen from him. He's not afraid to make changes and you get the feeling the squad cannot rest on their laurels with him. 

Onto Meath in Breffni. Pressure is off now. I get it hard to see a scenario where we go down on 6 points. So hope to see us go at them and play like a team on a promotion charge. Would be great to put on a display in front of a bumper home crowd next Saturday evening and set up a big championship type showdown with Armagh in the Athletic Grounds for Paddy's weekend.

We now cannot go down on 6 points. With remaining games and who play each other, we cannot be caught. And even if we are caught on 6 points, we have those teams (bar Fermanagh) on head to head. A twitter account called Stats and Solos (https://twitter.com/StatsAndSolos/status/1761821085073326114) has the data on it. We can't go down now

Thanks Tazman. Figured we might be ok but great news to see it in black and white!

I agree, the amount of off the ball stuff from Louth was laughable. From memory, their keeper was already positioned on the 45 for a press on our kick out which he did repeatedly in the latter part of the second half (O Rourke did the same). He was definitely giving Oisin verbals but what was the point in reacting when he was on a booking and being subbed? No defence for that.

I felt for the ref, there was so much going on and needed more from his linesmen and umpires. It was non-stop pulling and dragging the whole way through the game. You're 100% right on that. The linesman on the stand (correctly) called Smith for his reaction and late hit and he got booked. But the very next play Faulkner was dragged down not once but twice right in front of him. Ray seems pretty calm on the line but he was going irate (and rightly so) as it was clearly Faulkner being targeted on kick outs but there was no consistency. The same player was later booked in the game and should have been gone at that point.

And now we move onto Meath, How we feeling about Saturday lads?

I am relatively confident we can get the win but I was confident against Louth too and that a was a nail biter. A lot depends on how the bodies recover from the game last week. We had a lot of fellas out on their feet, a few injuries niggling at the team. If you told me Killian Clarke was injured or Padraig Faulkner I would be much less optimistic. Assuming we have our main men from the last day playing I think we will take them. Meath are not a great team but they have 2 good lads in their full back line in Keoghan and O Neill. If they put the shackles on Lynch and Oisin Brady then it might be a struggle. I have to say I would be sick to lose to them so hopefully the lads go at this hell for leather.

We’re a better team than Meath I’ve no doubt about that.

Our club football is also at a higher level.

The issue is Meath are a team who often perform above their level and we are a team who often perform below ours.

We’ve already all but secured our Div 2 status, which for me was the most important thing coming into the season, but a defeat here would really sting.

Not yet.

I would like to see another forward or two step up and get some scores - Oisin Brady had a good start but he was poor against Louth. We need him to get going again. Caoimhin got two points, needs to put a full 70 minute performance together. Can Cormac Reilly step up? Also need to get the Holla motoring a bit better, I think against Meath in Breffni could be the one to get him moving again.

I think I would like to go to Div1. I know we would be potentially looking at coming back down but Monaghan lasted 10 years up there and we are as good if not better than them. We would develop better up there and it would mean we would have Sam football for 2 years in a row minimum. That is where we develop. We also have 5/6 players moving towards the end of their careers. They cannot wait for others to get to the supposed level required. Beat Meath and go give Armagh a rattle I say. Armagh have Cork away on the last day too, Cork likely will need a result there. Lots of football to be played yet

Lot of snow on the surface alright. Will have to see if it melts ahead of tomorrow

I wonder would that suit us? Seems we're a lot of men down, and some lads might be walking wounded after that bruising encounter with louth on Sunday. A break might do us good (although saying that I want the game tomorrow to keep things going)

is it an urban myth or something, but i heard their is a tank like a slatted tank under the pitch in breffni to take water off the surface? sounds amazing but i might have ben filled up with BS.

That would be standard for drainage on a sand based pitch. Have recently been involved in developing a pitch, there is a tank that takes the initial splurge of rain of the pitch and holds. Over time the tank will release the water into the ground. I have no idea if there is on in Breffni but the pitch was redone a while back and I remember them saying at the time that the previous drainage system had been found to be damaged and had to be re-done. Is there a thaw over there yet?

The snow is gone all around where i am its 5 degrees fingers crossed it will be playable tomorrow night.

I recall a McKenna Cup game in like 2019 in Ballyconnell, against one of the Uni sides. Kingscourt had a game around then too, but can't remember when. Don't think we played a League game there since the 2000s