The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117942812#Comment_117942812

In fairness, that was some performance from McKieran. The first goal was good, the second was absolutely superb. When he's playing like that, he's close to unstoppable.

rrs

True, its good that he has a chance to play Senior Championship, though would have been better if the Co Board went ahead with a few Amalgamations and have a West Cavan team in the Senior Champioship. Clubs probaly wouldn't have agreed to that.

The transfer might not have been for everyone but he's testing himself at he top level,

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117943013#Comment_117943013

No point allowing amalgamations just for senior championship. Some clubs down that direction are just going to have to accept the inevitable like Corlough are doing - demographics are not in their favour.

Will be an interesting round of last games next weekend. Crosserlough still have an outside chance of getting through on 3 points. It means the team finishing 1st could possibly be “rewarded” with them in the QFs.

rrs

Amalgamations can't play in Intermediate so it would have to be Senior. It works well in Kerry but they all buy into and having being doing it for years.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117943485#Comment_117943485

Barring one really obvious one (Maghera downing tools completely and joining in Munterconnaught), where are the amalgamations people are pushing?

Is it just a generic "all the West Cavan teams should join together" kinda chat? Or are there others ones I am missing? I suppose you could stick Kill and Drung together and give the Junior championship a serious rattle. But that's not likely.

If you were to look at the last few years and form, why not say Drumalee should pack it in and merge with the Gaels. ☺️

Cavan_King

Listened to the podcast this morning. I do enjoy it, as I've said previously, but Donohoe really needs to drop the Mullahoran love-in. They were hammered by Ramor and you have him trying to justify that they are the type of club who could come back and beat Ramor in the QFs - based on what Damo, the fact that they are 2/3 years up from intermediate and have struggled to win games except winning two this year against what now appears to be a very poor Castlerahan and Killygarry, who themselves haven't won a game in 2/3 years.

I also found it very poor that they had little or nothing at all on the Lavey Sherock game but talked at length about the other five games. I'm sure they could have at least attempted to pull a bit of research together about it - it was on Cavstream after all - and act like they have a bit of interest in those two clubs.

Crosserlough on one point from 3 games but not dead yet. If Kingscourt win their last game, they finish on eight points, Lough could be 8th on 3 and we'll have a repeat of last year's final.

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117944601#Comment_117944601

Drumalee are already amalgamating at underage level with Redhills - Naomh Brid. Drung & Kill also amalgamate at underage as St Finbarrs. Some West Cavan Clubs amalgamate as Dernacrieve.

For me, any club who can't even get enough kids to make a 9, 11 or 13 a side team at U12 or U13 level, on their own, need to seriously look at their long term future.

Drumalee are a good example. They've been struggling now for the last five years following relegation from senior because they now have Butlersbridge and Killygarry on their doorstep who are thriving. Not to mention the other club in the town!

The problem for Maghera & Munterconnaught is that they are in an area that is thriving but the kids are going to Cuchulainns and Ramor as Blackwater isn't an attractive proposition. I can't see that changing for them any time soon either.

rrs

There was a report done a few years ago and that Cavan has one highest amount of clubs per population.

Donegal has twice the population of Cavan ,but has the same number of Clubs 40.

tanko

If teams finish level on points does it come down to scoring difference to decide the placings?

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117945477#Comment_117945477

It was brought up here before and some posters took exception to it. I honestly think Cavan should look to move towards 30 clubs. 10 at senior, intermediate & junior. I know clubs have years of history but that isn’t lost by amalgamating. You’d still hear people mention how Laragh Utd was once two clubs - Laragh & Stradone.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117944601#Comment_117944601

Jeez that's a serious insult to Drung and Kill, one of them will be in the Junior semi final.

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117948200#Comment_117948200

Junior semi final - I'm sure all young kids dream of playing in that.

Will either of them win the junior? No. One swallow doesn't make a Summer.

Why not pool their resources like they are at underage and make a decent stab at it? Cootehill are flying at underage whereas Kill and Drung are fielding amalgamations.

You've ignored all the issues I've raised just to target that one of them will make a junior semi final this year.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117948200#Comment_117948200

Tongue in cheek- but you could argue that both of them got Maghera in the draw and that seriously skews the junior championship. Whilst the senior and intermediate are competitive, the standard seems to have slipped a bit in junior this year from the bits I've seen.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117948686#Comment_117948686

Junior is very poor this year correct.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117948675#Comment_117948675

I'm sorry for ignoring what you highlighted when i was replying to another poster. I was not aware that I had to read and reply to all your posts.

What you have stated is ridiculous and I wil lreturn to it later.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117946914#Comment_117946914

Assuming there isn't a head to head, yes that is what I was told. Technically it is in Ballinagh's hands if they beat Castlerahan they are through regardless of what Crosserlough do.

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117948831#Comment_117948831

On present form you'd have to expect Ballinagh to go through. They've been performing well and haven't even got the best out of McDermott in this championship yet.

I'd say Keoghan is on the phone to Ronan Flanagan & Sean Brady and maybe some others to see what shape they are in!

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949052#Comment_117949052

The only thing in Crosserlough's favour is that Laragh are through and might look to rest a few lads before the quarters. But on current form, you would have to think Ballinagh will have enough to get over the line. Ball all accounts they should've beaten Laragh, ran the Gaels way closer than Castlerahan did and gave a really good account of themselves against Ramor. Castlerahan just look like a side that has too many miles on the clock and without the likes of Brady, Flanagan or Mackey are lacking leaders on the pitch at the minute (Oisin Kiernan aside, and he's not even been at the level he was last year).

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117948675#Comment_117948675

Less of the sneering of the Junior championship and clubs there will always be Junior clubs and the players are happy to represent their club.

Drung and Kill have panels of 25 each with a few others who would tog out for Junior games if needed. If you got your way you would deny senior football for at least 25 players and probably lead to them hanging up there boots or trying other sports.

The day may come that they will need to amalgamate but it will be down to lack off numbers and nothing else.

Yes Coothill are doing well at underage but it's not long ago they had to join with Drung and Kill to field in the minor championship and with their population should not be happening. For all their good work they are still happy to welcome players Kill have developed from age 5. Drung and Kill have been joining at underage over 40 years and it has worked well.

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949513#Comment_117949513

Laragh had enough of a rest last year! They've a big panel alright but I can't see them resting lads. They are unbeaten despite only having 4 points and I'd expect they will look to keep the momentum going. Laragh are arrogant and will think they can win the championship so it'd be a big plus for them to knock out Crosserlough.

A lot of teams are playing counter attacking football where they drop men back to defend but then attack at speed. I don't think that suits Castlerahan as they are too slow at getting the ball forward themselves.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949543#Comment_117949543

I think you're right, Laragh much like Gowna last week might want to throw down a marker and go for it.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117945396#Comment_117945396

Drumalee are a good example but not in the way you think. They have a huge potential pool of players but they are not getting them into the club. Amalgamation is a quick fix there but the proper fix is to get to work at ground roots and get to kids in the schools and get them up to your club.

There are other clubs surely that should be looking at amalgamations I suppose but they should be doing it for the right reasons, making sure everyone gets to play ball.

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117949551#Comment_117949551

Laragh were saying, whilst still on the pitch, after winning the intermediate that they wouldn't stop there and wanted to go for senior. I also heard they were quite vocal at the Breffni Awards that year about what they expected to do at senior level.

They took the year off last year due to no relegation and now they're back with guns blazing.

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117950095#Comment_117950095

Is Drumalee not usually relying mainly on St Clare's? Most people from the town are running their kids out to Killygarry or Butlersbridge schools now. I think that is why Drumalee has suffered. The estates they also would have relied on now don't have families or gaelic playing people in them.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117950637#Comment_117950637

Fair post that.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117950637#Comment_117950637

The lads on We Are Cavan said that the Swad / Corlough team only had a panel of 20 for the Denn game (or possibly even fewer). So a relatively straightforward amalgamation isn't bringing any immediate rewards (results are also very poor).

And given that in theory you could have someone playing senior football from 18 to 35 (or more) not being able to field a team at a certain underage level isn't an absolute that a club is about to limp into an amalgamation. Every parish goes through cycles of population. Granted some are on the up for numbers (suburbs around Cavan town for example, commuter belts to Dublin) and others will always struggle due to emigration, but changes in working from home could as easily bolster numbers for clubs in West Cavan if a decent broadband service was a runner (for example).

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117950637#Comment_117950637

How is it ''nonsense'' to suggest having less clubs would make the championship more competitive, at all levels? Not sure what ''smart boys'' are?

It's not just to do with club to population ratio and demographics. It's about a pooling of resources (management, training etc.) and, more importantly, funding also. This would lead to better teams and a higher standard - god knows, a Cavan team might even become competitive enough to win an Ulster club championship.

When will Corlough ever get a sniff of being able to field a team again? Never is the answer. I heard they were operating off a school of 30 to 40 pupils. That isn't sustainable.

As for their amalgamation with Swad being held up as an example, it isn't a good one as it was two poor teams amalgamating. Swad were already experiencing issues and were on a downward spiral.

A club doesn't have to lose their identity either when they amalgamate.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117953522#Comment_117953522

Can you tell us which teams you feel should amalgamate and the reason for it please?

Lemlin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117953816#Comment_117953816

Not sure I have the knowledge or data to suggest what clubs ''should'' amalgamate. There's a lad somewhere would be higher paid and better situated than me to do it. I'd imagine though, as I previously said, that clubs who are unable to field even a team of players who are 11/12 years of age, of their own stead, should be looking at it so you're looking then at Blackwater (Maghera/Munterconnaught, Mountnugent also join this at later levels), St Finbarrs (Kill/Drung), Naomh Brid (Redhills,Drumalee) & Dernacrieve (can anyone englighten me exactly what clubs make up that amalgamation?)

I've outlined some of the reasons above - the main benefit being a pooling of resources and funding. Making the competition more competitive also and resulting in a higher standard of training/matches for their players.

The reason against seems to be that some old lad that played for the club 80 years ago when they won their single solitary championship feels the club will lose its identity if they amalgamate. That makes great sense though - its not like the world and demographics are changing.

rrs

Cornafean,Arva and Killeshandra are in the one parish. They probaly wouldn't want to join and but Killeshandra and Arva are joined underage. Those clubs struggle to field a team on their own underage.

Cornafeanl been joined a bit with Butersbridge in recent years.

They are all Intermediate teams,Arva struggling this year with injuries and players away. They will probaly end up in Junior,but the 3 clubs together would be a good Senior team.