The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

piplip87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123202958#Comment_123202958

You would like to think so. Although Cork are beatable. Can't see us getting anything from Roscommon but with this group of lads you never know

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123203083#Comment_123203083

I think beating Down would have us safe as Down & Westmeath could only get to six and we’d have both on the head to head.

tazman06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123203083#Comment_123203083

Never do know alright. Meath showing the way. Maybe it's a case that the poor Navan loss might show that Meath are actually playing well above and adapting to the rules. Would love a rattle at the Rossies at home, the Hyde not a great place to play away so unfortunate. But yeah, get over Down, we've head to head on 3 teams around us, and look up. Cork may have little to bother with last day too hopefully

mylestheslasher

Made the trip down to Mullingar and was delighted to get out of there with a win. The conditions were very difficult but I think while you would expect to be 7/8 points down at half time it was Cavan indiscipline which really caused us problems and by my count at least 6 points coming from balls brought forward and another 2 pointer missed by Westmeath for another. Not sure what happened in the red card incident but I would say James Smith was lucky to only get a yellow as after the initial tangle I thought he got up and raised his hands to another player - although I was not close to that incident. In fairness to westmeath, in that 1st half they missed nothing and reeled off a series of excellent points. It was hard to see a way back but in fairness we did what we often do when backs are too the wall, we played on the front foot and pressed hard on their kickouts and for the 1st 10 minutes of the 2nd half we wiped them out pulling it back from 12 points to 4 points. He hit some lovely scores and should have had a goal. Faulkner, McKiernan lorded it a this point. Then we lost a bit of momentum and allowed westmeath to get a foothold again, although this was helped by the ridiculous new rule which meant we had to leave 3 men back marking 1, while playing 11 v 11 in the other half. So stupid. However it was a great individual goal from Gerry Smith after a turnover from McLoughlin which really won it for us followed by a few nice scores by Lovett and McVitty. 6 points will likely be enough so Down next Saturday is our best chance of achieving another win - but it wont be easy.

As for these new rules, all you could describe that game as being is total chaos with no one knowing what was going on half the time. Ref giving a free against our keeper for picking up the ball in his own half, only to then realise he wasnt. Giving Westmeath a free for us leaving 2 up then missing 2 x westmeath examples. Balls brought forward 50m for some really silly stuff, like Crowe picking up the ball presumably to hand it back in the 2nd half only to be penalised. Anyway, fair play to the lads and it was great to see them getting clapped off at the end by the travelling support.

tazman06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123203855#Comment_123203855

Re James Smith, yellow was probably fair. He did push a lad in the chest, but your man went down clutching his head and the linesman was telling him to get up and all that. He didn't buy it

And some of those weren't even 50m. Easily some he brought forward were over 60m. This needs sorted really. The 50m distance is at the whim of the ref

mogue77

any sign of Cian Reilly? Is he injured?

Cavan_King

Were our management team badly caught out yesterday on the 3 vs 1? Should O’Rourke not just have headed up the pitch into the opposition half and one of the 3 lads that had to stay back stand into the goals to cover?

I thought it showed a real lack of thinking on our feet.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123202329#Comment_123202329

Do we have a bad record against Down? Before they beat us in the Tailtean game in Breffni they would have been one of the few Ulster teams that I would say we have a recent hex over. We beat them three times in 2018 and beat them in 2020 when they were 10 points up. Unless you're counting the last McKenna cup, but I wouldn't say they hold any fear for us, similarly Cork (granted you could have said the same about Meath and Monaghan…)

The Rossies on the other hand, definitely have the hex on us.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123206225#Comment_123206225

I think there was lack of clarity on that ruling- you could see Ray remonstrating with the officials. And he wasn't the only manager who had the same problem. And we won!

He got some things right, he managed James Smith well (best 70 minute performance from him in a Cavan senior game), moved Gearoid out to dominate kickouts in the second half and got a lot out of Cian Madden from the bench. Moving Gerry Smith to half back also worked really well (who easily had his best game this season and definitely played himself into form)

I thought one change that wasn't needed and actually stalled our momentum was Killian Clarke for Crowe. Gearoid and Crowe had worked out a good system and were absolutely cleaning up in the middle (supported ably by Faulkner) when Killian came on that was disrupted and he never got to the pace of the game. His black card, given how the ref was applying the rules, was criminal- even if it looked from our perpsctive that O'Connell was fouled by Loughlin with a clear push in the back.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123206225#Comment_123206225

O Rourke is very uncomfortable on the ball. I think if you had a different keeper then yeh maybe. But what they certainly should have done was pushed him into the Westmeath half in the 2nd half for their kickouts to compete for them, he was standing on his own 45 and I am not really sure what the benefit if that was. He is a good traditional keeper but not suited to outfield. I am hoping this silly rule of keepers being a 12th man in an attack is binned after round 5 as I dont know why that rule is there. If Beggan or Morgan want to play in the other teams half, give them the No 15 jersey.

ipitydafool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123207244#Comment_123207244

Yeah similar situation occurred in the Donegal and Galway game and afaik Paton wasn't planted in the Galway half and they were playing with an even bigger wind than Cavan though conspiracy theorists would say Donegal had no interest in winning that game, doesnt suit them to get to a league final a week before the Ulster championship starts! Anyway I think it boils down to the above and agree, O'Rourke more a traditional keeper and not suited to outfield so I don't think he would comfortable like Beggan and Morgan are in doing what they do. 100% agree that it needs to be binned, it allows the slow build up play that everyone wanted gone to still occur in alot of situations. As for having to keep 3 back when the other team is 2 players down, also stupid as some managers have said, it can incentive the cynical foul as not as penal to the team that loses the player.

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123206225#Comment_123206225

As I stated before, teams will soon be putting a good midfielder in goals. It has become the most important position on the team.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123208031#Comment_123208031

Not that simple, there is also the matter of accurately kicking out the ball

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123208150#Comment_123208150

Not much accuracy in many I have seen this year. Why would a keeper be more accurate than a midfielder? It's all about practice anyway. Wasn't Galligan an outfield player himself?

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123208167#Comment_123208167

I don't think we will be putting James Smith in goals anytime soon.

etuzyuk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123208167#Comment_123208167

Free taker. I actually think Barry Reilly or the like would make a great goalie.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123207212#Comment_123207212

Fitzpatrick fact checked the Down point on the pod. We have had the better off them lately.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123207229#Comment_123207229

Who would have thought playing a lad at half back who has played half back his whole career would work out!? Eh?

I agree about O’Rourke being uncomfortable on the ball but his presence up there might have caused a bit of a problem. I don’t know the exact rules but can two players change jerseys on the pitch and O’Rourke change with an outfield player and they go up?

Although the ref would need to be informed re team sheet.

Cavan_King

Cavell Keoghan has gone for the Cavan media lads on Twitter. Not sure if it’s tongue in cheek.

mogue77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123209798#Comment_123209798

That’s interesting, you say that, you mean could just say Niall carolan wear the number one jersey and Gary Orourke wear the number two but Gary Orourke stays in goal, that surely would be interesting to see if allowed.

mogue77

then again I don’t think it would, because Niall wouldn’t be able to recieve the ball in his own half, which would be no use as a defender.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123208167#Comment_123208167

Yes but Galligan was also a free kick expert. You will see how critical kick outs will be in the summer against zonal presses and the like. I am not saying it is impossible to convert a midfielder but its a midfielder who can kick the ball out of the ground and I suppose he would be expected to save the odd shot.

My money is on this roving keeper getting hooked anyway so maybe a mute point

benjy1000

what did he say ? Goodman

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123210342#Comment_123210342

I’m talking about it being used when the other team is down a man (or two) and we’ve to leave 3 players back on 1 or 2.

Why not get O’Rourke to switch jerseys with a back and they go up into opposition half and he stand in goals with an outfield jersey on? That way you are still keeping your 3 outfield players back and getting the advantage of a man going up the pitch to create an overlap.

Not sure how it’d work re the team sheet though.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123211461#Comment_123211461

Cavell Keoghan put up that “John McMahon Damon Donohoe Paul Fitzpatrick all have same thing in common. All done nothing for Cavan football correct”.

He then tagged WAC & Jmacpodcast.

Appears he has since removed it.

Somebody did point out that they can all at least spell and use punctuation!

Fitzpatrick has a particukarly soft skin for someone in the media so will be interesting to see how he bites back.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123213534#Comment_123213534

Pardon my ignorance but is he Donal Keoghan's son or no relation?

benjy1000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123214486#Comment_123214486

Yes, a son.

Heir to the throne.

large_palette

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123215551#Comment_123215551

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123213534#Comment_123213534

When people are too intimidated to speak up at CB meetings or challenge a particular individual or clique, the local media's role becomes doubly important. Sunlight is a hell of a disinfectant, and the fact that they're now taking flak speaks volumes.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123215968#Comment_123215968

Yes there was a clique in there that didn’t like Terry Hyland either and I heard numerous times they wanted to replace him with Martin McHugh, too many times for it to be coincidence.

The county board seem to be doubling down behind the Westmeath manager. Apparently at a meeting the other night an individual who is an officer, and a person I would respect actually, stated that there was a lot of criticism flying around but they are proud of their full time staff and GDM.

One supporter actually commented to me this week he would have preferred Cavan lose at the weekend because it really would have ramped up the pressure. I said in reply that they were some supporter but it was hard to argue when they said they felt it’d be better in the long run.

Naughty_Skelator

The Keoghans would be cousins of Dermot McCabe I believe?

They obviously don’t like the criticism McCabe is getting, this could get even nastier.. and the majority of the GAA people within the county I’ve spoken to would be on the sides of the We are Cavan lads, McCabe isn’t a popular man right now.

Interesting match up this weekend, We couldn’t live with Down’s speed and athleticism in the Tailteann Cup match in 2023, Liam Kerr is gone, thank Christ for that as he’s always caused us serious issues, The Johnstons whom have caused us issues also didnt start against Louth, I’m not sure if they are part of the panel and I see they have brought Pat Havern out to midfield, as they have had a serious lack of ball winners in the middle third for a number of years now and by all accounts are struggling with the new kickout rule, forcing teams to go longer with their kickouts.

Murdock of course will take serious watching.

No sign of a Cavan team named as of yet.