The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

mogue77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123282116#Comment_123282116

I remember Charles Clarke coming on , he had shovels of hands and could score I’m nearly sure he got a goal that day.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123282116#Comment_123282116

I was going to immediately say the time that Johnson cleaned Canty out, was a fine performance, good call on Clarke. Fine, fine footballer.

tazman06

Team is out

Blue47

Expect a few changes to that team. Don’t think Oisin Kieran is fit and Evan Crowe will be with the U20’s. McVeety should start if in the subs and after last week McEvoy should come in for Ryan O’Neill. Wouldn’t be surprised if Jayo starts, he had a hand injury so if he can make the bench then he’s fit to start.

Blue47

Louth forum on HS has it that Mulroy is out so wouldn’t give them much of a chance now against Meath.

Neddyusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123271617#Comment_123271617

Don't know if it was arrogance, foolishness, or if Burke just wasn't that pushed about promotion, but that was a largely experimental Roscommon team last weekend. And a very lethargic performance from the 15 on the field at that. Not to take anything from the Cavan performance, which if anything deserved a bigger margin of victory.

But a Ros team minus Stack, Cregg, Doyle and Murtagh won't be winning any other games this year either.

hatefulrory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123286970#Comment_123286970

By that rationale, Cavan played a largely experimental side without Clarke, Kiernan, McLoughlin, Madden and Oisin Brady off after 10 minutes.

mogue77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123286970#Comment_123286970

Doyle came on didn’t he?

cavan4sam

That was a close one ...that 2 point effort would have put us ...are we guaranteed all Ireland series with down being relegated?

piplip87

Couple of very dodgy calls went against us today. I think I counted 2 blatant fouls not given that would have resulted in kickable frees but not given and they went down and scored.

Seriously lacking in midfield and our kickouts are terrible.

Still when all is said and done we were very poor today. Promotion would have resulted in 6 or 7 losses in the league next year.

cavan4sam

I also found it strange ( I know it was last minute change from Cassidy )

That faloon was allowed ref it when his own county could be affected by the result

ipitydafool

Yeah ref was poor but thought he was bad enough for both teams. I counted a number of times when we needlessly turned over possession or took wrong option and Cork then went down the pitch and punished us. Oisín Brady was a big loss today and not sure why Gerry Smith went off at half time, I know Gearoid kicked some massive 2 pointers for us near the end but didn't have the legs at midfield for large part of 2nd half. Yes kickouts were poor in both halfs and contributed to the loss, tbf he was good under the high ball and made a good save in first half. Overall though we didn't deserve to win and can't have many complaints when other results went our way, league final would of been nice but probably for the best we not going up to Division 1.

Naughty_Skelator

Thought it was an abysmal performance today, we were lucky in my opinion to be within 6-8 points of Cork.

Cork are a big physical athletic team, they cut through us countless times, we couldn’t lay a glove on them, They annihilated us on breaking ball in the middle of the field, and they beat us 4 or 5-2 in terms of clean catches at centre field, Killian Clarke coming on and Beano coming out helped to a degree but it’s worrying especially coming up against Kilpatrick and Kennedy in 2 weeks time. Deane, and O Callaghan( whom I wouldn’t be familiar with were very good for Cork )

Hurley gave Beano a torrid time in the first half, Gunner steadied the ship in there a bit in the second half…

Kevin O Driscoll was allowed the freedom of the park for Cork , and he caused absolute chaos, The work rate wasn’t there at all, no press standing 5 yards off their men.

Some very poor shooting in the first half albeit against a strong breeze( Cork had no such problems in the second half though).

There should be a few lads sweating on their places for Omagh, there were some truly awful individual performances.

Tyrone beat Dublin today by 7, if we play like we did today against them in 2 weeks time, it will be a massacre,I thought we had turned a corner, especially after last week, but I wouldn't be hopeful after witnessing that today.

etuzyuk

Disappointing result in the end. Thought we struggled with the pace and physicality of Cork and the referee let pretty much everything go, something we're not used to. Thought it was reffed like a Div 1 game where soft frees are given out much less than down the lower divisions.

Our kickouts were desperate. We faired better on their kickouts but it was still a bit worrying how they walked through us with ease at times. Our decision making and handling was very poor at times too and our play was littered with sloppy mistakes. Getting exposed to higher standard teams and faster football on a regular basis can improve this you'd hope. Still, we could have nicked it in the end despite everything and gifting them so much. There was a decent wind there and there were plenty of 2 pointers in us if we had been more aggressive. That was probably the most disappointing thing, penny dropped very late with the players that the game was there for us.

I don't buy the argument that we're better off not going up. Division 1 is where we should be striving for, exposing our players to a higher grade and see how they deal with it. Having big teams come to Breffni and playing in front of larger crowds regularly. Another year in Division 2 not the end of the world but it is a strange division. We were literally a kick of the ball from promotion but very very easily could have been relegated if the ball had bounced differently in other games. So who knows when we'll see Division 1 again. You have to grab these sort of opportunities by the scruff of the neck when they come round.

Blue47

We were sloppy today and Cork had too much physicality for us. Still only a kick in it at the end but Cork deserved it. We had to bust ourselves for the last 4 games and I think that was a factor today.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123291279#Comment_123291279

3 sentences there and the first two sum it up perfectly for me. We tend to be disappointing in games like this where, essentially, it isn’t ‘do or die’ and that was the case yesterday. Cork were worth far more than a 2 point win. They missed at least two gilt edged goal chances, if not more, and dominated the breaking ball and physicality stakes.

We may have been close to Division 1 but, like the game today, should you be thinking of playing Division One opposition if you can’t beat Monaghan, Cork & Meath? I don’t think so.

Don’t get me wrong, it would have been nice to go up but next year you’ve a Division 2 of Tyrone, Derry, Meath, Cork, Louth, Kildare & Offaly. That’s a good mix of games you’d expect to win and games that will test you.

baconsarnie

Glass half empty: Cork were the better team, wanted it more and could have (should have) been out of sight by half. Some of our decision making in the game was as poor as the Meath game, especially in the first half when we got turned over trying to force the ball inside.

Glass half full: Even not playing well, we still were a kick away from drawing and going up. So even though not playing well for 70minutes, we still had enough in us to battle and almost fall over the line.

Hands up who saw that coming when we were trudging out of Navan a few weeks ago? Credit where credit is due that was a very good league performance considering how we started.

piplip87

I wonder will we see many from the panel in league action this weekend ? Surely lads who haven't had much game time will get a run with the clubs.

I'd argue McEvoy should play for the club this weekend. Hasn't had much football, was away for 2 years. A good run out in a local derby could be what he needs..

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123292307#Comment_123292307

You would hope the lads who need game time are given that chance. The likes of Carolan and Cian Reilly have had Sigerson and intercounty football over the last 2 months so you would hope they get a rest.

ipitydafool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123291779#Comment_123291779

Your last paragraph is the way I came away from yesterday, Division 2 with Tyrone and Derry down and Kildare and Offaly on the up, a good few of their u20 all Ireland side winning side from a few years ago on the team along with the teams from this year then it will be very competitive and definitely be getting tested. Obviously would be great to get up to Division 1 but as the last poster said after the start we had then overall the league campaign has to be considered a success.

We all know Tyrone away in Ulster championship is going to be a massive uphill battle to win but at least after yesterday there can be no chance of us getting ahead of ourselves. On a related note, heard after the game that Paddy Lynch is still a ways away from returning so unfortunately I am not sure if we will be seeing him out for the April 13th.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123292363#Comment_123292363

https://www.anglocelt.ie/2025/03/23/galligan-rues-missed-chances-but-glad-of-chance-for-players-to-rest-sore-bodies/

Less optimistic was the news on attackers Paddy Lynch, who had a setback in his recovery from an ACL rupture, and Oisin Brady, who went off early in the Roscommon game.

"Paddy most likely won't be back for the Tyrone game, he may make the next round. Oisin Brady more than likely will struggle to be back in three weeks."

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123292307#Comment_123292307

I’d imagine some lads will be allowed play the League games. I know some, who didn’t feature much in the League, have even been allowed play the odd challenge with their clubs.

hatefulrory

Yesterday just felt like it wasn't Cavan's day. The bounce of the ball constantly favoured Cork and we made a lot of basic handpassing errors and bad decisions on the ball. The referee was harsh in some of his decision making too. If we had our full compliment I think we'd have won. Overall, a solid league campaign and the turnaround should give us faith in the management and the resilience of this bunch.

Can anyone guess at who the main players will be U20 this year? We badly need to unearth some strong athletic powerful players. By the end of yesterday's game we had lads on the pitch who sadly no longer have the pace to be reliable at this level or just don't have the size to be a proper threat.

Blue47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123293038#Comment_123293038

Well Evan Crowe certainly fits the bill. Wasn’t around yesterday because he’s with the U20’s but could have done with him.

mogue77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123293511#Comment_123293511

he was togged out alright and named on the subs but they didn’t put him on.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123293038#Comment_123293038

Killian Brady from Gowna is one I saw as a future Cavan full back to replace Faulkner. Unfirtunately, the Gowna lads aren’t really making their mark at senior level to date.

Lorcan Reilly has tonnes of pedigree given his family background and has excelled for Knockbride at senior level, albeit in the junior grade.

Matthew Costello is captain and going forward he may result in the Lough providing the full compliment of the three best players in the League next year, not just two of three!!

mogue77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123298880#Comment_123298880

Matthew smith from Ramor is another player to watch.

cavan4sam

Good performance tonight but very wasteful in front of goals

Edwards in middle of the field was impressive as was Lorcan Reilly

hatefulrory

It looked like Monaghan were going to run away with it but fair play to the Cavan management and players, they tweaked things and pulled it back.

I thought Crowe, Tynan, Edwards all had excellent games. Lorcan Reilly was the only forward that really stood out. Monaghan's defence was very well organised and it's definitely the most defensive I've seen a team under the new rules.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301702#Comment_123301702

I thought our attacking play was atrocious. That was a win thrown away by poor forward play. I wouldn't be one bit happy with that although midfield and backs were very good as was keepers kick outs.