The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Blue47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123346577#Comment_123346577

It was reported in the Irish News today that Cormac O'Reilly was a doubt but hopefully he'll be ok as he's been in excellent form.

tazman06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123346961#Comment_123346961

Hadn't heard that one myself but yeah hopefully not. He's in great form and is badly needed

etuzyuk

Unfortunately a big doubt, think Madden will be in.

Blue47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123347348#Comment_123347348

You could see Ryan O'Neill going in there instead of him to win ball.

etuzyuk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123347438#Comment_123347438

Ball winning will definitely be an issue. Nothing obvious on bench either whoever else is added to it.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123347464#Comment_123347464

Yeah the bench looks fairly poor to me, particularly in terms of forwards. Ted never makes much of an impact and Ryan Donohoe saw little or no game time in the League so mustn’t be rated by management. Has Peter Devine even played a minute?

It’s funny listening to some of the “pundits” comments about Cavan. Paul Flynn this morning on RTÉ Radio commented that Sean McEvoy has been doing excellently in midfield while this evening Tomas O’Se on Today FM seemed to be hinting at a lot of family connections saying “the Reillys, Smiths & Fortunes” are playing well for Cavan!

piplip87

Didn't make it up but again been absolutely crucified from the kickout again. They may sub off O'Rourke or this will be messy

cavan4sam

Christ that's a toothless first half our kick out is embarrassing

Only thing more embarrassing is the rte praise of a poor ref

ipitydafool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123353072#Comment_123353072

Exact same as it was against Cork in last league game, its completely one dimensional, no change up despite getting destroyed.

piplip87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123353120#Comment_123353120

Kickout has been a problem all year. Very weak in the middle of the park but also poor kicking by the keeper ain't helping.

large_palette

10 points is recoverable under new rules but we need the first few scores. And we need to step up our energy and appetite for contact around the middle.

benjy1000

worst ever

Shite

Custard_Cream

That was a grim afternoon, Tyrone were realistically at 50 percent and still wiped the floor with us.

Just Listening to McGeary and Morgans interview after the match they actually have no respect for Cavan and why should they…

We are brutal.

Naughty_Skelator

just back from Omagh, really wish I hadn’t bothered, it was dire,

We made Tyrone look like all Ireland contenders, zero intensity, stood off them, while they were all over us anytime we were on the ball.

We cannot defend to save our lives, our midfield was brutal, except for two Gearoid fetched,James Smiths brilliance here has hid the lack of any other options at midfield.

The forwards minus probably our first choice full forward line in Cormac O Reilly and Oisin and Paddy played against a Gael force breeze and a shower of hail stones, in the first half which naturally with the day we were having disappeared at half time.

McVeety was excellent and his and Oisin Kieran’s long range shooting was very good in the second half, Ryan o Neil made a big impact when he came on and Ryan Donohoe made an impact at full forward, and McEvoy put in a serious shift throughout as did Cian Madden whom ran himself into the ground.

The amount of times Tyrone waltzed past us was shocking, we just couldn’t near them, there’s a few lads whom have been terrific servants for us , whom just don’t have the legs for this level anymore, it was clear to see today. The difference in speed and athleticism was staggering. Kilpatricks run through for the Tyrone goal being a clear example.

Galligan needs to make wholesale changes in the back line and midfield for the group stage, I fear what will happened when we meet one of the Dublin/Kerry/Galway/Ulster winner.

Cavan_King

And that is why it’s better Cavan didn’t go to Division One. The media can say about Cavan people being negative but I feel sorry for the players being put in that position. They try hard but are getting nothing from the line. When they perform is it in spite of management and not because of them?

Liam Brady sat for years behind Galligan and barely got a minute. Now why is he being left on the bench?

I’ve seen Brady in club games have a kick out like a laser. Land balls where the player will be, not where they are. It’s inexcusable that no change was made today.

mylestheslasher

I'll give my full thoughts later but the boy above that thought Ryan Donohoe made an impact must've been taking mushrooms before the game. That was a shocking display and from players and management.

I actually saw lads pulling out of physical contact, shocking at this level

Naughty_Skelator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123353799#Comment_123353799

I reckon they will only have another 3 matches with this management anyway….Can’t see them getting another year, unless we get a fortunate draw, in the group stage and manage to win a game.

Their team selections and positioning of players has been bewildering.

1 win and 5 defeats ( one against the worst Tyrone team last year since the late 90s)from 6 championship games is a terrible record.

Surely can’t be rewarded with a third year?

quidel7

That was quite the disappointing afternoon all told!!! Very much levels of performance way below what we hoped for. We all knew that Cavan would be up against it in midfield today but there seemed no plan or strategy worked upon to gain possession from kickouts. It’ll take a huge turn around for Cavan to complete this championship year with some positive vibes!

Cavan_King

It reminded me alot of the Meath game earlier in the season in that it looked like there’s trouble in the camp. We were second to everything. Brought no intensity or physicality to it whatsoever.

The first 15 minutes were like a challenge game. Then Tyrone just upped it as they needed to.

When you compare it to the way Antrim battered into Armagh yesterday in Corrigan. We’d have struggled to beat them the way we played today.

Cavan_King

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123353873#Comment_123353873

They were going to give McGleenan a third year. They were also going to keep Mickey Graham after a poor last year. It’s the manager who has to walk for some reason for there to be changes.

I don’t have much faith in the powers that be. There’s nothing fresh in there. The seats just move around.

baconsarnie

I had a family gathering on Sunday so I missed out on going to Omagh. I wasn't best pleased about the scheduling but watching it on the telly I was almost glad I couldn't make it. That had shades of the "performace" in Castlebar last summer. It looked like we had no intensity, Tyrone waltzing through us, scores were so easy for them. And then we seemed to be unable to cope with their intensity in tackling. Some of our shot selection was absolutely appalling. That first half was men against boys.

All week I was talking to people about the game and whilst most neutrals (ie Dubs) felt Tyrone would take us to the cleaners, I was saying "we will give them a right rattle". Nothing could be further from the truth. Tyrone probably have had tougher challenge games, that was completely gutless.

And if Gearoid has a muscle tear, we're in big trouble. God that was just a horrible day all round. I would say being there was a miserable experience.

As an aside, that ref was a cod.Didn't cost us the game, but we got zero from him.

mylestheslasher

My thoughts are as follows.

• Cavan clearly had very little belief they would win the game, as soon as questions were asked a lot of them went hiding.
• Mitigation is the injuries we had although you would really have to ask how well are they being prepared when they are getting injuries so frequently. I don't accept its "bad luck"
• The game of football we have today, if anyone didn't realise already, is all about kick outs. Winning the majority of your own is absolutely critical. Cavan were destroyed on their own kickouts in the 1st half. I heard Raymond say after that they had worked a lot on kick outs in training but its really hard to see evidence of that. Our kickout strategy was one dimensional, lacked any sort of innovation and was incredibly predictable. This more than anything cost us the game.
• Why would you tog out players you have zero intention of using - Cormac O Reilly togged but not fit enough to come on, Evan Crowe togged but not brought on, held for U20s, Paddy Lynch togged but again no fit to come on! Do we not have any other players in the panel? If we do what does it say to them about their prospects.
• We are thread bare in the attacking department.
• There was no comparison between the desire in Tyrone to win a dirty ball and the desire in Cavan. Chalk and cheese.
• Referee was terrible and Cavan got nothing from him.

dxhound2005

AI OverviewIn the Tyrone vs. Cavan game on April 13, 2025, Cavan had 12 wides. Tyrone had a total of 4 wides. 

With a bit more accuracy, Cavan could have won. Which would have been a travesty, but they made better use of the wind to get four 2 pointers. Tyrone had no 2 pointers, so they had a total of 25 scores, as against 16 for Cavan. Like other teams I have seen, Cavan expended a lot of effort trying to get into shooting positions. But then squandered that by Hail Mary shots instead of more recycling of the ball, to get a better shot.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123356631#Comment_123356631

I agree if we had of scored more we could have won the game.

We were muck and will likely be in for at least two bad beatings in the All - Ireland series.

mylestheslasher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123356898#Comment_123356898

Tyrone were in 2nd gear. I think they could have bate us out the gate if they were of a mind to. The 2 pointers kept us in it. If anything Tyrone will wonder why they didn't hit any 2 pointers.

large_palette

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123278062#Comment_123278062

Westmeath will exit the championship with valuable minutes in young legs and a solid platform for 2026. And they'll retain their manager. We'll exit with a raft of retirements and a group of young panelists probably flirting with a year in Oz. Whether the CB decide to retain Ray or not is immaterial. We're already a beat behind.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123356898#Comment_123356898

It wasn't as bad as the trimming we got by Tyrone in 2019 when we downed tools after about 5 minutes but it wasn't far off it.

I would be genuinely worried that we take two big beatings and a load of people walk away and we're left with a total rebuild for next year. Whereas some fight and a few decent performances might give lads a chance to reset and come back again and slowly rebuild, which we have begun to do.

baconsarnie

I agree re Lynch and Cormac, what's the point. Everyone knows they're not fit.

I don't think many intercounty teams are going to go well when three nailed on starting forwards are injured. Cormac Reilly was a huge loss, he brings an intensity to his game and had been flying since he came back into the team against Down.

I know Tyrone are a cut above us, but what really annoyed me was the total lack of fight.

As you said @mylestheslasher it showed a total lack of belief and willingness to get stuck in. That's unacceptable. Just like the Mayo game last year we didn't even have a cut at them and the writing was on the wall after 10 minutes.

Kick outs have been an issue all league and surely someone had to have some in game sense to come short to try and do something different.

What was the story with James Smith?

large_palette

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123357294#Comment_123357294

If the RTE panel are highlighting Cavan's reliance on 30 year olds is it accurate to say that we've also begun to rebuild?

Owen Mulligan came out after the game yesterday and said that Tyrone could only beat what was in front of them and Armagh would be a different kettle of fish. That's exactly the type of soundbite you trot out after a facile win, over a **** team or an inexperienced team. And unfortunately we cannot claim inexperience.

baconsarnie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123357390#Comment_123357390

O Rourke, Cian Reilly, Carolan, James Smith, Cian Madden, Oisin Brady, Paddy Lynch, McEvoy, Cormac Reilly, Lovett, Evan Crowe you would imagine would be starters for years.

I wouldn't be passing too much heed on RTE, for years most counties looked on with envy in how Monaghan wrung every single drop out of players until they retired. Are McVeety, Holla or Jason showing signs of age? Gearoid was our best player n the league.

I 100% agree that we need more players coming through, but that's not news for anyone from Cavan.

Tyrone don't respect Cavan and for good reason.