Cavan vs. Donegal

Lemlin

Seeing as we had topics on the Antrim and Tyrone games for us Cavan supporters to discuss, I decided to start one on the upcoming game.

I think it'll be hard as Donegal are a good team, it'll be our fifth game in six weeks and morale is going to be unbelievably low. That said, its Donegal's third game in three weeks, their missing a few suspended players, are playing away from home and Cavan proved against Tyrone that we can lift our game to put it up to even the finest of opponents.

My head says Donegal but my heart says Cavan have a chance. Hopefully the lads will be keen to lift the county after the embarassment of last week. The first day against Tyrone we got the tactics right. Last week we didn't and things didn't go our way at all. Hopefully we can get them right against Donegal and hope that all our bad luck was used up in the Tyrone replay.

Big Nelly

Im going with Cavan! think they willl win by a few points......home advantage is good and will help the team's morale to have a full Breffni!!

KingEric

It's my first post so go easy on me!!

I think that this will be a close game. Both teams have played a lot of games in the last few weeks, but Donegal have had a slightly easier run of it than Cavan. Apart from maybe the Antrim replay all of Cavan's games have been hard both physically and mentally. Whereas Donegal had an easier game against Wicklow which should restore some confidence in them after the Armagh replay. Cavan/Donegal have had some good games in the past and i dont think this will be any different.

Cavan have the home advantage for them, i think there'll be a big home support but I just feel that Donegal have a little bit extra class and also will be a bit fresher. Donegal by 3-4 points in the end..

cournioni

If McCabe doesn't play, Cavan will win. I'm certain.

Lemlin

There are rumours going round that he left Clones at half-time the other day. That said, the week before there were rumours that the Gardai had to be called to training because there was a big row. The truth was that the Guards were at Breffni because some youths had broken in.

All in all, the team would be alot better off if he left. He's past it. Injuries ruined his career and I think that he should of left last year on a high after his superb supersub performance against Down. If he wants to be remembered for the good rather than the bad, he should go now.

KingEric

Donegal always seem to attract the same type of rumours of player bust-ups etc.!!

In his day Mc Cabe was a very good player, put in some big performances over the years when Cavan were struggling. Still a useful player to have on the bench if needed.

But as i said previously, Donegal have more skillful players and have also seemed to strengthen up a bit more, wheras other years the tended to be pushed around a bit easily. Also their best player of the last 2 years, Christy Toye hasnt hit form yet, think sunday could be his day!

Lemlin

I think how Devenney and Sweeney play will decide the game. Cavan are lacking one feature which all the top Ulster teams have: a killer forward. Armagh have McDonnell, Tyrone have Canavan, Derry have Bradley and Donegal have Sweeney.

Jason O'Reilly tends to chip in with goals but he can also chip in with some atrocious shooting. The same can be said of Larry. Cavan can't be kicking the sort of wides that they kicked against Tyrone in the replay or they'll be on the end of another severe thrashing.

Hopefully the Cavan backline can stick close to Devenney and Sweeney and reduce them to the sort of scoring that they reduced Canavan, O'Neill and Mulligan to in the first Tyrone game.

I'd like to see Finbarr O'Reilly return to the starting line-up, he's not a great footballer but he tries hard and was brilliant against Tyrone in the first game. With Lyng back, the Cavan half forward line should be able to cause Donegal some problems. Hopefully McKeever can get himself in tow and lose the big head which he seems to be getting.

KingEric

You better not forget about Mc Fadden either, Donegal's top scorer so far. Mostly from frees though, but as Muldoon for Derry showed on sunday - missing frees can prove costly. Mc Fadden also wins a lot a ball played into him.

As for the Cavan full forward line, dont think they'll get much freedom from the Donegal corner-backs. McGee and Lacey have been very consistent so far, although Ray Sweeney at full back could be the weak-link. The half-backs have been fairly solid and with Gallagher in midfield Donegal have got the type of player they've been deperately missing - someone who can win the ball in the air. If he can win his fair share of ball and feed to the half-backs / half-forwards, Donegal will win.

Lemlin

The Cavan midfield are fairly good at winning ball though. Pearse McKenna and Walsh were very effective against Tyrone in the first match and were doing their part in the second until the team capitulated.

James Reilly, the Cavan goalkeeper, has a very long kickout so midfield can somtimes be bypassed as well. One of his long kickouts resulted in our goal against Tyrone.

Goals could be a big factor. Reilly may have let in two against Antrim in the replay and three against Tyrone but he's a great shot stopper and these goals were mainly due to him not having support from the back line.

The Donegal keeper didn't look all that clever against Armagh in the replay but, then again, he could of just had a bad day. Hopefully he'll have another against Cavan Sunday.

KingEric

Boyle, the Donegal goalkeeper is a very good shot-stopper as well. He's playin well especially for a 17 year old! Although one weakness could be his kickouts, they are generally very good but as shown in the Armagh replay hit a few dodgy ones. I'll put them down to pressure though, he was in the middle of his leaving cert after all!!

The Cavan midfielders did very well against Tyrone, Donegal cant be relying on Gallagher to do all the work. It'll be intersting to see who comes out on top here.

Just 1 question - how many Reilly's or O'Reilly's play for Cavan?!!

cournioni

I'd say about 1/3 of the panel!

Farls

It should be a tight auld game i'd say, Cavan just lost all interest in the replay against Tyrone but i can't see that happening this time.

Their due a win and I think this could be it . As for McCabe I do think he's past it but then that was said of stephen king when he got us to the semi's all those years ago!

hopefully McKeevers on his game and if Larry plays well then Cavan play well.

Donegal were lucky to get Sweeny off the suspension it's a big boost for them having him but with the home advantage Cavan would want to take it.

Farlz

Lemlin

Cavan gave up against Tyrone, that was the worrying thing. They just weren't interested in playing at all after Tyrone came out so strongly in the second half.

Didn't know the Donegal keeper was so young. That could work to Cavan's advantage. The Cavan forward line, Jayo especially, are good at nicking goals and one or two goals could hit such a young player's confidence. Whatever happened to Paul Durkin that Donegal had before?

Stephen King never had the sort of influence McCabe has on the team though, or the injuries. He and McKeever tend to stick together at training because they're both from Gowna and I think some of his arrogance is rubbing off on McKeever.

That said, they weren't talking last week after the first Tyrone game. I think it'd be a good thing for the panel if he left. He has too much influence and undermines management.

All in all, Cavan need to get a few good scores at the start to keep up their confidence or they'll lose. Donegal's one failing could be their indiscipline. Cavan tend to get players sent off too but it doesn't seem to be near as many as Donegal do.

If they foul Cavan in or around the 40, then Mickey Lyng or Finbarr will knock over the frees fairly easily.

KingEric

Durkan's still in the panel, just cant get in ahead of Boyle. He played brilliantly for Sligo IT in the Sigerson this year when they won it. Would've been No.1 only injured his ankle a week before the first Armagh game. Boyle's played well so far, and dont think McEniff would want to drop him.

Donegal have plenty of free takers as well with Devenney, Sweeney and McFadden all fairly accurate. Only 1 of their scores in the Armagh replay wasnt scored from a free!!

Donegal's discipline is a bit of a problem, especially in the second game against Armagh. But i think this was due to frustration more than anything.

Dont think Cavan will frustrate them as much as Armagh!!

Lemlin

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Cavan frustrated Tyrone no end in the first game and while they were performing in the second.

Nicholas Walsh had probably the best game that I've seen anyone have on Sean Cavanagh in a long time by niggling away at him. Hopefully he can produce that form if he starts at midfield again.

I think Donegal's problem is that players like Devenney put so much into the match that they get frustrated and edgy when things aren't going their way. Alot of the team look extremely up for any match they play.

I wish I could say the same about Cavan's panel.

KingEric

They were definately up for it in the Armagh games, mainly due to the amount of stick they got for gettin hammered in the Ulster final last year. Looks like they're trying to get rid of their image of being easily pushed around. Worked well in the first Armagh game, they were taking some big hits and giving as good as they got! Nearly paid off in the end... They tried the same the second day but got a bit carried away, Armagh were ready for them this time!

Devenney is trying to prove a lot of doubters wrong. He has got a lot of stick in the past for being lazy etc. and also the lengthy ban he got didnt help matters. But hopefully he can use this to fight back and show the form of 3-4 years ago..

I dont doubt that Cavan will try to frustrate Donegal, but hopefully Donegal will have learned from the Armagh game and show that only way to overcome it is by scoring more than their opponents!

Lemlin

Devenney is a great footballer but he has a tendency to snap. Pushing the referee last year was well out of order. The Cavan backline are tight though and I'm hoping we can keep a tight rein on him and Sweeney.

There's no doubting that Donegal have better players but I'm hoping that Cavan can put in a good team effort and grind out a result.

We've tremendous young players like McKeever, Lyng and Padge Reilly coming through on the senior team. As well as Cullivan, Mackey and Flanigan on the minors, who were three of Ireland's best players against Australia in the schoolboys Aussie Rules this year.

A win this Sunday could be the stepping stone that Cavan need for a good run in the Championship.

Waylander

I'e been hearing talk on Devenney for years now, but I have never actually seen him perform to a degree where all the talk about him is merited. Is he overrated? I only ever see him playing championship inter county matches but like I say he hever really impresses me all that much.

KingEric

Devenney has loads of potential and has shown glimpses of this over the years but never consitently enough. When he played for Ireland in the compromise rules a few years back he showed what a good player he can be. He was on top form that year but hasnt really reached the same levels since. One reason for this could be that defenders now know how to mark him and what his weaknesses are (his temper being one..) But if he gets out in front and wins the ball he can be very quick running at defenders and always has one eye on the goal.

errigal

Your right, Devenney has not performed in the last few years. Unfortunately he's a bit 1 dimensional in that once he gets the ball he will more often than not turn towards the goal line and run as hard as possible and try and skin the full back in the hope he can get in for a goal or fisted point. Even though he's really good at it, defenders are wise to it for the last few yrs.

Still though, will never forget Donegal county final back some years ago when he had 16 attempts on goal, scored 14 points, 7 frees and 7 from play. He won the game singlehandedly and it remains one of the best individual performances ive ever seen on a gaelic pitch.

Lemlin

He's superb in some games and poor in others IMO. I think if he begins the match well and things are going good for him then his performance shows this. If they don't, he gets frustrated and, more often than not, loses his temper which affects his game.

I wouldn't mind if Cavan had a few forwards capable of grabbing scores like him. In a way, he reminds me of our own Larry Reilly. Although I wouldn't really put Larry in the same bracket as Devenney. Alot of Cavan supporters would probably disagree with me but alot of the time when cavan need Larry most, he doesn't perform.

Flukey

It is hard to see anything but a Donegal win in this one. Cavan have home advantage, but I don't think that will be enough. Donegal to advance.

Yavvy

im goong to say Donegal too..however if cavan were to get a couple of early goals they would hold out

cournioni

Ah yes!

Farls

Go on the blues!

Flukey

Fair play to Cavan. Let's hope they can do it against Meath now.

KingEric

Well done Cavan , better team on the day. If Donegal had played at all in the first half they might've had some chance of winning. 2 points in the whole first have - pathetic! Cavan's tactics in the first half were spot on - long balls into Finbar and Larry who won it each time, turn and shoot. Unlike Donegal who took about 10 passes just to get as far as the forwards who then wasted their chances.

Second half was a better effort, with Donegal nearly stealing a draw! Conal Dunne would definately scored a goal if it wasnt for that cynical trip.. :mad:

Devenney had a brilliant game only to be ruined by the penalty miss. Fair play to the James Reilly he pulled off some great to saves.

Good luck against Meath!

Big Nelly

Told you home advantage would win it....love it when Im right! haha!

Goodshape

Boo-urns.

Lemlin

Great win for Cavan. Pity for Donegal though, they'd great support on the day but the team didn't turn up at all. Worrying the lack of Cavan support at a home game but everyone was expecting us to lose.

Good tactics by the management, apart from playing Mickey Graham corner forward. He was too small for the high balls going into him but tried his best. Finbarr Reilly would have been my man of of the match just ahead of James Reilly.

The worrying thing was our lack of conviction when it came to killing Donegal off. We should have been beating them by a cricket score at one point and shouldn't have given them the opportunity to come back at the end.

A lot of people are expecting Meath to hammer us but IMO Donegal are a better team than Meath so I don't see why we can't beat them.

28064212

Only got the Sunday Game highlights, but Cavan looked fairly assured. You could see it in their kicking, they weren't rushing to get rid of the ball in Donegal's half like they were in the Tyrone game, they were taking their scores. It's so difficult to predict how Cavan will react to this. Will they gain some confidence and start playing to their full potential, or will they completely take their foot off the pedal?

The fact that the Meath game is a local derby will have a big influence. Cavan's main priority will be keeping Geraghty quiet. I reckon Rabbit would have the best chance on him, but they'll need someone to cover full back if he starts getting pulled out of position a lot.

Lemlin

I wouldn't think much of Rabbite at all but he's all we've got to cover that position.

Would hope to see a few more Cavan supporters at the next game. Alot seem to have abandoned the team and we'll need them against Meath who have good support.

Disappointed that alot of the national papers like The Sun and The Star picked McCabe as man of the match. He played well but there were better players on the pitch like the two I mentioned above, Finbarr and James Reilly.

The papers tend to concentrate on McCabe as being the saviour of the side when, in reality, he's a good player but they can get by easily without him and are often better without him, like against Tyrone in the first game.