Cavan vs. Meath

Lemlin

Just wondering what people's views are on Cavan's chances against Meath on Sunday week?

Any Meath supporters I've spoken to are very confident of hammering the Breffni Blues but I think it should be remembered that Cavan have shown their pedigree by drawing with Tyrone and beating a strong Donegal team that are IMO a better team than Meath.

The game is in Clones which hasn't really been a happy hunting ground for either team in recent years.

Big Nelly

Meath looked pretty woeful on Sunday and if they play like that against Cavan it shouldnt be a problem for Cavan, also because it is in Clones more of the fans will actually go tho the game instead of going to Cavan town and ending up staying in the pubs for the whole game.,......

magpie

Depends if they can play hard into their man.

YeatsCounty

Cavan can definately beat Meath, if they play as well as many people know they can play. Perhaps Cavan could be this years Fermanagh?

redraider

Really looking forward to Meath vs Cavan. Think it will be close, but Meath to win by 3-4 points. Why?

1. Meath cannot possibly have as many wides as vs. Leitrim
2. Younger team members are gelling nicely i.e. King / K Reilly / Bray
3. Sheridan is due a big game
4. Geraghty - Different Class
5. Time to banish the Clones hoodoo !
6. The hunger is back

Bring it on !

Waylander

I think Cavan should have the beating of Meath. Meath are not a good team, they were okay against Dublin but had to struggle to get Leitrim to extra time. I know a few Meath people who were mouthing off before the Dublin game, but there were bugger all Meath fans at the Match. Actions speak louder then words, and I do not think they really rate the team that highly, it is mostly just bluster. I fancied Cavan to lose the last round, but mainly because they had played so many games in a short period.

Lemlin

Cavan have a two week break now, their first in four weeks. Hopefully it'll help a few players like Lyng get back closer to match fitness. I'd imagine the team won't be changed too much from that which started against Donegal.

The one change I'd make is not to start Mickey Graham. He's a good forward and all but he's too small and this was very evident against Donegal.

I think the result depends on which Cavan team turns up. We've the one who had the beating for the entire game and drew with Tyrone last week, or we've the team who couldn't beat Antrim in one go and were hammered by Tyrone.

I think that if Cavan played like they did against Donegal last week, taking the chances they get, then Meath can kiss goodbye to the Championship. And, with the game being a local derby, the lads should be well fired up for the game and to get revenge for our narrow loss in the League.

As I said to one Meath supporter today, Cavan just ended Brian McEniff's career, I wouldn't cry if we ended Boylan's next Sunday!

VarneyVampire

I'm afraid it's more blues for the blues.

Meath come good when they are not expected to do well and they are not expected to do well - so watch out.

We will have a divided house for the match as my good lady is from Cavan.
Anyway if Meath wins we can both support the Royals in the final and if the unthinkable happens we can support Cavan (in the next round anyway).

Isn't great before the back door we both would be out at this stage. :mad:

Lemlin

I'd argue with your point that Meath are not expected to do well. Alot of Meath people I know are expecting Meath to hammer Cavan.

That said, the county seems divided as my friends who live on the Meath/Cavan border fancy Cavan to beat Meath and they are staunch Meath supporters.

I suppose the easiest way to put it is that even Meath is divided. It'll be a tight game whatever the outcome.

Pity Cavan are missing Gerald Pierson. He got six points aginst Meath in the League and they seemed to have a fair bit of trouble containing him.

The Rooster

If they'd been playing in an earlier round I'd have said it was inevitable that Cavan would throw the game away and/or Meath would grind out a narrow victory.

I probably still feel the same this time around, however Cavan somehow managing not to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for the umpteenth time in the last round should be a big morale booster, so maybe that monkey is off their back.

Flukey

Being a Dubliner, I hope Cavan win, or more to the point, I hope Meath lose!

It will be tough though.

DMC

Lemlin wrote:

I'd argue with your point that Meath are not expected to do well. Alot of Meath people I know are expecting Meath to hammer Cavan.

That said, the county seems divided as my friends who live on the Meath/Cavan border fancy Cavan to beat Meath and they are staunch Meath supporters.

I agree there. There are a lot of people in the north end of the county willing Cavan on, if it can lead to the end of the "south-east end of the county" domination of Boylan.

That said, too.... if Cavan win, we'll never hear the end of it.....

Lemlin

You think you won't hear the end of it. Me and my friends are all split between Cavan and Meath. We're all going to the game as a group tomorrow, should be great craic with plenty of banter but I'm praying Cavan win!

zAbbo

Cavan to choke, again

DMC

2 mins to go... Cavan 1-7 Meath 0-6

Sweet jebus... batten down the hatches....

DMC

4 mins of injury time... a peno for Meath....

DMC

...results in a goal for Geraghty.... not over yet...

DMC

Full Time: Cavan 1-8 Meath 1-6

/me starts a small chant...

Farls

Go on you boys in blue!

cournioni

Mackey's gonna get ya!

God that boy has some speed.

Waylander

I fancied Cavan to win this game. I think Meath are a fairly poor team by their standards at the minute. They played above themselves against Dublin, and Geraghty had his best performance for years, but the Leitrim result would be a better indication of where they are at.

caldwelk

Meath were awful today. I hate to say it but Boylan must step down.
New faces and new ideas are needed.
Today they had no tactics, lacked fitness and had no hunger.

Cavan should have won by a lot more. The penalty and the bad Cavan wides in the second half flattered Meath on the scoreline.

A new management team is needed now before Meath sink into Leinster has-beens (they looked like that today).

Lemlin

Cavan weren't near as clinical as they were against Donegal alright. If they had been, Meath would of been well beaten. That said, Meath kicked some bad wides too.

Neither team played to their full potential but I think its the mark of a good team that don't play to their best standards and still win. Its a very good scalp for Cavan to take though with all the bragging rights for supporters. The Meath team didn't seem motivated at all and if they can't lift themselves for a local grudge game then it is definitely time Boylan went.

What was the story with Geraghty though? I'd imagine its his last game for Meath. He seemed to be arguing with the other players because they wouldn't pass to him and he came out before the game and at half time after all the rest of the team. He also walked up through the town on his own after the game without going home on the Meath team bus.

VarneyVampire

Well done Cavan (from a Meath supporter) - hope you get a good draw in next round and can a little further.

Lemlin

Don't know if there are any good draws left. The only teams we can get are Cork, Mayo, Laois or Armagh (we can't get Tyrone even if they lose to Armagh as we've already played them).

None of those games would be too easy but I'd fancy Cavan to put it up to anyone at the minute. We were missing Johnston, Forde and Lyng to name just a few of the injured players at the beginning of the Championship. We've got these back now and its showing.

Gerald Pierson, Keith Fannin and Paul Brady are big losses too though. I'm hoping Darren Rabbite will make a speedy recovery after his injury at the weekend.

Farls

I was wondering where Pierson was gone this long time? What happened to him? I used to goto school with him and he was always a deadly footballer and it showed in the few senior games he's had.

Farlz

cournioni

He got a cruciate ligament injury against Dublin in a challenge match for the opening of Templeport's new pitch. He won't be back any time soon. Great, great player.

Waylander

With the possibilities Lemlin just mentioned I think this will be the end of Cavans run. I think all the teams are slightly stronger then Cavan, although iuf they draw Mayo they might get lucky. I think Cork Armagh and Laois would have the beating of them.

cournioni

I don't know Waylander, Cavan's midfield has had the beating of every team they've played in the Championship so far. When your midfield is playing well you are always in with a big chance, if you can take your scores. Taking scores is something Cavan have struggled to do to date apart from the Donegal game and the Antrim replay. Hopefully we'll be able to sort this out before the next day.

I reckon we can beat any of the teams apart from Armagh. Hopefully Armagh will beat Tyrone on Saturday so we wont have to worry about facing them.

Waylander

It would not be the first time they'd proved me wrong this season Porn. I figured Donegal would beat them because they had polayed so many games, maybe they will prove me wrong again.

Lemlin

Cavan would be underdogs against any of the teams mentioned but I think being underdogs suits the team. Not many people in the county or even country expected us to beat Donegal and Meath but the team got their act together and produced two good performances.

I think Marty McElhennon's Tyrone influence is starting to show. Cavan are starting to play like Tyrone do (albeit without the diving) - slowing down the pace of the game and getting players to track back with one or two forwards being left in the opposition's half. That is why all of our games have been so low scoring.

Our tactic at the moment is that Larry Reilly tends to drop out to the 40 from corner forward, allowing Mark McKeever to drop back to the half back line and act as a fourth half back back, creating attacks by running out of the backline and mopping up any breaking or loose balls. That leaves a two man full forward line of Jayo and Sean Johnston, who was brilliant in the last game.

I heard they sang Johnston's praises on The Sunday Game and I hope they did. Cavan have got few compliments from the pundits this year but Johnston was just back from a serious injury and to score 3 points in your first start was fantastic, especially for a 20 year old.

Seeing Cian Mackey come on was brilliant too. He is only 18 but he looked lively and very quick. He was the player of the year this year in the Schoolboys International Rules and was captain. We also have last year's player of the year from that competition, Pauric O'Reilly, now playing senior too so that shows that Cavan have great young players coming through.

Our mix of experience (McCabe, Larry and Peter Reilly, Anthony Forde, Pearse McKenna) and youth (Pauric O'Reilly, James Reilly, Mickey Lyng, Sean Johnston, Mark McKeever, Martin Cahill) is playing well together at the minute and this is the longest run that Cavan have had in the Qualifiers to date. I can't see any reason that they can't make a good go of it in the next round whoever they are drawn against. The team have the momentum and they're finally starting to beat teams when in a commanding position, which was their one failing before.

At the end of it all though, we've Championship football in August this year in Cavan for the first time since 1997. For that, I'm glad enough already.

Triton

I wouldn't get over confident. Cavan have only beaten below par Donegal and Meath teams. I'd fancy them to give Cork or Mayo a match but Armagh or Laois would be a different story.

cournioni

I reckon at this stage, Cavan would be well able to beat Cork, Mayo or Laois. Armagh, Tyrone, Kerry and Derry are the only teams left in the Championship that I would fear to be honest.

I reckon Cavan can give all of the others more than just a game, but Cavan can beat any of them. The capability is there and the big players are coming back into form. Why not? There are some proven players there along with some serious youngsters on the panel like Lemlin has just pointed out. Any other county would die to have the players we have coming through.

I think we are the equivalent of Spurs in the Premiership, some serious prospects there. Finally a manager who knows what he is doing, and its only a matter of time before we really start challenging for titles.

And to reply to your "below par Donegal and Meath teams" comment, they were only below par because Cavan forced them to be below par.

Waylander

I think you are underrating Cork, I'd say they are at least as good as Cavan.

Lemlin

I would agree with your point about Donegal Pornapster. Much like Cavan did the first day against Tyrone, we stopped Donegal playing. In fact, we bettered Tyrone at their own game - stopping the opposition playing.

I'm not so sure about Meath though. Geragthy kicked magnificent points against Dublin yet against Cavan he had some very uncharacteristic wides. Watching one of his attempts again on Setanta the other day it was easier for him to score than put it wide. The same could be said of Cavan though. Larry Reilly, Nicholas Walsh and Finbarr O'Reilly weren't nearly as effective as they were against Donegal.

I think Meath are hitting the period where Cavan were back in 2000 or so. Their successful players are getting old and they haven't got good young players coming through yet. Cavan have always had a strong backbone from the '97 team, that nucleus just needed good support.

Last year this talent started to come through to senior level and this has continued through to this year. Coleman always said he had a three year plan and I would imagine McElhennon's plans are the same. The young players are getting vital experience this year and I reckon that next year we'll be ready to launch a bid for Ulster.

After all, we've went close to Tyrone and Armagh in the last two years (despite the 21 point drubbing in the replay) and we should of beaten Derry, the third best team in Ulster, last year. Cavan drew with Derry that day despite having no first-choice midfielder (McCabe was not fit and McKenna was banned after the Armagh game).

Our lack of cover at midfield was bothering me again this year until I saw the impact that Paddy Brady had when he came on against Meath. He's a big man and he looked very solid. Walsh can also drop back to midfield as well.

Now that Armagh have beaten Tyrone, we can't draw Ulster opposition in the next round, which is fantastic. I can't wait to see what the draw throws up tomorrow but I think that Cavan will be well fit for Cork, Mayo or Laois. Like I said before though, I'd prefer Cork or Mayo.

That said, Cavan have played more games than any of those three (more games than anyone left in the Championship other than Armagh: 6) and I believe will be alot stronger both physically and mentally. The team have been through alot this year together and they're ready now to take on anyone.

Perhaps teams would have fancied getting cavan in the draw at the start of the qualifiers but I don't think they would now.

Triton

McCabe was a collosus in midfield against Meath. Some of the papers said he wasn't even fully fit, is this true? I dread to think what he'd be like if he was, he'd leave Ciaran Whelan and Shane Ryan out to dry. It'll be five years before Meath challenge for an All-Ireland again, I reckon we'll have a say in Leinster but only because the title keeps jumping from team to team. I wasn't trying to take away from Cavan's victory but its hard for royal supporters to see the team being so poor in a match against our oldest rivals.

Lemlin

McCabe hasn't been fully fit for years. His problem is one which affects many Cavan players - being rushed back from injury to soon, by both club and county (which I hope won't happen to the great young players we have coming through now). This is why he has had countless injuries. On form though, he can produce some fantastic stuff.

We were losing byt eight points last year against Down and he came on at full forward and turned the game on its head. We ended up winning by 4. He was less effective in that position against Tyrone this year but midfield is his best position.

He and McKenna are proving themselves to be formidable opposition at midfield to any other team this year.

Waylander

Triton wrote:

McCabe was a collosus in midfield against Meath. Some of the papers said he wasn't even fully fit, is this true? I dread to think what he'd be like if he was, he'd leave Ciaran Whelan and Shane Ryan out to dry. It'll be five years before Meath challenge for an All-Ireland again, I reckon we'll have a say in Leinster but only because the title keeps jumping from team to team. I wasn't trying to take away from Cavan's victory but its hard for royal supporters to see the team being so poor in a match against our oldest rivals.

Meath are a poor team and I cannot see them win Leinster in the next couple of years.

Lemlin

I could see Leinster being ruled byt Laois and Dublin for the next few years much like Ulster has been ruled by Armagh and Tyrone.