Wearecavan making a call out to supporters in the 2 pods this week. I didn't think it was that bad against Donegal, maybe when teams came out home fans were quiet. After that I thought there was decent noise from home support. Anyway I'm feeling guilty now and contemplating a trip to Cork.
I'd agree with the 40% bit. Maybe he got too much praise too soon. Carrying a reputation can effect some players, takes their focus from their natural game and they stop doing the simple things. I'd like to see him keep it simple, show aggressively for the ball and press aggressively without it. After that let the chips fall where they may. Certainly if he was fresh on the scene this year, apart from his frees there would be little to be excited about and he'd be rotating with the bench.
I was talking to someone about Lynch and he felt he has 40% more in him as a player, but that we all need to start seeing it. Is he carrying a knock? Not fully fit? Is it self-belief?
He has all the attributes. I think back to his performances in the championship in 2022 and a friend from Donegal ringing me after the Ulster semi final saying that all the Donegal fans he knew felt Lynch was one of the best young forwards in Ulster (in terms of ability off both feet, size, power, ability to win ball and beat a man to make a score). I think for us to kick on to challenge for promotion we need him hitting those heights and ideally from the next game in Cork. Fingers crossed.
Definitely has the feeling of a pivotal game. One of the things I've been really happy with the structure and intensity shown in the two games. The intention to attack wasn't as strong on Sunday but that's down to Donegal reverting to the black death and the weather too. I think Cork will be a bit more open so we should be able to move the ball quicker against Cork.
Yeah going to Cork always worries me and they will be smarting. But hopefully it's just paranoia from the hammering we got there coupled with their tradition. They have been improving of late but still very beatable. 3 games I was really worried about start of year was Donegal at home and Cork and Armagh away. I'm a bit more relaxed now after seeing us play 2 games but will need to see us compete in Cork before I fully relax.
2 week break hopefully does us good and we return with a stronger panel. Think we play Roscommon, chance for lads to put a hand up and any niggles to repair. I'd fully agree with Lynch, apart from frees he has given us very little if anything. Very frustrating because he has everything going for him including size but just seems to be playing completely within himself. Needs to start putting himself about and demanding ball.
It would take a big performance to go down and beat a wounded Cork side. After a hammering from Donegal and losing to most people's favourites for relegation in Louth - there will surely be a response from the Cork group. To make it worse, they'll have had 2 weeks to regroup.
Thankfully, Cavan are quite good playing away from home. It looks like Conor Brady might be available which would give us more options around the middle.
It's probably the most important league game since 2021.
Not making our excuses in advance, but the draw is very unkind for us. Cork are always poor on the road and very good at home. Not sure why people are saying Cork losing to Louth is a shock, did Louth not beat them last year in Ardee and finish above them? Louth should have beaten Armagh by the looks of it and are a tough unit at home. I would have been happier with Fermanagh in Brewster as we always go well there instead of a trip to Cork or Louth.
Anyways, Cork have to win and that worries me. They have lots of strong runners but we showed against Kildare and Donegal that we are well set up. We have to hope the two Oisins are back. Kiernan gives us a scoring threat from distance but also brings a range of passing we don't have otherwise. We need Oisin Brady to come back as a scoring threat. Paddy Lynch is nailing frees but is it me that doesn't think he's next nor near full tilt? I rate him highly but we would need him to step up several levels in the next few weeks and start kicking more from play.
Yeah that mark was very frustrating. I was actually watching the clock a good bit in injury time. I think it was McHugh stayed down after a tackle in their half and then there was the Gallen pointed free as well. I figured at the time they ate up at least 3 minutes of the added time messing bout. At least.
It was good to see us stay the course, I was worried Donegal would pull away but then again McGuiness has a tendency to play containment football. Get the nose ahead and then just do enough to stay there. Don't know how much if at all this was the case or we actually pushed them to their limit.
Cork up next. Expectation in GAA is always a la mode. I saw on Sunday Game they talked our chances up and I see a lot of predictions are tipping us against Cork. But wild swings in form are common this time of year no more so than after a break so I'd still be very worried about where we finish. Plenty of holes and question marks about us. Hopefully we keep our trajectory when we resume.
Learning curve at division two is pretty steep, but management need to be ready to make ruthless calls if match ups are wrong. Gallan is a class act and very pacy, and to me Gunner should have been moved after the first two scores and stick Jason onto him to keep a closer eye on him.
Real positive for me was that when the game was drifting, we didn't lie down and fought to the end. When Donegal went 4 up again the second half after we had battled back to a point, it was a huge effort to claw it back. That was great. Bitterly disappointing not to have got a draw, I always felt that we would rue chances that missed. Ref was atrocious for both teams, so picky on many things but really felt that he gave Donegal a ridiculous amount of leeway in terms of travelling with the ball. He also let them away with a lot of time wasting and that last play where James Smith had caught a mark should l have been allowed to take it and at least 30 seconds more as opposed to the throw ball fiasco.
I personally prefer the old school knock out at senior level. The longer format always favours the stronger counties, with more resources and bigger panels. Despite the "teams get more game time", when was the last time there were any genuine shocks in the All Ireland? 2020 was the outlier in that it went back to "on the day" and it was brilliant. Not just saying that because we won Ulster, obviously. I actually prefer more games for minors and u20s to give them the time to work together.
ah right, yeah were on borders with kildare and westmeath so Cavan wouldnt come up on the radar as a rival or dearby game at all, i think thats whats wrong most meath players and fans are too obsessed with playing dublin, kildare and louth and never get themslves up for these games. Cavan wont be relegated anyway.
Draw and new format for Ulster U20. I quite liked the old knock out, it was the only "true" old style championship left.
I thought he might have tried Brian O’Connell on gallan, Brian would have more pace than killian and would have matched up well with gallan.
Disappointing result. Thought we deserved at least a draw. Donegal not near as good as I was expecting. Very negative team. Cynical, very mouthy to match officials and theatrical in how they hit the deck with any sort of contact. Unfortunately the referee bought every bit of BS they sold him. They used to be my second team but doubt Jimmy will be winning too many matches with that crap system and I hope the referees cop on to that other shite. Absolutely should not be rewarded for it.
Thought we battled well, set up the more positive and never gave in which is encouraging but we are short in a few areas. Full back is worrying, all heart but cannot see that working come championship. Midfield big problem area. Got within a point second half and then didn't touch the ball in this sector for next 15 minutes. Galligan not near the races. If Buchannon was still around he'd be first name on sheet. I was a bit annoyed TBH with our full forwards. Lazy and disinterested and never looked hungry for ball. What's the point in committing so many men up there when they never come out to look for it. It kills transition. It's only when others like McVeety or Holla cycled in there that we saw any real runs or desire to win ball. Caoimhin O'Reilly was excellent in this regard too when he came on, won a few balls there that he had absolutely no right to win.
Thought our tackling was very hard but sloppy enough at times. We sailed close to the wind on few occasions buy maybe that was down to the poor ref and knowing what you could get away with on the day. With another referee some of us mightn't have finished the game.
Plenty of positives though. Carolan looks the real deal and put in another great shift. Made some great carries and tackles. Lots of others put in big shifts and thought the subs gave us more energy. Just need a few more to come out of their shells but it's great to see us back in Div2 in front of a crowd and giving as good as we get.
I think it has to be Clarke. There are other players who can work in midfield.
I had thought young Brady from Gowna who marked Canavan in that U20 final would be our next full back but is he even on the panel?
Who is our Full Back going to be? I like Gunners honesty but when pitches harden up we won't get away with him at Full Back. Clarke and Faulkner seem to have a job to do elsewhere.
He caught the mark just in front of us in the terrace and I thought it was the right call at the time, I fancied him to kick it. Dropping it short was deflating.
Gary O'Rourke was good. Dealt with a high ball brilliantly and another awkward effort was well gathered. His kickout range was put under scrutiny though and it needs some work. But all in all a very solid debut.
If we can get our best 15 on the field I think we can win any game in this Division. If we beat Cork we can be in the hunt for promotion, if we lose we'll be dragged into a relegation playoff.
Faulkner was super. Tired but then he had covered every blade of grass. I didn’t expect him to score the mark but the kick that Patton pulled from above the bar, I thought there was an option on the overlap for him to handpass it back to. That was the only piece of play I’d hold against him.
Annoyingly, Gerry Smith seemed to be back to the “quarterback” role. It’s a huge waste of the attacking talents he has.
The scores Oisin Brady can provide were definitely missed. He and Oisin Kiernan were certainly big losses.
I thought Gary O’Rourke did quite well on a high pressure debut, although you’d have to question the wisdom of a high kick out to Ryan O’Neill.
Decent enough in the second half. A few lovely moves that should have been finished off. Ref had a very bad game, McGuiness brought something from the Soccer world with him.. Donegal lads going down like they were shot after the slightest contact.
Best thing is we went four down and didn't cave in, showed some balls and nearly brought the game back level.
Every game maybe apart from Armagh is a winnable game we should be looking at finishing third and maybe Fermanagh could do us a favour against Donegal or Armagh.
I thought Faulkner was outstanding. Provided several big moments when we were under the cosh. Carolan was excellent too.
Caoimhin Reilly got a wonderful score from the sideline. Such a pity he didn't hit the score after Lynch's long ball. Encouraging performance from him though.
The referee was very frustrating and definitely blew the game up early.
Not sure what was happening with the kickout strategy. We were pressing but still allowed the kick to the first man on the D on several occasions. We didn't do great on breaking ball around the middle either.
Referee desperate for both teams. Jim McGuinness seemed to be worried second half as he never left wee Barry Cassidy alone. That was after the Donegal lads had provided some half time entertainment by arguing with the stewards that they should be allowed warm up on the pitch amongst the kids.
I’d move James Smith to midfield & put Killian Clarke into full back. Killian Brady will not want to see Oisin Gallen again.
Caoimhin O’Reilly did well when he came on. Had a bit of purpose about him.
Donegal are expected to walk through most of Division 2 so today should be a good sign.
The Cork game in two weeks is huge now.
Donegal missed a few too. But if we had of had our fair share of possession in the 2nd half we would've won.
Oisin Brady was a miss today he would have been good for 2 or 3 scores. For all the good Faulkner does his shooting let him down today dropped a couple off scorable shots short and a couple of wild shots.
Fully agree on all of this, all our kickouts were 50 50 balls where as Patton got all his kicks away to a Donegal man, ref very poor.
The difference between the teams was kick out retention. Cavan forced long with almost every kick out and while the did ok on those 50:50 long balls, there was no plan b and they as a result they didn't get enough possession. The referee was appalling. The last play was a joke, Smith winning a mark. He threw it up and then blew final whistle despite Donegal feigning injuries about 3 times in injury time.
As for Donegal, they are anti football and will win nothing playing like they do. Gallen is quality but their style of play is muck.
Gallen the clear difference between the two sides at the minute. It’s a pity Clarke is on a yellow because I’d stick him back at full back.
I think some Cavan supporters got a bit carried away after a win over what looks like a poor Kildare team. We could be relegated yet, i’d take staying in Division 2. Today will tell us where we stand.
Didn’t expect the weather to be this bad today going by the forecast earlier in the week. I wonder how the pitch will hold up.
RTE make it a hard luck story for a "wasteful" Kildare. Their keeper fumbled a ball into his own goals, and they missed a penalty.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0203/1430252-fermanagh-do-enough-to-take-the-points-against-kildare/
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