The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

I can’t see it but that’s my own opinion.

Just looking back since 2019, each year one of the teams relegated from division one goes straight back up (and twice both have gone straight back up: 2022 and last year). Roscommon have a strong track record for bouncing straight back (2020, 2022) so I would fancy them to start with a bang and try to get straight back up. Monaghan have a ridiculous amount of division one experience. Cork on their day can beat almost anyone but they must be a nightmare for their fans. They could as easily go out and get tanked and their away form is usually poor. Down are definitely on an upward curve and we all know how they are going to play but even still you could see them cutting some teams open and scoring a lot of goals. McCabe usually gets an immediate response as a manager so Westmeath could surprise a few teams. I don't rate Meath but their manager might get a bounce out of them…

I'm calling Louth as they performed well in the All Ireland series, are well set up and are very hard to beat. At home, Ardee is like a fortress. But it could be any of six of the teams in the mix for promotion and I depending on their form, I would include some of those will easily slip into the bottom two as well. I can't see it being like last year where two teams were a cut above everyone else, shades of 2020? Hopefully not for us!!!

Amalgamations shouldn't be allowed in the lower Divisions. St Finbars - Drung/Kill won the U20 final in Division 4. Those Clubs probaly have small enough numbers but should be in Division 3 minimum when there is 4 Divisions.

St Finbarrs will usually amalgamate and try and throw a team into something like Div 3 and then a Div 5 team. They always go with the lower divisions.
At least they look to be abandoning it going forward from what I’m told.

Gowna and Lacken argue they amalgamate so their players can play a higher level. It’s a bit ridiculous when both have enough for their own teams but then they’ve had a lot of pull in headquarters. Whether that continues we’ll see in due course.

anyone listen to talking points podcast on WAC ?
they said if some of the rumers of additions to the panal are true there is excitement around the Cavan panel? Anyone hear anything even if it’s rumours??

Unless Ray has gone into the transfer market you would wonder where the excitement would be coming from. I would like to see Tommy Galligan and Sean McEvoy back.

Maybe a return to the panel for Gearoid McKiernan? The 2 pointer would suit him.

well there was only one name I think would have people buzzing and that is Sean mcavoy he would be a serious addition to the county team.

I looked at the forecast and it looks like Tyrone is under orange warning so wouldn't be surprised to have it called by this evening.

Jim Gavin was speaking to Joe Molley about the new rules etc, mentioned being at one of the sandbox games in Mullahoran where Cavan played Kildare and was impressed with a Cavan corner forward who was an U20 player in 24. Was it Lovett?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wegVDHtl3lU&pp=ygUVamltIGdhdmluICBqb2UgZ2lscm95

Corey into Gowna.

I’m just going off his online coaching content which is very good. He could be woeful for all I know.

Tynan is a good footballer too. Is Conor Smith back on the panel? He opted off the County panel in 24 to get injuries cleared, though seemed to be injured a bit with Killygarry. The new rules like the advanced mark would suit him.

Cavan senior team manager Raymond Galligan has called in 13 new faces to his provisional panel ahead of the return to training.

The headline names are Ramor United forward Sean McEvoy and Shannon Gaels goalkeeper Nevin O’Donnell, while Galligan has trawled the county for further talent.

Republic of Ireland underage soccer international McEvoy, a former Cavan minor and U20 player who was on the fringes of the county senior panel under Mickey Graham, has been based in Baltimore for the last three years where he was playing Division 1 collegiate soccer for Loyola University.

He played some All-County League football for Ramor earlier this season while home on holidays, racking up impressive scores in a handful of games. The 22-year-old’s last championship action was in 2021, when he showed sensational form as Ramor won the county championship, including a haul of 0-4 in the county final replay against Gowna and an early goal in the Ulster Club outing versus Kilcoo.

His return to Gaelic football should be a decided boost for club and county given the potential he has shown to date; with the new football rules coming in for 2025, managers around the country will be looking to add pace and scoring ability to their sides and McEvoy ticks those boxes.

The new rules may have also been in the forefront of Galligan’s mind in enticing O’Donnell to throw in his lot with his home county for 2025. A former stand-out underage forward who won Ulster minor and U20 titles with Cavan, O’Donnell later converted to goalkeeper and switched to Leitrim, nailing down the number one jersey and delivering consistently impressive performances.

O’Donnell’s experience playing outfield means he is comfortable in possession and in kicking long-range points. His arrival will add further competition for the number one spot, with Liam Brady and Gary O’Rourke vying for the jersey last season. Galligan himself had been the incumbent between the posts for the previous eight years barring a short spell under Mattie McGleenan.

Meanwhile, the following players have also been called into the panel: Peter Devine (Ballymachugh), Michael Brady (Ballyhaise), Ruairi Curran (Swanlinbar), Luke Molloy (Cavan Gaels), Cormac McKeogh (Mullahoran), Thomas Edward Donohoe (Denn), Sean Clarke (Shercock), Ben McGahan (Cootehill Celtic), Darragh Dolan (Drumlane) and Barry Donnelly (Arva).

While there is speculation that former team captain Gearoid McKiernan – who was outstanding in the county championships for Cavan Gaels - may yet return to the squad, this has not been confirmed.

While it is unlikely that all of the new players will make the cut for the National League, Galligan will be hopeful to add half a dozen to his settled squad. Most of those he has called up displayed excellent form in the club championships while there is a notable focus on pace, with the likes of Curran, Donnelly, McGahan, Devine and Dolan noted speedsters and ball-carriers at club level.

Midfielder Molloy stood out for Cavan Gaels in their run to the SFC semi-final, as did half-back McKeogh for Mullahoran and forward Clarke for Shercock in the Intermediate.

Cavan will begin their National League campaign with a home game against Monaghan on Saturday, January 25. After that, they will meet Meath away, Louth at home, Westmeath away, Down at home, Roscommon away and, in round seven, Cork at Kingspan Breffni.

Interest is sure to be high in each match, especially if the Breffnimen are going well, given there are two all-Ulster clashes, a derby against Meath, a renewal of recent rivalries against Roscommon and Louth, a final-day clash against Cork (against whom Cavan have a positive record of late) and a clash against Westmeath in round four, who are managed by Cavan’s own Games Development Manager and former player Dermot McCabe.

Is Brady gone? In fairness, he has been too injury prone anyway.