The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

That was a real eye opener..

I can’t remember seeing a Cavan team destroyed as badly at midfield, as in that first half, in a long time,that young Monaghan midfielder,McPhilips at 6’6 pushed our lads around… it was embarrassing, we did better in the second half in the area but these new rules encourage aerial battles,from kickouts and we are lacking seriously in this area going by tonight’s showing ,Gearoid will surely end up out here when he returns as well as James Smith will surely moving out permanently.

Thought McVeety, Faulkner ,Sean McEvoy, and Conor Madden when he came on were the standout performers , James Smith made a difference when he moved out second half too.. There were a lot of very poor performances tonight, though, we were very porous in defence, Monaghan waltzed through us at ease, just like so many teams did last year.

This 3 up rule,has massively increased the influence of the goalkeeper in the game, Rory Beggan with his ability to get up and down the field and contribute like an outfield player,had a huge influence in the game, I believe Gary O Rourke is a fine goalkeeper in the traditional sense of the position but these changes require a goalkeeper to have something else, in their arsenal and I’d be expecting to see Nevin O Donnell next week..

It looks like relegation is between us, Meath & Westmeath. Meath didn’t have a bad result against Cork yesterday and they’ve something we don’t have - scoring forwards.

I was also told at the game last night that apparently Jordan Morris is transferring to Wolfe Tones beside Navan. Robbie Brennan apparently has told him if he wants to play for Meath he needs to play Meath club football.

Again, could be complete and utter bull. He was in the programme yesterday as Kingscourt club.

I was fairly disappointed after Saturday evening, but have come round a little from it. No doubt it was poor. But feel a lot of factors here. We'll not play against Beggan every week. Lad like him in these rules is a point of difference that was easily worth 6 points if not more. We had no idea how to deal with him, and didn't use our own keeper to any great effect. With how other keepers went over the weekend, they've managed to turn this game into who's got the best keeper and I think that's just plain wrong. I can see them adjusting a rule here. Also shows the benefit Division 1 had to them last decade, while we've been rising the divisions instead of getting tempered up there.

Ref wasn't sure on a lot of stuff. Got a lot wrong which is expected. So many times they had one of their 3 outside the 65, but only once they caught them. And then with that, the ref couldn't hear the linesman or the buzz from his flag. It was farcical stuff at times. And even so, our lads need to wise up and stop the backchat. Sure, Monaghan got a free 2nd half, but ref got bought when the ball carrier clamped the tacklers arm (might have been Clarke?) and then he brought it forward 50m for a 2 pointer. Joke stuff and some ref will affect a tight game somewhere on likes of this

Also think that if a free is brought forward 50m, then it should be brought forward that. Bringing it 35m and stopping at the new arc for a 2 pointer is not what this should be about at all.

Anyway, back on track to Cavan. It's the same as it ever was. Shot conversion. Think we were at 50%. That's abysmal at this level. But like I think the fix isn't too far away. We are creating chances, we just need control and nerves to not panic. 32 shots taken (maybe more created) and we score 16 for 20 points off that. Not good enough. We simply HAVE to get goals. Too many chances went abegging. Gerry, Molloy, and others had chances for either a shot on goal, or a long range one with beggan out the field. We have to take some of those.

Our passing is terrible. Passes 2 metres behind lads, or too far forward, balls to the knees, at the head. Monaghan for the most part were crisp, passes to the chest without breaking stride. Bad passing kills us and our momentum. It's not like we don't have the movement, we do. Just killing ourselves with poor skills and decisions

Obviously think we'll be better with Lynch back, GMac in there too on chances and frees. It's why the likes of Oisin Brady leaving (and Cormac O'Reilly not on the panel) is a killer. I don't get why a fella does a whole pre-season and then walks. I hope they can sort that out as we were light on forwards who can score from play and frees Saturday night.

Overall I think we'll be ok. Our ball skills will surely be better than this, as will shooting with others back. Just disappointing last weekend that we didn't make more of the rules. Some team like us will make benefit, but we never seem to be able to lead, but copy so we'll always be a bit behind overall.

There is a simple rule that should be added. Keeper cannot come outside 20m line. A Keeper being up the field allowing teams to work "easy" scores is not what the average fan wants. Its taking all intensity out of the game. 11 v 11 outfield players in one half is plenty to allow attacking football and also to not lose intensity. I cannot fathom how this was allowed to happen as it seems it was deliberate (ie specifying that the keeper can play the ball in opponents half). We can only hope this nonsense is kicked to touch before the championship.

Yeah looking at some of the Division 1 games especially the Galway Armagh game, allowing the keeper up the field like this just resulted in alot of the same over and back hand pass retention stuff that was killing the game before and what these new rules were supposed to curb but with this rule, teams are still incentivised to have a slow build up and allowing you get the keeper forward to create the 12 v 11. Someone remarked to me at the game that Beggan was playing Quarterback for Monaghan and obviously an exaggeration but they probably not a million miles from what the keeper can now be with these new rules. Hopefully it knocked on the head this part of the new rules as things like the tap and go are a brilliant addition to the game and increasing the pace of it.

Hopefully we get to see a full forward line of McEvoy, Lynch and Lovett at some stage during the league as surely if we let it in quick to this trio and they get in sync together we can have a real dynamic inside threat of a forward line.

Also whoever wrote the above about being able to bring a free back to the "scoring arc" if it's for dissent, that is a total farce.

I know it's the first week, but I think actual fans getting to see them in the flesh has been instructive. Despite the PR campaign I didn't meet anyone afterwards who didn't have massive issues with all of them barring the tap and go. And almost everyone felt that scoring arcs and three up would be impossible at club level. Maybe the mushroom pickers left in full praise of the new rules and it was just sour grapes for us, but I felt most people watching the game were trying to work out what the rules were as opposed to watching a local derby.

Have you not seen our home results? We've not won a game at home under Galligan and our form in Breffni in all competitions is woeful.

That might be the case but results speak for themselves.

Maybe it would help if the crowd were actually watching players in their proper positions.

The conversion rate was 50%. Is that any surprise when, before the game, I could highlight that we’d only one starting forward, with regular football, who has played club football as a forward.

We’ve the two best club midfielders in the county being under used. Ryan Donohoe left on the bench while he’s good enough to be DCU vice captain and knock over 45s for Gowna. James Smith yet again dumped in the forwards.

Meanwhile, the backs are being shipped all over the place. Killian Clarke & Padraig Faulkner should be the full back line with McLoughlin but, as they get older, they are being moved out the pitch to more energy sapping positions.

Next week unfortunately I expect Meath will beat us because they’ll have 2 proper mids and a selection of forwards that are actually forwards. They’ll probably have as many starting Cavan club football forwards as Cavan do unless things change!

Listened to the wearecavan podcast during the week. It was good to hear them very clearly and sharply call for accountability for the disasterous underage development in the last 10 years. Also very interesting to hear how someone in the county board had the audacity to summon Paul Fitz for a dressing down the last time he dared speak out about it. The question is will any of these people listen?

I would be very worried again about Meath on Sunday - granted they are no good really but are we any better at the moment?

It will probably happen when we end up in Div 4 with a big fancy Breffni Park with no one in it.

Hardly the threat of the century now condidering alot of clubs get one game a year in there.

Meath have won the Tailteann cup, something we couldn’t manage to do.

You're in a good mood this evening :)

(you're sadly right in this instance)

Exact same team and bench as last week. Not sure how I feel about that tbh. I'd have tweaked a little