The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Meath fans were delighted when they heard team announcement before game and lynch was out, they know he’s key player.

I heard Paddy went to a 21st, Saturday night but wasn't drinking apparently it didn't go down to well.

Young McGee from the Mullagh direction was dropped for refusing to go on a team bonding weekend due to a u20 club final. Apparently "Its only a divison 3 final" was our dear leaders justification.

McEvoy wanted to take a couple of weeks due to the amount of football he played last year and was dropped, others allowed to take the break.

So that's 3 players who have been put out by bullshit, McEvoy or Lynch could have made the difference on Sunday.

God knows what else has happened that I wouldn't hear about this end of the county..

He will and he will have as long as he wants in the job. Like if any man can keep his job with the youth development while managing another county..... He ain't going nowhere.

Now still I hope he does well, I hope he is successful but no matter how well he does, someone else could do it better

There will be alot 'heard' over the year and people will need to decide what to believe.

He didn’t just keep his job. You had county board representatives openly declaring in public meetings they were proud of everything he had done for the county and continued to do.

On your question i would say no and would ask do you think there is?

Anyone see the draft Juvenile competion and fitxture plan?

There is going to be some amount of competitions from U12 right through to U18 at odd and even numbers and then a U21 championship.

Not sure if clubs will go for it i can see a big issue with U15 & U16

Listen credit to them for trying to change things and recognising how many were gaming grading competitions or putting requests in to go up and down every year and try get more football for people with a supposed development of player plan but alot of it is not based in reality imo. U12s should be more feile/blitz based at the start and not a league where you play 6 games in 3 months based on the proposed fixtures and then run a 7 game championship on consecutive week's in July and August when half that cohort will be away on holidays for decent chunks of it, they always effected by going on holidays with family and can see many games called off/conceded there. Having no u16 championship will not go down well either plus they put on that slide one of the most patent falsehoods I have seen - 'a 16 year old is the most likely to be playing other sports' absolute nonsense and just not true.

Can you explain how you think this is going to stop teams from amalgamating ?

A issue i can see is the 16 year old lad who isn't good enough to get on one of these "Regional Teams" or play for the Minor(u18) team will be sat at home from the begining of May until the end of August. While he is sat at home his friends are playing with the Regional team and proably getting game time with the Minors. That's excluding alot of players and it isn't much better for the 15 year old lad in the same boat.

Then looking at the U12'/U13s from the Start of July until the middle of October there is only two weekends in that period that there isnt a game. Any club with tight numbers will need to amaglamate as there will be players away near every week on holidays. These lads will be training and playing with school teams aswell from end of August on.

They are the groups i have lads in so looked at them closer for than others.

I apprecaite what they have done and put the effort in but when clubs sit down and look at it I think they are going to have to make adjustments but at the same time they will never please everyone.

What clubs do you think are using minor players on their senior panels?

Those with low numbers.

What clubs do you think want the U16 and minor games on alternate weeks?

Those with low numbers.

The basis for alot of the document is trying to maintain this charade where we’ve too many clubs. I was at one of the forums so I know the exact types of discussions that took place.

It’s just a pity clubs haven’t the foresight to plan ahead themselves and accept what is coming rather than wait for the inevitable.

I certainly didn't get the feel from the proposed structures that they were pandering to the small clubs, sure the chair of that sub committee comes from one of the biggest clubs in the county. I also have no issue with them doing smaller sided games at any of the groups, indeed when they did 7 a sided blitzs in the 3G last year for u12s it was great as you could put in 3 mixed ability teams rather than trying to get game time into every player in the 13 a side competition when you have 20 plus panel of players. It suits both big and small clubs to develop players with game time. My issues with document fall around what celt has said for that 15 year old, this participation early in season emphasis but then the it matters more later in season, that is hardly going to help player retention.

Also this decoupling of u18 championship to mid summer is just them suiting themselves regarding fixtures, how many last year minors were playing for senior football last year during the championship, not many at all but youth board has backed themselves into a corner saying no 18 year old should be playing a minor and senior game within 72 hours, more nonsense.

Yes you have told us you were about 3 times at this stage.

You are going to have to mellow on your views in relation to the small clubs as the GAA is going to do all it can to help the small clubs keep going. The inevitable might be further away than you might think.

I believe the regional thing is similar to what they are doing with the U14's i have issue with it as there will likely be lads left behind with no football in middle of year. Them things should be at end of year when competitions finish up.

The intensity of the games is a lot higher than it was years ago, even at juvenile. We’re seeing an awful lot of lads injured and burned out because they are playing too much underage football. How many of the successful Pats McRory team has played regular football for Cavan seniors consistently?

You’re comparing a kick around at PE and having a bit of craic to actual competitive games where lads are playing at a high level across 60 minutes even when they are 12 years of age. They’re doing gym work earlier so the hits are bigger.

We’re asking lads to match the playing time and rules of adults despite the fact they may be covering more ground on the pitch as they are playing with reduced numbers such as 13 a side. There were U16 games on full pitches last year at 11 a side due to the new rules and not wanting to shorten the pitch.

Predictions for Tyrone?

They'll do their best again, but I'd fear Tyrone will be too strong for them. McCabe has them playing now just need a bit of conviction at the scoring side.