The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

that’s the biggest sickener of them all

Careful now. I got lambasted on here last year when I said we needed to look at the psychology of teams after the minors went from I think it was 7 points up to losing to Donegal.

Today is an even worse sickener. We were 11 points up after the 3rd goal. 3-9 to 7. How does that game end 3-10 to 1-18? They outscored us 1-11 to 1 point for what, the last 15 to 20 minutes. I’m not sure of the times.

Countless long kick outs to the middle of the pitch at the end when we couldn’t win one. You’d Leon Gilmartin, for example. who plays midfield for his club in at corner back and not one short kick out to him attempted. And Liam Brady is involved heavily with this team!?

Our head of development, or whatever his title is, is Liam Brady - our county goalkeeper - and he is standing along the line watching it happen before his eyes.

Was a clear black. Rugby tackled player on way in on goal. 2 yellows for no2 were brainless stuff. We found a way to lose. Mentally so so weak

We looked weak tackling even in the first half. Tyrone were able to break through easily at times.

It’s a huge pity for the lads on the pitch. Some of them started out on development squads back in 2023 so this is their 4th year and that is how it ends.

I don’t think it should come back to discussion about that though. You can’t blame referee decisions or take them into account in this. They aren’t worthy of mention IMO.

15mins 2nd half
CAVAN : 3-9(18)
TYRONE : 0-7(7)
CAVAN goal from play 8. Finlay McCaul

With 15 minutes of normal time left, Cavan were 11 points up. The black card was 12 minutes later and we were still 6 points up:

27mins 2nd half
CAVAN : 3-10(19)
TYRONE : 0-13(13)
CAVAN black card 9. Exceedingly Imade

Even after it, you have to be seeing out that game from that position. Get hands on the ball and slow the game down. We just kept gifting the ball back to Tyrone. They even had time to kick a couple of wides that really should have been scores.

Been listening to lads talk about the minor development squads for 14 months now and all the 'big' players they had. Like a fool I was actually looking forward to watching them.

I couldn’t see on the footage, because the ball never stayed down there, but did they try bringing Jake Brady or Jay Graham out around the middle when in trouble? Both are very strong in the air.

Players have a week to sort themselves out and a shot at redemption in T2 QF. Would be good to bounce back and not end season on such a sour note. Louth formidable opponents though. Beat both Leinster finalists in group stages before narrowly losing to Kildare in semi.

This isn't me forgiving Cavan on Saturday, absolutely inexcusable to have lost from their position even with the red card and black card, complete meltdown and the line has to hold hands up for not giving instructions in to change up the kick outs to gain possession and mentally having them ready to beat Tyrone. However to say we were afraid to lose in first half is wrong, they were playing into a wind and Tyrone were sitting way off them behind the arc and not putting any pressure out around the middle of the pitch, no issue as underdogs having the game played slow and our terms in that situation, it good game management and for the first 15 minutes of the second half we were completely on top, dominating their kickout and pressing high up and forcing turnovers in their half of the pitch. Would need to see replay to see if our players were out on their feet at end and conditioning came into it, didnt seem that way just a blow up by us but I have no interest in watching the replay of that capitulation, such a shame for the players involved.

Totally agree. 1st half tactics were spot on.

I am not sure what you mean. Cavan got themselves into an 11 point lead, they managed the 1st half very well against the wind then powered on in the 3rd quarter. Then a collapse on the pitch and on the line. But saying that 1st half tactics cost us the game or were a contributor to the loss is total rubbish.

They were outscored because a fella lost the head and got 2 daft yellow cards, the team mentally fell apart all over the pitch, another lad got sent to the line (perhaps harshly) for a pull down and the line also lost the plot and did not intervene. You cannot possibly link what happened in that last quarter with anything that went before that where we were doing excellently against a team who had hammered us already this year.

Well there is a link. Because tactically they set themselves up for a wind assisted smash & grab in the second half, rather than preparing mentally for a 60 minute battle. Tyrone were supposed to wilt in the second half and we were supposed to kick on. But they clearly came prepared to duke it out to the bitter end, which they did. The ill discipline and sideline yips may or may not be down to that misjudgement.