The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

Thunderbirds · 05-12-2018 11:06am

rrs wrote: »

The change of manager hasn't steadied the ship of players declining..

Who is in from Crahan?

Mackey, Oisin Kiernan training between treatment, Enda Flanagan and Fergal still injured so not sure. David Wright not called.

Crash Bang Wall · 05-12-2018 11:58am

Thunderbirds wrote: »

That's correct. Smith and Cooney also asked in but didn't go in.

To be fair, Paul Smith is a guard in Letterkenny so very hard for him to be able to commit. As for Cooney, he was in a year or 2 ago and was let go so maybe he felt he wasnt good enough?

Thunderbirds · 05-12-2018 12:17pm

Crash Bang Wall wrote: »

To be fair, Paul Smith is a guard in Letterkenny so very hard for him to be able to commit. As for Cooney, he was in a year or 2 ago and was let go so maybe he felt he wasnt good enough?

Paul is in Blayney now. Cooney quit the last time because he didn't get a chance really.

Crash Bang Wall · 06-12-2018 5:57pm

Thunderbirds wrote: »

Paul is in Blayney now. Cooney quit the last time because he didn't get a chance really.

Didnt realise that....either way, a tough job to be able to manage along with intercounty commitments

rrs · 06-12-2018 8:02pm

Any from Killenkere in? Fitzsimmons and Fay Cooper would be the obvious ones

The panel probably released soon enough anyway. McKenna Cup starts end of Month

quidel · 06-12-2018 8:19pm

McKenna cup games in Kingscourt?? Only says Cavan venue at present.

rrs · 06-12-2018 8:28pm

The first game against Down is probably in Kingscourt. Played Down a few years ago there. They would be coming from that direction.

Cavan_King · 09-12-2018 7:26pm

The seniors were training last Wednesday evening at the training pitch at Breffni at 8. They had a team meeting before after McKenna Cup fixtures were out.

A number of players were being tried (I hear 45 to 50) but the rumour I also heard was that the panel will be cut to 32 before McKenna Cup.

A few players who wouldn’t play for the previous manager are back. Some asked still aren’t interested but it’s a big commitment for any lad.

Mickey’s stock will be on the up after today. Cavan County Board did well to get him when they did!

Cavan_King · 09-12-2018 7:28pm

quidel wrote: »

McKenna cup games in Kingscourt?? Only says Cavan venue at present.

1 game is going to be in Breffni I was told. Probably the second one which is against one of the colleges.

tayto lover · 09-12-2018 7:29pm

Cavan_King wrote: »

The seniors were training last Wednesday evening at the training pitch at Breffni at 8. They had a team meeting before after McKenna Cup fixtures were out.

A number of players were being tried (I hear 45 to 50) but the rumour I also heard was that the panel will be cut to 32 before McKenna Cup.

A few players who wouldn’t play for the previous manager are back. Some asked Ŵstill aren’t interested but it’s a big commitment for any lad.

Mickey’s stock will be on the up after today. Cavan County Board did well to get him when they did!

Is Mickey still with Mullinalaghta?

Cavan_King · 09-12-2018 7:38pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Is Mickey still with Mullinalaghta?

Doing both jobs until the run with them is over.

Cavan_King · 09-12-2018 7:39pm

rrs wrote: »

A few Crosserlough lads that were asked in, not interested .

Paul Graham in, obviously his connection with Mickey helped, as he turned a few offers before. Good player.

You have names for the Lough lads? Pierce and James Smith in, along with McVeety, who are the main lads I’d want.

KeepTheFaith · 09-12-2018 9:38pm

The U20s will be some shambles this year, between the management issue and being deprived of Oisin Pierson, James Smith and Cian Madden.

Cavan_King · 09-12-2018 9:59pm

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

The U20s will be some shambles this year, between the management issue and being deprived of Oisin Pierson, James Smith and Cian Madden.

I’d take beating Monaghan in Ulster and reaching the Super 8s over success for the U20s.

The main problem for the U20s is no management team but the fact is we’ve held the senior team back for U21 teams in the past and it’s now time we went for broke at senior level.

We’ve a good backbone in the likes of Martin Reilly, Ciaran Brady, McVeety, McKieran and Killian Clarke, with the likes of Johnston & Mackey available as supporting subs.

Those five first lads are entering their prime so it’s time to try and push them on.

Caoimhin O’Reilly, Padraig Faulkner & Killian Brady are examples of players who have acquitted themselves well in recent seasons.

When you’re adding in the likes of hopefully re-energized players like Gerry Smith & Jack Brady being reintroduced, we should be capable of making a good stab at staying in Division One.

quidel · 09-12-2018 10:08pm

Time to push on with our best team at senior level in Div 1 now even if it contains a few of them u20 lads. Hopefully a few of them young lads make the grade and can have a big impact.

KeepTheFaith · 09-12-2018 10:19pm

It's almost 5 years since we held back U21s from the Senior panel.

The lads mentioned above will have gone from U17 to Senior in the space of 2 years. They're all good players but none exceptional enough or physically developed enough to slot in right away. So we are relying on them having the commitment and patience to wait it out on the bench on a Cavan side that's likely not picking up any trophies.
And the flip side of that, you're leaving lads with loads of potential like Ruari Curran or Ronan Patterson on a depleted U20 side that may crash out earlier than they should and it cuts off any potential development there. If you have someone like David Clifford then fair enough, he's a huge addition to the Senior team. None of those 3 are near Senior Intercounty level yet.

The new fixtures are partially to blame here, if the U20s finished up before Senior Championship as it did before, they could be drafted in then. As it is, they are forced to make the choice between both.

cavan4sam · 09-12-2018 11:07pm

Huge congratulations to Mickey & mullinalaghta what a win , if mickey can bring half the belief and intensity to us then I'll be happy

Doctors room ghost · 09-12-2018 11:09pm

There will be a fair dash of porter drank tonight.fair play to them.

Cavan_King · 10-12-2018 12:26am

KeepTheFaith wrote: »

It's almost 5 years since we held back U21s from the Senior panel.

The lads mentioned above will have gone from U17 to Senior in the space of 2 years. They're all good players but none exceptional enough or physically developed enough to slot in right away. So we are relying on them having the commitment and patience to wait it out on the bench on a Cavan side that's likely not picking up any trophies.
And the flip side of that, you're leaving lads with loads of potential like Ruari Curran or Ronan Patterson on a depleted U20 side that may crash out earlier than they should and it cuts off any potential development there. If you have someone like David Clifford then fair enough, he's a huge addition to the Senior team. None of those 3 are near Senior Intercounty level yet.

The new fixtures are partially to blame here, if the U20s finished up before Senior Championship as it did before, they could be drafted in then. As it is, they are forced to make the choice between both.

Yes and holding them back five years ago hasn’t benefited the senior team since so it was a failed experiment.

Graham has been quite vocal in stating he will be calling in players who will need to put in hard work and get a good bit of strength and conditioning work before he plays them. I think that is honest and fair, given one of the problems with his predecessor was making promises to players he didn’t keep.

Mickey has a potential five year term so he’s looking to the future. Our senior team are going to have the best management and support structure of all groupings (as you’d expect) so IMO the earlier you get these lads involved the better.

It might also drive on some of the other U20s to know if they perform well a call up to the senior panel is a definite option.

The emphasis has to be on making the most of the senior panel though.

Cavan_King · 10-12-2018 2:16am

Yevon wrote: »

Yes because the Senior Team hasn't improved since 2014 and the U21 lads from around then like Clarke, McVeety, Holla have all contributed very little...

You’re taking two and two here and jumping to ten.

My point was the ultimate goal of focusing on the U21 teams was senior success. We haven’t had that. Yes, players have come through like those you mention but plenty have also walked away.

The bottom line is we’ve tried focusing on the U21 team in the past and it hasn’t lead to silverware at senior level.

We now have a good experienced manager with what appears to be a good back room team, who states he wants a blend of youth and experience, along with bringing in lads to give them vital strength and conditioning as early as possible, so I say let him do it.

I think Pierson, Madden and the others will learn more training with the seniors and being in around the panel than they will with the U20s and the long term focus is that senior team, let’s not lose sight of that.

Cavan_King · 30-12-2018 7:51pm

Anyone at the game today? A lot of new starters and some nervy moments but good to get a first win.

We seemed a lot more adept at dealing with the new rules than Tyrone.

Plenty of room for improvement but as Mickey said to Northern Sound after the game, these lads will come on with each game and he has more to try out against Queens next weekend.

Thunderbirds · 30-12-2018 8:02pm

Cavan_King wrote: »

Anyone at the game today? A lot of new starters and some nervy moments but good to get a first win.

We seemed a lot more adept at dealing with the new rules than Tyrone.

Plenty of room for improvement but as Mickey said to Northern Sound after the game, these lads will come on with each game and he has more to try out against Queens next weekend.

Yeah was at it. The only newcomer I thought done well was Cadden. O Connor done alright after shaky start. The new younger lads were very raw. Galligan was excellent all round, shot stopping, kicking off ground and from hands. Argue done well too and good to have back. Under old rules we would have being cut open for goals and I don't see what they add. Conor Moynagh looks very fit and was everywhere.

Cavan_King · 30-12-2018 10:46pm

Thunderbirds wrote: »

Yeah was at it. The only newcomer I thought done well was Cadden. O Connor done alright after shaky start. The new younger lads were very raw. Galligan was excellent all round, shot stopping, kicking off ground and from hands. Argue done well too and good to have back. Under old rules we would have being cut open for goals and I don't see what they add. Conor Moynagh looks very fit and was everywhere.

It would be a bit harsh to judge any of the players based on today - Martin Reilly for example had a poor game and it’s far from his first start.

I was surprised at how inexperienced the team was. Only six of the starting fifteen (Ray Galligan, Faulkner, Moynagh, Ciaran Brady, Martin Reilly & Murray) have had decent exposure to this level and, of those, Murray and Reilly have had better days.

James Galligan did well when he came on. Things didn’t go well for Thomas Galligan. He was the best midfielder I saw in the club championship this year but looked very nervous today. He had a chance over on the right wing in the first half which he would have nailed in a club game but held back and lost the ball after taking one awkward solo too many.

One thing we need to sort is the frees. Neither of the two Smiths performed well taking them. We can’t afford to be missing easy frees like the ones we did today. Based on what was seen, we’ll have to pull Galligan up for them all.

The curl he took on one in the first half was unreal. He’s some man to manipulate a football.

Cavan_King · 31-12-2018 10:45am

Yevon wrote: »

Thomas Galligan was excellent when he came on against Tipp the year before last, was brilliant against Clare in the League last year. I think he's shown enough that Mickey will stick with him.

Completely agree about getting a settled free taker but is Galligan good enough when the pressure is on?

Are Thomas and James brothers? He's definitely worth sticking with, the best midfielder I seen in the championship this year. Good to see Argue back and operating in the position he should be too. He's not a full forward.

Re free taking, Galligan is the best of what's there, although I'm firmly of the belief its difficult to judge anyone based on yesterday.

I heard people walking out of Breffni saying negative crap like very few of that team will feature later in the year but how some of these geniuses could decide if a player is worthy of a county jersey or not based on 70 minutes in a McKenna cup game is beyond me.

I was surprised to hear Mickey say in his interview too that they still have a lot of conditioning work to do. I know we don't want to peak too early but I had hoped we'd hit the ground running in the league and try to catch a few teams on the hop early on.

Hopefully him still being involved with Mullinghta and a delay in the new strength and conditioning coach taking up his position haven't effected things adversely.

Cavan_King · 31-12-2018 11:53am

Realt Dearg Beasty Bunghole wrote: »

What is the date for the first senior league match again?

Sunday 27th January at 2.30 vs Galway away.

http://cavangaa.ie/fixtures-results/county/

Lump It In · 31-12-2018 5:49pm

Galligan best MF in Cavan this year?? I may be wrong but thought David Wright was the stand out MF in Senior Championship.

Cavan_King · 31-12-2018 9:06pm

Lump It In wrote: »

Galligan best MF in Cavan this year?? I may be wrong but thought David Wright was the stand out MF in Senior Championship.

I saw both play and wouldn’t agree. Galligan was a colossus in midfield for Lacken against even the best of opponents. He kicked some fantastic scores which is why it was disappointing he didn’t take on some yesterday.

Wright came to the fore in the replay against Lavey where, truth be told, he was allowed the freedom of the park in the first half because he was marking a man, on the wrong side of 30, who had flown home from a wedding in America mid week to make the game and who lacked the mobility Wright had.

The second half when Lavey finally moved Gerry Smith out to midfield it curtailed him. Not sure why the move took their management so long.

rrs · 31-12-2018 9:18pm

James and Thomas Galligan are brothers Thomas is more athletic but James is probably a better footballer.
James should have featured before now. He was on panel 2 years for short while

Cavan_King · 01-01-2019 10:32am

rrs wrote: »

James and Thomas Galligan are brothers Thomas is more athletic but James is probably a better footballer.
James should have featured before now. He was on panel 2 years for short while

I'd like to see Thomas and Argue feature at midfield again this weekend.

Other than that, would be good to see Jack Brady start at CHF to see how he'd perform. Niall McKiernan is another who I think we should see more of at intercounty level.

Cavan_King · 07-01-2019 9:14pm

Anyone at the game yesterday? I had planned to go but the weather was atrocious and the stand in Ballyconnell isn't the biggest.

It didn't end up being much of a test anyway. Its a pity Wednesday night's game is in Ballybofey. Should be a better game and will be interesting to see what team starts given the wholesale changes between the two games to date.

Great news that a reserve panel is being kept to increase the overall panel numbers. That's exactly what is needed and hopefully will see us enter the Leinster Junior Championship again.

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