The only way is up
November 27, 2011The phrase 'it's a big step up to senior level' is one more commonly used in the GAA than a billionaire's passport, but this past season in the Breffni County it proved to be as accurate and trustworthy as ever.
Just ask any of the 9,235 that were in attendance at Kingspan Breffni Park back on June 12 to witness would-be Ulster champions Donegal dismantle a Cavan side which consisted of seven championship debutants - four of which came from Terry Hyland's promising Under 21 crop. Jim McGuinness's came away from Cavan town on that miserable evening deserved 2-14 to 1-8 winners, moving on to bigger and better things, while Cavan, in plain truth, would end their season on a new low which saw them exit out the backdoor to neighbours Longford, who handed them an 11-point home defeat.
Back in January things were so much more positive. The welcome sight of new management, along with some new players, brought about a fresh sense of optimism which was so sorely needed after Tommy Carr's reign.
Two-time All Star goalkeeper nominee James Reilly, Ray Cullivan, Keith Fannin, Padraic O'Reilly and Gerald Pearson - all of whom exited the scene under Carr for one reason or another - were some of the names welcomed back into the squad by Val Andrews and Hyland ahead of the Dr McKenna Cup campaign, which had a delayed throw-in due to freezing conditions, forcing the Ulster Council to postpone the competition's start until mid-January.
Cavan went into their opener on January 15 against Derry at Kingspan Breffni Park minus the services of a few of their experienced contingent, with last year's captain Martin Cahill, Cootehill's John McCutcheon and Dermot Sheridan of Mullahoran all having to watch from the sideline at the grounds' 3G pitch as the home side slipped to a slender 1-12 to 1-10 defeat in the arctic conditions. A week later saw a workmanlike victory over Queen's University Belfast at the same venue offer the Blues the chance of a semi-final place when they travelled to take on neighbours Monaghan the following Wednesday night.
The Breffni men dictated the pace for the first 35 minutes at Grattan Park in Inniskeen to lead by 1-9 to 1-4 at the break, with Mickey Brennan's goal providing the cushion at the halfway stage, and despite a spirited fight back from the hosts in the second-half the points of Keith Fannin and Cian Mackey saw Cavan over the line to extend their McKenna Cup campaign into February, and with the delayed start to the competition the fixture chaos would mean Cavan would have to play their first National League opener against Offaly three days before meeting Tyrone in the McKenna Cup semi-final.
For the game in Tullamore, Andrews and Hyland named a side which showed wholesale changes from the one which featured throughout 2010, particularly in defence where a relatively inexperienced starting six of Padraig Cahill, Eoin Smith (both Killygary), Stephen Jordan (Lavey); Dane O'Dowd (Drumlane), Alan Clarke (Kingscourt), Damian O'Reilly (Belturbet) would line-out at O'Connor Park. Two of the defence would be withdrawn by half-time as Cavan eventually crashed to a 1-12 to 0-8 defeat, with Belturbet's Brendan Fitzpatrick and substitutes Mark McKeever and Pearson grabbing their only three scores from play on the night.
It was a disappointing start to a campaign from which the management made no secret of their promotion desires and three days later their McKenna Cup hopes went up in smoke when they fell to a 2-11 to 0-14 defeat to Tyrone at Brewster Park. (Thankfully the two counties would meet again at the Enniskillen venue a few months later!).
Eleven days later Cavan, were on the road again; this time travelling to Mullingar to take on Pat Flanagan's Westmeath whom had their own designs on promotion from Division Three, having suffered 15 straight league defeats from their fall from the top tier in '09. After a fortuitous goal from newly appointed captain Sean Johnston steered the visitors into an early lead, the Lake County hit back through Dessie Dolan and John Heslin to level matters by the break (1-2 to 0-5), before they moved into the lead early on in the resumption which they never looked like surrendering until U21 star Gearoid McKiernan was summoned from the bench and landed two late scores to secure a badly needed point for his team.
A hard fought 0-13 to 1-8 win at home to Waterford in their next outing and it looked as though Cavan were gathering momentum for promotion at the perfect time heading into Round Four. The victory saw David Givney makes his much anticipated return as a second-half substitute, while former U21 midfield compatriot Gearoid McKiernan played a telling part in a half-forward-midfielder role, after impressing against Westmeath.
Three points from a possible six coming into March still has the Blues within a realistic chance of promotion, but difficult trips to the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick and Wexford Park would spell defeat for Cavan and sharply turn their attention towards a relegation battle to avoid playing their football in the basement of the NFL for 2012. Two wins from their last two games would now be paramount if they were to guarantee themselves safety and in the form of last year's beaten Leinster finalists Louth they would have a real test on their hands come April 2.
The stakes were high for both parties, as Louth themselves had promotion on their own agenda, and despite an Ulster U21FC final being just around the corner Andrews and Hyland opted to start four of the team's stars against the Wee County. Oisin Minagh, Gearoid McKiernan, Niall Murray and Niall McDermott would all line-out at Kingspan Breffni Park.
It was a gamble that paid off big time for the management duo as McKiernan and McDermott would combine for 0-6 to inspire Cavan to what was undoubtedly the most crucial win of their campaign, as they sent Louth home packing from Cavan town on a 0-11 to 1-5 score-line, after which Andrews hailed the players for earning a result which left their fate in their own hands.
"It was a bit like the Alamo at the end," said the Dubliner afterwards. "It's great to get the win and I'm really delighted for the fellas: they get a victory, they perform under pressure with a lot of criticism.
"We did a lot of great stuff and we did a lot of bad stuff but, at the end of the day, they won. And that's great for them."
The following weekend saw none of the Under 21 contingent risked as the big showdown with Tyrone neared closer, but it didn't stop an improved looking Cavan side from putting in what was probably their most complete performance of 2011 when they welcome Tipperary to Kingspan Breffni Park.
With safety still unguaranteed and championship starting berths in two months' time still up for grabs, Cavan tore into a Tipp outfit fighting for their lives to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time and opened up a nine-point lead during an impressive third quarter showing, which saw Sean Johnston bring his tally up to 0-9 and Eugene Keating also impress at full-forward. They would take their foot off the throttle for the closing ten minutes but still saw out the 0-16 to 0-13 win to seal their Division Three status for another year.
Cavan (NFL v Tipperary): J Reilly; J McEnroe, T Corr, D O'Dowd; M McKeever, P O'Reilly, D O'Reilly; J McCutcheon, D Givney (0-1); K Fannin (0-1), R Cullivan, R Flanagan (0-1); S Johnston (0-9, five frees), E Keating (0-3), C Mackey. Subs: G Smith for J McCutcheon (39 mins); A Gaynor (0-1) for P O'Reilly (53); D Sheridan for C Mackey (68).
Just three days later, Cavan GAA would be given its biggest boost for over a decade when the county's Under 21 footballers made history by defeating Tyrone in Enniskillen by 1-10 to 0-10 to capture The Irish News Cup.
The Breffni County was on an unfamiliar high and once the U21 campaign ended a batch of stars were brought into the senior set-up to help bolster the squad ahead of the Ulster SFC. Come June 12, Niall Murray, Gearoid McKiernan, Fergal Flanagan and Niall McDermott would all be starting at Kingspan Breffni Park as Cavan looked to upset the odds against a Donegal side coming off the back of an impressive National League campaign in Division Two.
On the day, Donegal put an inexperienced Cavan side to the sword to move into the last four of the provincial title race, which, incidentally, they would go on to win after coming through a one-sided contest with relative ease. Jim McGuinness' team completely overran their opponents despite having talisman Michael Murphy sent off in the early stages as Colm McFadden and Under 21 star Paddy McBrearty ran riot for the visitors, combining for a tally of 1-8.
The Blues weren't aided by the sending-off of midfielder Ray Cullivan seven minutes in, after he had led with the foot in a challenge with Kevin Cassidy, but in truth Cavan never looked like winning the game after teenager McBrearty struck the game's first goal on 20 minutes. The strike helped Donegal towards a six-point lead at the interval and by the time they registered their second major through Rory Kavanagh they were into a 10-point lead heading for the final quarter and there was simply no way back for the Breffni men after that, as they exited the competition on a 2-14 to 1-8 score-line.
The defeat saw another premature end to Cavan's hopes of progress in the northern province and sent them crashing into the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers for yet another season. The draw would throw up an intriguing home tie against Glenn Ryan's Longford and while many Breffni supporters were positive that their team could book their place in the next round, the form book read much more favourably for the Midlanders, whom had captured the Division Four NFL crown back in April and pushed Laois all the way in their Leinster SFC opener.
In fact, it was Cavan's neighbours that were favourites with the bookies heading into the derby clash and it showed on June 25 at Kingspan Breffni Park as ran out comfortable winners to heap more misery on the Blues.
Longford powered to an impressive 2-16 to 0-11 victory over a listless Cavan side, which showed six changes from the Donegal defeat. Exchanges had been close for long spells but the winners pulled way in the end for an 11-point victory, with Sean McCormack notching nine points, while Paul Barden and Brian Kavanagh claimed the goals.
Longford bossed the opening quarter and were full value for their 0-4 to 0-2 advantage after 18 minutes. But Cavan were let back into the game by some sloppy stuff from the visitors (who missed a series of goal-scoring chances) and the young Breffni County led by 0-7 to 0-6 at half time. Another impressive performance from Eugene Keating at full-forward was about the only positive Cavan could take away from the game, as they completely disintegrated in the second-half.
The midlanders got off to an encouraging start with a first-minute point and they soon moved into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead. McCormack (free) got the visitors' second score before Keating (2) levelled the scores with a couple of tidy finishes. Another McCormack free and a score from Paul Barden made it double scores in favour of Glenn Ryan's men and it could have been worse for the hosts but for some wayward shooting from Longford. But Cavan were also guilty of some poor finishing in the opening stages.
McCormack and promising debutant James McEnroe traded points, with David Barden missing a goal chance in between, leaving Longford leading by 0-5 to 0-3. Cavan were coming more and more into the game after an uncertain start and wing back Mark McKeever halved the deficit. Seanie Johnston (free) and Keating edged Cavan ahead for the first time, bringing their scoring run to three in a row, but Paul Barden's powerful shot flew over the crossbar, again with a goal opportunity presenting itself for the visitors.
Big Keating was having a superb game for the Ulster county at full-forward and he kicked an excellent point from a free just before the short whistle to put Cavan back ahead, 0-7 to 0-6. McCormack missed an injury time free and the home side went in at the break leading by one. Niall McDermott (free) stretched the gap but Longford captain Paul Barden replied and McCormack's 40th-minute free (his fourth of the evening) tied it up again, 0-8 apiece.
Paul Barden collected from McCormack to drill the ball to the net in the 14th minute of the second half, bringing his own personal return to 1-3 from play. Including the goal, the visitors had reeled off a total of 1-4 without reply to lead by 1-10 to 0-8, but Johnston (free) popped over a Cavan free. However, McCormack's sixth point (free) restored Longford's five-point advantage.
Another unerring McCormack free stretched the gap to six as daylight now started to appear between the teams with just over ten minutes left. Johnston closed the margin with a tidy point from play after a quick ball in and substitute Michael Brennan kicked a 45 over the bar after the hosts missed a glorious goal-scoring opportunity.
A fantastic point by McCormack steadied the Longford ship once more and they hit another score from before Kavanagh got on the end of a Longford breakaway to volley a magical finish to the back of the Cavan net. Longford added a late point to win by eleven and Cavan's misery was compounded when midfielder David Givney was sent off in the last seconds with a second yellow card.
Cavan (SFC v Longford): J Reilly; M Cahill, T Corr, J McEnroe (0-1); M McKeever (0-1), J McCutcheon, M Brady; D Givney, G McKiernan; F Flanagan, M Lyng, N Murray; N McDermott (0-1, free), E Keating (0-4, 0-1 free), S Johnston (0-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: G Smith for N Murray (18 mins); R Flanagan for F Flanagan; M Brennan (0-1) for J McCutcheon (both 42 mins); C Mackey for M Lyng (52 mins).
Afterwards a dejected Val Andrews held his hands up and admitted that his team were completely outplayed by a superior Longford outfit and gave them a reminder of the level in which they are at.
"(It was a) disappointing performance against a good, organised team," said Andrews.
"We weren't good enough, the performance wasn't good enough. We have to hold up our hands, we can't be doing that sort of thing, people can't be expected to watch that sort of thing. It basically gives us a yard stick or a benchmark to show where we are. We know where we are now in relation to Longford, who are a good team, they nearly beat Down in the qualifiers last year, they beat Mayo in the qualifiers and they're no daws. They won Division Four of the league. They're three years on the road, we're at the very starting stage but we've three years to work.
"There's no point in feeling sorry for ourselves, we've got to pick ourselves up off the ground and see how we can fix this. We have to do a lot more strength and conditioning, we have to get the squad together earlier…Look, the 21 success was great but it did hamper the development of the senior squad this year."
Oh, don't we know it only too well, Val. Tweet
