Well so much for the bit of improvement I was hoping for, As frost bite was setting in at Breffni Park last night I came to the realisation that we just are'nt good enough, We don't have the strong physical forward's to win the 50/50 ball, our team lacks the power, the loss of Givney and Keating is a big blow, they were players that brought a physical presents to the team, The players last night were still afraid to shot from a distance out even in the second half with the strong wind, i dont know if its because its only certain players is allowed to shot still, Overall I know its only the second game of the year and we still have players to come back into the panel, but looking at last nights game I would be concerned what is to come.

goonie (Cavan) - Posts: 308 - 11/01/2015 11:52:43    1682161

whatever expectations people have this year i would advise to lower them. because i firmly believe we are in for a long hard year. last nights display collectively and individually was abysmal. we seemed to lack the basic skills of kicking and passing and are shooting was disgraceful. all in all i feel we are extremely lightweight we lack power and skill. im really not all to confident off the line either .

blueskies (Cavan) - Posts: 194 - 11/01/2015 12:06:38    1682162

After what I witnessed in breffni park last night I haven't much hope of a positive season coming for Cavan, We haven't a Forward to our name to kick points regularly at was on show last night, Ronan Flanagan may as well have been where I was touched the ball 4times I counted in a sweeper position and failed to cut out ball and the threat that came from Cillian O'Connor & Ronan O'Neill they played with the Cavan defence all night!!! UUJ have an outstanding team they will take beating in the Sigerson this year, Also Killian The Gunner was outstanding put a marker down to Terry and the lads for his place in the Cavan Team!

I could say more but I don't want to sound to negative but it was a poor show in poor cold conditions Last night

Dr.Phil (Cavan) - Posts: 109 - 11/01/2015 12:07:20    1682163

Does it not speak volumes that the more experienced players have walked away especially with the Draw in the championship, it should wet the likes of Alan Clarke, Givney and Keating to play this year as an ulster final is in reach. I know in Monaghan the draw against cavan give the likes of Clerkin, Finlay and Lennnon the appetite to go for another year. Maybe the players arent happy with the Management and believe they have taken them as far as they could. A lot of them players have listened to Hyland's voice for a long time be it under age or with Senior. Keating and Givney would have listened to him from as young as 15 with development squads so its over ten years. A new Management team was maybe what was needed for the best interests of Cavan football at senior level.

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 11/01/2015 12:27:31    1682164

Admittedly I have not seen Cavan play this year so far, so I'll not comment on performances. But what I will say is this. We're in big trouble when you lose to a university. A few lads on scholarships thrown together and playing together for a matter of months, rather than years which is what we're supposed to have done. Anyway, it's not as if we're putting out a handful of rookies either, most of them players will be there in the mix come the league.

I said this before and I firmly believe it. Cavan's biggest problem going forward will be getting the bad habits out of the players systems. I fear we have stifled a generation of talent with this robot football. But you have to remember, this system is all the players know. It has been drummed into them since they were 18. Yes it brought 4 Ulster u21 titles, and it will more than likely bring a 5th this year, but Id rather see us loosen up a bit and play a bit of ball even if it means winning nothing. This style is futile against teams outside of Ulster, we've never come close to winning the AI at u21.

Whats the story with Keating anyone know?

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 11/01/2015 12:43:59    1682169

All I'll say is this, in div 3 2013 I stood in the drizzle in Breffni Park and we were getting a hiding from ye, we had 1 point on the board after 45 mins. Our season turned out pretty well after that. Ye prob should have beat us in Semi final of ulster that year too.

The point is I think ye are good enough, but it's all in the head.

Anyway don't get so down about a McKenna cup loss, UUJ very nearly beat us last week and the college teams have been doing well. Didn't DCU win it last year in Dublin?

See ye Wednesday boys

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1073 - 11/01/2015 13:11:24    1682179

Just a thought. It was freezing cold in Breffini last night with driving snow. Was it only like this for the supporters. Cavan played against the wind in the first half and most of the second aswell. We are all negative here on this site. Them players want medals to go out and play in them conditions. I'd hate to be a forward in Cavan. If they log onto this site they would not play anymore. It's the second week in January. I never heard Kerry getting to excited about losing a match in January or even April. There are a lot of hidden agendas here. The cavan team that was out last night was an experimental team. Give them a break . Yes the ball was slowed down too much especially in the half back line and midfield. It was an awful night for football . Uuj have all stars playing in their team .They played in the college league before Christmas and are training since September. Their Championship starts next month. Let's get a bit of reliaty here. The league will be the start of our year not pre season games .

kinglarry (Cavan) - Posts: 189 - 11/01/2015 13:29:27    1682181

Breffni was a cold place last night for the true blue supporters and it wasnt just the snow. The team didn't look interested although I know that's not the case. I was surprised by the amount of needle in the game and we played second fiddle in the physical stakes all night. I think Monaghan posters have hit the nail on the head. While there wasn't anything much between us a year ago they've cranked it up several gears and fair play to them. We on the other hand have lost our competitive edge completely. Only the league will tell us where we're going this spring, the McKenna cup won't.
I'll be surprised if Monaghan don't win comfortably on Wednesday night, even with their second team.

RoyalBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 198 - 11/01/2015 13:29:39    1682182

look the foundation was removed from the county and babies and small men brought in to become senior inter county players and many of them play at lower club level. We have player's on the panel who cannot even start with their clubs what do the clubs know that this management set up cannot see. Plain for everyone last night all the players that played last night are not near good enough for inter county football. Remember of the 18 or so players we saw last night at least 10 of them will be the starting team come the first round of Ulster and even the league. Are we in trouble yes we are bigger than last year. U21 team getting a roasting did not help matters either.

mowbar (Cavan) - Posts: 452 - 11/01/2015 14:04:58    1682192

Positives difficult to take from last night but Rory Dunne, Jason McLoughlin and to a lesser extent Josh Hayes did well in full back line.
Gearoid and Killian are a decent midfield pairing.Moynagh,McEnroe,Ciaran Brady,Martin Reilly,would surely make a big difference to half back line.Mackey,Argue,McDermott,Keating,Hayes,Enda Reilly all in forward line together will make a huge difference.Sankey from Shercock played with UUJ and played well.He could be an option at 6 or horsing around middle which would release Killian to play on the 40 or in half backs.Also Fergal Flanagan and Killian Brady and Mooney to come in to panel too.Argue option around middle too.
Heavy duty dogged training being done at the moment so players are heavy legged but UUJ are doung a different type of training at this stage.Management have to see players and make their minds up, nobody really cares about the McKenna cup.They definetly are attempting to play a more attacking type of football but do not have a ball winner at the moment in the full forward line.The half back line needs a revamp.

celt2018 (Cavan) - Posts: 160 - 11/01/2015 15:36:11    1682211

By. all accounts the scoreline last night flattered Cavan who were totally outplayed by a college team... It is hard to read anything into these games but it is clear that Cavan have stuck to their boring defencive set up and slow build up play,,, 11 pts vDown and 10pts last night is of no use what so ever at county level but that will be our average if we continue with this woefull style... I will travel to Roscommon for the opening league match on Feb 1st but if I have to endure anything like last years rubbish it will be my last outing as well...!!!!

Sean66 (Cavan) - Posts: 440 - 11/01/2015 15:53:45    1682218

Roscoomon were beaten by NUIG today, DCU drew with Meath yesterday. Lot of the colleges are competitive, the college teams have been together since
September playing in the ryan cup, so they are obviously going to be sharp. Some quality players on the uuj side, O Connor, mooney,, o neill, mattie donnelly

Cavan have played 3 games, 2 in the mckenna cup and 1 challenge game, give over with the negative stuff

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 11/01/2015 16:00:44    1682220

celt2018
County: Cavan
Posts: 86

Rory Dunne was moving that far forward I was wondering what advise he was given for we more often than not had only two backs. Josh Hayes had not one of his better day's but he is not it would seem a soft pitch player for the going looked very heavy. Goalkeepers kick outs were despicable but not his fault he had to be told to continue to kick it to the left or right not beyond the 20 meter this crap is useless if this is the way they plan to continue. I feel sorry for the genuine supporter and the new chairman who will have to listen to it for the supporter will show them with their feet and revenue will dry up. The sooner they realise that we don't want to watch another 12 years of this total puke football crap the better.

mowbar (Cavan) - Posts: 452 - 11/01/2015 16:15:57    1682223

foolsgold: Cavan have been together since October you know it I know it everyone knows it. Don't play the lack of not being together as an excuse. The colleges are only back from early December from holiday's. Last night you could see that UUJ were having problems about whom to pass the ball to but despite this their was no way that this current set up representing our county were ever going beat UUJ. The few hundred that turn up next Wednesday from what might have been a few thousand will more than likely be Monaghan supporters or the very die hard Cavan supporter.

mowbar (Cavan) - Posts: 452 - 11/01/2015 16:23:35    1682225

Unfortunately I think we missed the boat, the change should have come after last years poor performances, every league game we were getting progressively worst, I can't blame players from dropping off the panel, you cant expect guys to be part of a team that plays such a terrible style of football, were only certain players can take on a shot, were certain player's will get there place not on ability but because there the managers favourite .This negative play and style that is been implemented from the underage system in the county is destroying attacking players from coming through to the senior level,

goonie (Cavan) - Posts: 308 - 11/01/2015 16:36:17    1682231

If you read into the McKenna cup you're an idiot. A glorified friendly.

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 11/01/2015 18:16:26    1682263

oratheexplorer
County: Cavan
Posts: 407

1682263
If you read into the McKenna cup you're an idiot. A glorified friendly.

It doesnt matter if its the Mc Kenna Cup or not - thats not the point - the point is that we are taking up where we left off last year and thats the worrying thing . We are playing a version of Rugby League where the very last option is to kick the ball. Im afraid its not looking good for the year ahead

tenyearplan (Cavan) - Posts: 147 - 11/01/2015 18:49:34    1682281

A lot of players injured, with college and under 21 so relax. Serious doom merchants on here.

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 11/01/2015 19:15:10    1682302

Anyone know what happened to our U.21's yesterday?
They got an awful 12 point hammering from Kerry who were saving most of their U.21's for the seniors today.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 11/01/2015 19:22:26    1682308

doratheexplorer
County: Cavan
Posts: 408

1682263
If you read into the McKenna cup you're an idiot. A glorified friendly.

So doratheexplorer I take it then that you are calling all of us that paid to go to the match last night were idiots for after all it is just the McKenna cup such a shame then why participate . Micky Harte does his best to win every competition his team are involved in. Shame if what you say is true ??? Monaghan got beaten by Down today so will Cavan not bother to turn up and leave Monaghan win I don't think so.

mowbar (Cavan) - Posts: 452 - 11/01/2015 19:57:39    1682333