Rivalries in the Gaa are usually determined by proximity that this up Cavan V Monaghan and Cavan Fermanagh for example and these games for these counties are as important as Cork/Kerry Dublin/Meath
When great sides emerge even if they are not neighbours then we have those Rivalries Donegal and Monaghan this year for example
Next year it will be Donegal v Dublin

In my county like most others it's neighbouring parishes last weekend saw Ramor beat Castlerahan reversing last year's game

Long may it continue

ochonlir1 (Cavan) - Posts: 88 - 05/09/2014 20:02:16    1648603

That's the thing. There does not appear to be a stand out rivalry. There is: Kerry v Cork, Mayo v Galway and the capital v Meath.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7871 - 05/09/2014 20:31:08    1648607

Oldie, Nedstormcrow andbreffni39.
Now boys let's sort a few things out ::::: fair enough Cavan were top dogs in Ulster , won a lot of Ulster titles but, and I have posted this before when first, Tyrone in 1956, then Derry in1958 and Down in 1959 won Ulster titles Cavan more or less disappeared and have won only 5 Ulster titles since with four of them coming in the sixties, a few years before the Sleeping Giant emerged ( DONEGAL)
So Ollie I know the GAA started before 1972 or 1992 and I admit we were slow starting but we ain't half making up the ground. Also a good joke us DONEGAL folk had here in England/Scotland over the years:::: how could we win anything at football with the CREAM of the COUNTY abroad.
Also Down did not win Ulster until 1959 so no more than ourselves, Tyrone and indeed Derry/Armagh we all made good strides over the last 50 odd years. But Cavan went backwards but I do hope they emerge again and good luck to them As regards the ESB thing it's all a bit of a wind up.
But if you go back 80/90 years the big riverly in Ulster was Cavan vMonaghan.
Back to you again Ollie::: 1972 :::nothing::::2014::::: Eight ulster titles , one Div 1, one div2 , Two Sam's ( and counting) plus big chance of a double, Minor/Senior. Not bad for a county that has suffered terrible from immigration

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 05/09/2014 20:33:33    1648609

Sam better late then never late. Donegal have come a long way since 1972. They could also have won the Divison two title in 2006 only for Louth to beat them after a replay. But a year later they made up for that defeat when they beat Mayo in the Divison one final to win it for the very first time. Donegal are only one of two counties that have a hundred per cent record in All Ireland finals. The other is Limerick. The treatymen also have two titles to their name. If Donegal do bring back Sam to the hills in over two weeks times they would possible make history as their first three All Irelands would come against teams from three different provinces. And what would make it more remarkle is that all teams have won the most titles in their respected province. Mayo have won the most titles in Connaught and likewise the Dubs in Leinster. Kerry have won the most Munster titles and also won the most All Irelands. Best of luck with it.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 06/09/2014 09:59:42    1648670

Thanks for the info Ollie and was at those two games v Louth in 2006. I think the same day Tyrone v Mayo went to xtra time in the Under 21 semi final. First time I saw Justin McMahon play and picked him out as a star for the future.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 06/09/2014 14:21:45    1648749

Sam on Erigal
Nobody likes a bad loser but when people become ungracious when they are winning is worse in my view

Whatever the reasons and no matter what research you have put into the subject Cavan have struggled for years. We remain a proud football county and we don't require you to throw spiteful little barbs at us we know we have to improve..... And we are

Having said that when we play Monaghan it's as important to us as any rivalry
Most of my county men will be supporting Donegal in the Final despite the smarmy few that haven't the grace to enjoy their county's achievements

ochonlir1 (Cavan) - Posts: 88 - 06/09/2014 15:08:19    1648763

Onhonlir1
Before we go any further I am not ungracious when we are winning and I am not throwing spiteful little barbs at Cavan.
I have followed football for fifty years, spent thousands supporting Donegal going back and forward for games and in that 50 years or so the power base in Ulster has changed over and over again. Down were the first ulster team I remember winning an all Ireland. Next came Donegal,Derry Armagh and finally Tyrone. I did not see Down win their first two AI's but all the other finals I either saw or was in CP But I never saw Cavan won one or don't remember them winning one. But I did read about their victories in All Ireland finals. So what I have said is fair enough:::: Cavan football has declined big time in the last fifty years. Could that be due to the emergence of Down, Derry, Tyrone and Donegal???? None of those counties had an Ulster title 60 years ago.
What brought me to talk about Cavan was the post by Ollie:::::: Cavan vDOWN AS he stated they were the most successful counties and them being big rivals.
We know Cavan have the most Ulster titles but a lot were won long before our time. Down would be different as a lot of people/Players would still be alive when they made the breakthrough.
But Tyrone have been almost as successful as Down(5 AI's 12 ulster titles for Down against 3 AI's 13 Ulster titles for Tyrone. )while Armagh have won a lot of Ulster titles over the last few years plus Sam. I like to base my facts what Iv seen in my lifetime or what happened in my lifetime so the strongest Ulster counties in my book and in this order are Down, Tyrone and Donegal. I think Down have slipped a bit asit is 20 years since they won an Ulster I still take Cavan v Monaghan as the biggest rivals in Ulster.
Hope I did not annoy you with my reference to the ESB as. It was a bit of a wind up. Or did you take it seriously ????

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 06/09/2014 18:16:48    1648831

Ok, so now Cavan v Monaghan is the biggest rivalry in Ulster ahead of Cavan v Down?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7871 - 06/09/2014 19:33:14    1648866

An interesting thread Legend, one of your better ones.

That the Ulster Council countenanced shifting the Ulster Final to Croke Park highlights the intensity of the Tyrone v Armagh rivalry that has been highlighted by some already. The potential for large attendances isn't everything, but you get my drift. Others parings will also have their merits.

For those still in need of persuasion though, I can assure you that Monaghan v Cavan is huge. The whole "support Ulster teams in the All Ireland series" is practically an article of faith...but there are exceptions. I have known Monaghan men who placed money on Kerry in the infamous 1947 final in the Polo Grounds. I have heard allegations of Cavan fans in Croke Park in the 1985 semi finals wearing Kerry colours. Jumping ship from Ulster is one thing, jumping ship to Kerry (if you will forgive me Legend) is quite another. Monaghan v Cavan is that big.

Knoxboyo (Monaghan) - Posts: 170 - 06/09/2014 21:20:16    1648920

Should have added this gem from my childhood recollections of the parish of Currin.

"Cavan ? I'd sooner cheer Russia".

Knoxboyo (Monaghan) - Posts: 170 - 06/09/2014 21:48:23    1648943

Legend is absolutely right. We do not have a rivalry like Cork v Kerry. Perhaps some Ulster fans do not realise the keenness of the Cork Kerry rivalry. When Kerry beat Tyrone a couple of years ago down in Kerry, the reaction in Tyrone was fairly muted as we had been well beaten, no complaints, shut up and go home etc. However, I remember some comments on a Cork website about that same match - they were all very anti-Kerry and I remember being amazed at the depth of feeling. I'll always shout for any Ulster county; I remember cheering on Down, watching them beat Meath in the Irish centre in Birmingham in 1991. I spent numerous childhood holidays in Teelin and around Kilcar so will always roar on Donegal anyway. Within Tyrone, it depends on what part of the county you're from. The people in E Tyrone around the Moy etc will have a big rivalry with Armagh whereas in W Tyrone there would be no rivalry with Armagh to the same extent and I'd always shout for Cross' and Armagh. Of course, you want to beat your neighbours, but thereafter you'd like to see them finishing runners up if possible. There is always a fair bit of anti Tyrone spite in N Fermanagh, but it's confined to a few villages; and further South in Fermanagh, Tyrone is much less of an issue. I'd say a related issue in Tyrone is a club player v county player rivalry, I'm sure it's the same anywhere, but you always get a few hallions determined to test the resilience of a county man's ribs in a club game ...

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 07/09/2014 09:03:41    1648954

Well, the fact Monaghan men are unlikely to support Cavan and the same vice-versa says it all. Cavan v Monaghan it appears to be so!

A Monaghan lad who moved down here used to have stories of supporters cutting through the fencing to get on to the field of play. Mad stuff!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7871 - 07/09/2014 09:38:06    1648962

Sam back to Cavan v Down. I said that were the tradional rivals in Ulster. I never said that they were big rivals. It goes back to Cavan been the first Ulster county to win Sam and then Down been the first county to take it across the border.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 07/09/2014 10:22:34    1648972

i would support any ulster team except cavan, just the way we were brought up, anybody but cavan

binman53 (Monaghan) - Posts: 104 - 07/09/2014 12:47:19    1649030

Traditionly, I would say the neighbouring rivals - 1) Derry v Tyrone; 2) Armagh v Down; or most recently, Donegal v Tyrone.

With my 'Munsacht Playoff', you could have 'Kerry or Cork' v 'Mayo or Galway' each year - I can see myself in trouble again - where is 'Dr. No' ?

omahant (USA) - Posts: 2614 - 07/09/2014 17:37:07    1649138