Cavan supporters may well be feeling edgy ahead of this Saturday's meeting with Antrim in Clones, where a win would bring their county to a first Ulster final appearance since 2001, but the last Breffni man to get his hands on the Anglo-Celt Cup has provided us with some reassurances. From an opening league defeat to Longford; to the possibility of an Ulster final place alongside the All-Ireland champions. Tommy Carr's Cavan have come a long way in the short space of four-and-a-half months, but it's not from a lack of trying. After a mixed league campaign in Division Three, where losses to Longford, Tipperary and Offaly were suffered, but impressive wins over Down and Roscommon gained, Cavan gathered momentum by playing challenge after challenge match from April until to June. One of those exhibitions has since unfolded as a dress rehearsal for this weekend's clash in the northern province back in May when Lacken GAA opened their new club rooms. No-one at Crowe Park that day could have envisaged these two teams meeting each other in the last four of Ulster this weekend, but both believed they could get there, and, ultimately, that's what has brought Antrim and Cavan together again for the third time this year. So how do Cavan deal with the dreaded favourites' tag which has proven the beginning of the end for them in so many past experiences? Former Cavan midfielder Stephen King has a simple answer to the equation. "I think they'll be approaching the game without any complacency in them," he said. "Cavan have matured a great deal in the last couple of months and I think that showed in the performance against Fermanagh at Breffni Park. We fought tooth and nail for every ball that day and I think they will be willing to do the same again this Saturday with an Ulster final place at stake." The stirring win over our Erne neighbours just two-and-a-half weeks ago at Kingspan Breffni Park could well continue to inspire and prove the catalyst to march onto our first provincial decider in eight years, with a team that is virtually under 25, bar James Reilly and Michael Brides. It's no surprise to King either that Carr has opted to make no changes to the starting line-up from the Fermanagh game, and he concurs that the Tipperary man has two more aces coming into the pack. "I have to admit I couldn't see any changes being made," said the Killeshandra native. "There was talk of a few of the subs that came on in the Fermanagh win having a chance, but the likes of David Givney and Rory Dunne have time on their side and I don't think anyone deserved to be dropped anyway. "I would totally agree that the inclusions of Paul Brady and Michael Lyng to the squad from the Fermanagh game will be a huge addition to the squad, particularly Brady, who has been fantastic down the years for Cavan." It could be argued that Brady's athleticism and determination and Lyng's skill and craft are attributes that would be missed by any team in the country, and while both players are experienced, neither has tasted Ulster championship success with their county just like the rest of the starting team, which perhaps Carr feels is an extra incentive for every player in a blue jersey at St Tiernach's Park on Saturday to give it their absolute all. This week a former, albeit unfamiliar, Breffni forward has publicly tipped Liam Bradley's charges to oust Cavan from the province and make their way towards a first Ulster decider in 39 years. King feels differently though. "Obviously, Liam Bradley will be a key factor in motivating Antrim and the decisions he makes throughout the course of the game, and he has a bit of talent there with some Sigerson Cup and Ulster club championship winners. "I think a repeat of the Fermanagh performance will be enough though for Cavan on Saturday, because we have the forwards to hurt them and I feel that maybe Antrim have peaked. "If we'd of been playing Donegal in the semi-finals they'd have improved a great deal, but I don't think Antrim will have come on that much from the win over Donegal. I could be wrong about that, but I hope I'm not. So, can Carr's young guns deliver us to a much needed Ulster final showpiece, or will Cavan once again flatter to deceive? King: "I reckon Cavan by three points, plus." If he's right, who's to say a success story can't be made out of Cavan's 2009 season. The possibility of Ulster glory, or a place in the last 12 of the All-Ireland series from where Wexford blossomed to an All-Ireland semi-final last year. But let's not get ahead ourselves. Cavan have a job to do on their old stomping ground on Saturday, and let's hope they can do so. Tweet

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