Cavan vs Donegal

What do ya reckon lads donegal have to be huge favourites after the league and already have a championship win under their belts!

Jaysus Scoop, leave it a bit. We're all trying to forget about Donegal for a while after last Sunday!

Donegal will be huge favourites and it looks set to be another war of attrition. Cavan have no defenders remotely capable of handling Murphy alone so they will need a plan to handle him. Hard to see Cavan getting across the line but I don't think they will be very far off Donegal.

Depends on the team that goes out but i think cavan will be close. Midfield is huge and cavan will have to break even because no defense could cope is alot of quality ball is going into murphy. I can see maybe 3 of the u21s starting on the team with maybe 2 getting a run as subs. I hope our fitness is up to scratch because donegal will pull away if we cant be up. Hopefully a big home crowd turns up!

Seen this said on another site what would you think Jon would represent as progress?

scoopmine wrote:Seen this said on another site what would you think Jon would represent as progress?

A hell of a lot less than some other people on said website anyways Scoop. Some people saying beating Donegal and Tyrone (who people seem to forget have a first round game themselves) would be progress!?

In truth after our last 7 out of 8 halves of Championship football (second half v Wicklow aside) beating Donegal would be massive, massive progress. Backed up by a decent showing in the Ulster Semi I feel is the very best we could hope for.

I would consider an encouraging performance against Donegal and 2 wins in the qualifiers with a lucky draw or one good scalp (Division 2 side) as decent progress. People seem to be completely losing the run of themselves, let us not forget what Cork did to us, a few decent U21s added to the side is not nearly enough to lift us out of the hole we've found ourselves in. Small steps.. What would you think yourself?

Id be more on your idea personally a set gameplan not just get it to jelly. Aggression and passion in the jersey disapointed in toasty being dropped on from last year he could have pushed only barry is on the panel now from the county champions. I reckon we will push for donegal close and then depends on our draw id have no fear of anyone in div2 bar tyrone.

No disrespect Scoop, but I think you are among those with unrealistic expectations.

On paper, Cavan are the 8th best team in Ulster. Only Fermanagh would rank behind you, and even they beat you in Breffni Pk in the championship last summer. Cavan were 5th in division 3 this spring, with only 3 wins. They also had the lowest scoring tally of any side in the division.

Looking at it as a neutral, none of this would indicate a successful summer is on the horizon. Yes, the U21s did very well, but it will take time before they start to have a major impact at senior level if, that is, they ever do.

Cavan are unlikely to beat Donegal. They might, especially if Donegal don't improve, but it is unlikely. A run in the qualifiers (2-3 wins) would have to be viewed as a good summer for Cavan, and would set you up for further integration of the U21s next year.

None taken we are here to debate!
I did however say I think we will run them close but dont think we will beat them. I am more interested in peformance and gameplan of the team.
As for 8th in ulster I do feel we are better than antrim and I dont rate derry at all.
U21s will make a difference but I feel only 3 of that team is ready for senior football.

You could well be better than Antrim, but their form in the league and championship over the last couple of years has been better than yours. They also quite comfortably won the last 2 meetings in meaningful competition between the sides(championship 2009 and league 2010), so it is hard to make the case for you. I agree that Derry aren't good, but they finished near the top of division 2, so they too would have to be rated higher than Cavan. Quite a bit higher, in my opinion.

I'd like to see Cavan do well. They play nice football and I'm a big Jelly fan. But, realistically, any predictions of success for Cavan this year can only be based on hope, rather than concrete evidence over the last 12 months.

scoopmine wrote:None taken we are here to debate!
I did however say I think we will run them close but dont think we will beat them. I am more interested in peformance and gameplan of the team.
As for 8th in ulster I do feel we are better than antrim and I dont rate derry at all.
U21s will make a difference but I feel only 3 of that team is ready for senior football.

I would rate Derry as being quite a few levels above Cavan.. At the moment I would fancy us to beat Fermanagh, possibly Antrim, and with a push, Donegal. The rest would be a huge shock for us to overcome.

I'd agree with the assessment of TC in general, however, the evidence from the League Campaign is more encouraging now than it was during the reign of Carr.. The moves from the managers have very much been experimentation with a view to building for the future. I do believe that given time Hyland and Val can turn Cavan back into a moderately competitive side and perhaps with an exceptionally talented underage group emerging we could challenge for Ulster at some point in the future. It's a real pity that a lot of people's expectations have raised considerably due to the U21 success..

Jonsmith wrote:Donegal will be huge favourites and it looks set to be another war of attrition. Cavan have no defenders remotely capable of handling Murphy alone so they will need a plan to handle him. Hard to see Cavan getting across the line but I don't think they will be very far off Donegal.

Was Murphy on against Antrim? Is that him the free taker?

I expect donegal to blow cavan out of the water. The pressure is off now. Donegal hadn't got a first round win in 3 years or so , so it was imperative for McGuinness to get a win. Regardless of how well they played.

However I wonder Is there any chance cavan have an edge over donegal due to the under21 defeat. Cavan bet donegal that day by getting quick ball in to the defence before the forwards got back into defence. I know donegal had what was a very average U-21 team but play the exact same system that their seniors employed.

I haven't been following cavan that well this year. What under21's should start? Are McKeever and pearson playing this year?

Up cavan

johnnos bulls wrote:I expect donegal to blow cavan out of the water. The pressure is off now. Donegal hadn't got a first round win in 3 years or so , so it was imperative for McGuinness to get a win. Regardless of how well they played.

However I wonder Is there any chance cavan have an edge over donegal due to the under21 defeat. Cavan bet donegal that day by getting quick ball in to the defence before the forwards got back into defence. I know donegal had what was a very average U-21 team but play the exact same system that their seniors employed.

I haven't been following cavan that well this year. What under21's should start? Are McKeever and pearson playing this year?

Up cavan

From what I hear Cavan's challenge games have been fairly disastrous, a raft of players used and no visible game plan, lumping high ball into the full forwards and hoping for the best. That's fairly surprising because the U21s were so well drilled in what their objectives were and from the League games I attended there looked to be a similar shape on the seniors. My fear is that Cavan will lose their heads in the face off a massed defence, lump in ball which Donegal will mop up all day and hammer us on the break. Hyland and Val are trying to build a decent squad but they don't appear to know their best 15 even at this late stage.

I hope that the encouraging signs this year are the true mark of the management and that they know their starting team and have them all focused and drilled. If they do I expect us to give Donegal a decent game.. But if there is as much uncertainty about team selection and style of play as shown in challenges then we don't have a hope and could indeed face a hammering.

McKeever is still there, Pierson is gone though, knee injury I think. Out of the U21s Gearoid is almost certain to start, Oisin Minagh and Niall McDermott very likely and a possibility that Murray will start half forward. My starting 15 would be:

1. James Reilly
2. James McEnroe
3. Tomas Corr
4. Oisin Minagh
5. Damian O'Reilly
6. John McCutcheon
7. Mark McKeever
8. David Givney
9. Gearoid McKiernan
10. Michael Lyng (if fit and interested)
11. Gareth Smith
12. Ray Cullivan
13. Mickey Brennan
14. Niall McDermott
15. Sean Johnston

Strong cases could be made for Keating, Fannin, Flanagan all of whom could be in the 15..

Cian Mackey?

johnnos bulls wrote:Cian Mackey?

Hasn't played well for Cavan since Fermanagh 2 years ago, still living off his massive underage promise. McDermott is bigger and stronger and offers a lot more, Mickey Brennan is guaranteed to play his heart out and was probably our best player in that shambles in Breffni last year.

Heard two kingscourt lads played against louth having opted out at the start of the year.
Would not have McEnroe starting in the corner my opinion is i dont think he is county standard. Would not argue with the rest midfield is young but is the best we have.
Keating would be ideal to come on and kick long range points if his heads right.

Who would you replace McEnroe with scoop? O'Dowd? Sheridan?
We have a lot of lads who are more comfortable at wing back but nobody who you could earmark as a proper corner-back.. None on the panel plays as a corner back for their club that I'm aware of? The sad truth of it is that from 2-7 we are very weak, we have a midfield and forward line that on their day have the ability to give Donegal some problems but our defence is way off the required standard..

I saw Keating against Tipp and he was fantastic, he kicked 4-5 massive points that day in what was a fine all round performance from Cavan but does he have the stomach for the dogfight against Donegal? It'd be a smart man that would accurately predict the starting 15 at this stage...

I personally would have Sheridan as you said it will be a dog fight and he will be best suited to marking Mcfadden.
I think Keating coming on as a sub maybe to change the style after brennan runs his heart out.
Brennan can usually get a goal chance or two its just if he sticks it or not!
Half backs are not too bad in my opinion its midfield if we dont break even and with quality ball going into murphy we will be in big trouble.

Junior team for tonight
AOMara.
THyland.
PCarroll.
JMcEnroe.
SJordan.
FFlanagan.
MBrady.
EKing.
RCullivan.
NMurray.
MLyng.
KFannin.
GMcKiernan.
JReilly.
AReilly.

Enda King?! One of the best midfielders in the County doesn't appear in the blue until now and it's on the Junior team..

And who is J Reilly full forward??

Not sure Jon was hoping you could tell me!
Got the team of twitter!

It's surely not Jayo...

Other than that mystery it's pretty much a second string Cavan side with 3-4 possible Championship starters. Updates anywhere I wonder?

Usually twitters very good.
Helps me study!

From the county board twitter page
Cavan 1.02 Longford 0.02 goal from jayo. 13mins gone