Cavan Gaels manager Peter Canavan accepts that it will be difficult for his side to break down Slaughtneil's defence in Sunday's Ulster SFC club quarter-final.
The Tyrone legend was in Celtic Park last month to see Slaughtneil hold reigning Ulster champions Ballinderry to just two points from frees in the second half, and was suitably impressed.
"It wasn't that Ballinderry were wasteful in front of goals. I think Slaughtneil restricted them to 13 or 14 scoring chances," he noted in the Irish News.
"That says a lot about their defence. Physically, they are very strong, and defensively they work very well together. They make life very difficult for opposing teams. That is something we will have to overcome if we are going to be successful," added Canavan, who has forwards of Martin Dunne, Seanie Johnston and Mickey Lyng at his disposal.
The Ulster club SFC was blown wide open last weekend when the two former All-Ireland winners, Crossmaglen and St. Gall's, bowed out. However, Canavan insists the Gaels aren't looking beyond Sunday's trip to Owenbeg.
"The stronger teams in the competition, the top two or three favourites, will be looking at it that way. But ourselves and Roslea would be at the bottom of the bookies' charts at the minute," he said.
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