It is time to take the blinkers off regarding Cavan football particularly in relation to Under 21 and its effects on the senior team. I am fed up reading about winning 4 in a row etc and how it will only be a matter of time before we start to win Ulster Senior titles.
The facts are that:
1: No other Ulster team has concentrated on the under 21 grade as much as Cavan have over last 5 years which has given us an advantage. While this has worked well for us, it must be remembered that we have won titles with the most negative type football that at times, particularly this year, was almost unbearable to watch.
2: We have not beaten any team outside of Ulster, bar Wexford and this will continue until we change our negative tactics.
3: We have not produced 1 scoring forward from 5 years of u 21 dominance. There has been a total obsession with holding onto possession to the total detriment of developing scoring forwards. It has been clearly evident that management at Under 21 level prefer ""forwards"" who win possession 9 times out of 10 and might score once, to other more natural forwards who may not win possession every time but who can score and most importantly are not afraid to shoot.
What should now be done?
It is obvious to everybody that we need to adapt a more positive style of football. Can this management team do this? It is difficult to see that happening as by and large the same group of people have been involved with U 21 and now senior for the past five years. Defensive negative tactics have without doubt brought Cavan football a degree of respectability again and promotion to Div 2 is an achievement. However to go to the next level at senior we now need to change and that change needs to happen at Under 21 level from next year. The people responsible for the negative and defensive tactics at U 21 this year, (and the same two at senior level I suspect) need to be removed for 2015. And if we don't win Ulster U 21 for a few years, so what, we just might develop a few forwards who can score regularly.
Unfortunately, I can already see the headlines for 2015, Cavan going for 5 in a row Ulster titles at Under 21 level. Same management deciding that the best way to do this is to do what we have done for last 5 years. Pats on the back for maybe another Ulster title for management and County board but still no forwards developed to move onto senior football.

cavanforsam (Cavan) - Posts: 143 - 11/06/2014 10:44:40    1601959

well said cavanforsam

sammaguire1 (Cavan) - Posts: 279 - 11/06/2014 10:56:52    1601968

cavanforsam
County: Cavan
Posts: 124

1601959



3: We have not produced 1 scoring forward from 5 years of u 21 dominance

I think that is unfair Paul O Connor and Enda Reilly are two that spring to mind but don't seem to be able to get a chance.

evano11 (Cavan) - Posts: 265 - 11/06/2014 10:58:54    1601971

Agree with most comments but disagree with 1 . We have produced forwards in those u 21 successes .For example I remember jack brady being top scorer for cavan at u 21 level and his first year on cavan senior team I think he averaged 3 to 4 points a game . He seems to have been gobbled up by the system. I was told today by a reliable source that only 2 of the Cavan team are allowed to shoot and the rest are feeders and make decoy runs. Starting Alan clarke in the half forward line?. Paul o conor isnt one of the free scoring forwards he needs 10 chances to score 4. Enda Reilly is , Kevin Tierney is , Chris Conroy is . We need to let these lads out together and let them shoot.

kinglarry (Cavan) - Posts: 189 - 11/06/2014 12:51:50    1602078

kinglarry
County: Cavan
Posts: 142

1602078
Agree with most comments but disagree with 1 . We have produced forwards in those u 21 successes .For example I remember jack brady being top scorer for cavan at u 21 level and his first year on cavan senior team I think he averaged 3 to 4 points a game . He seems to have been gobbled up by the system. I was told today by a reliable source that only 2 of the Cavan team are allowed to shoot and the rest are feeders and make decoy runs. Starting Alan clarke in the half forward line?. Paul o conor isnt one of the free scoring forwards he needs 10 chances to score 4. Enda Reilly is , Kevin Tierney is , Chris Conroy is . We need to let these lads out together and let them shoot.


You obviously haven't seen Paul O Connor play recently where he is putting up big scores.He is strong wins his own ball and can score with both feet,and is alot more accurate than you give him credit for.

evano11 (Cavan) - Posts: 265 - 11/06/2014 14:27:49    1602166

So the junior team just scored 0-17. Any chance they can swap management with the seniors? :)

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 11/06/2014 21:57:52    1602481

Same Management, Ned! Seems to be be serious panic over our scoring ability on this forum. Anyone remember the Derry game last year?! We scored 1-22 that day....What has changed? Nothing as far as i can see except we had a bad day last Sunday vs Armagh before, during and after the game. Nothing went right. No one got it right. It's not the end of Cavan! People need to move on.

SS1 (Cavan) - Posts: 196 - 12/06/2014 09:13:04    1602513

Agree with SS1. Bad day all round last Sunday but some of the reactionary comments here and elsewhere are way over the top. Great win for the Juniors last night. Some of those players can be brought into the senior team (or in some cases given a bigger role on the senior team) but I don't think we will/should see wholesale changes to the senior management or playing personnel.

JimmyJamJar (Cavan) - Posts: 3 - 12/06/2014 10:30:11    1602541

I think some of the critism here is over the top, its all or nothing with some people, no middle ground at all !! not that long ago everything on this site was positive beyond belief ... alot of the time unrealistically so. Terry and co havent become bad managers just because of this result, the tactics / system used got us promotion in the league so it cant be all bad. Its a big step up to the next level but I am optimistic about the future as we will have a good pool of talent to pick from but these lads are still young and STILL need time. Lets see if there is a bounce back in the qualifier !!

facer4home (Cavan) - Posts: 157 - 12/06/2014 11:54:32    1602583

Agree, it's typical knee jerk reaction, never any middle ground.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 12/06/2014 16:27:58    1602734

I don't think its knee jerk reaction! it wasn't just on last Sundays game that people are reacting over, this poor display from last Sunday has been building up,, through out the league Cavan have been doing the same things over and over again expecting different results, after the league final alarm bells should have been sounding,each match building up to Sunday the same problem were getting worst but noting was done to fix it, Cavan getting the ball to the 45 line and then stopping too slow of play,, i was at the junior match last night it was like a breath of fresh air to watch , free flowing football and lads taking shots when they got a chance and early quick ball let into the forwards, some fine displays from a number of players who i would be putting straight into the senior team. maybe management will bury there pride hold there hands up and say we got it wrong and pick the team on who is in form and not there favorites, if they used last nights tactics as a template to build on the future could still be blue!

goonie (Cavan) - Posts: 308 - 12/06/2014 19:09:27    1602826

You wanted to see free flowing football against an Armagh team who were as defensive as Cavan? A number of teams Cavan played in the league were set up defensive too, Sligo being the one that stands out.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 12/06/2014 19:53:32    1602843

Quick fast ball on counter attack beats any defensive set up team,, not playing it slow across the field allowing them time to regroup, at the match on Sunday Givney and keating was making runs but the ball was slowed down and by the time the past was sent in the defenders was on them.

goonie (Cavan) - Posts: 308 - 12/06/2014 20:10:05    1602853

Cian Mackey Cavans best play maker didn't start... a big reason why there wasn't quick ball going in. He made some impact when he came on..

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 12/06/2014 21:48:36    1602898

Mcvitty is going to America.

waynerooney11 (Cavan) - Posts: 142 - 13/06/2014 14:32:06    1603197

The criteria for the suspensions was obviously who was captured in video actually striking, from any and all footage available, including youtube. This fails to punish the main culprits whom I would expect would include both captains. On this basis, we're getting off lightly and we know it. Note, no immediate talk of Cavan appeals.

And we're hearing repeats of the same pre-Armagh game rumours about certain players joining Killian Clarke in Boston. So be it. If this is an opportunity to re-assess the panel, taking all things into account, i.e. suspensions, form, Juniors,availability, selection criteria etc, then I think we may well end up with a more energised team.

For example, we hear that Enda Reilly is flying in training, so should he not get an immediate promotion from the Juniors? Terry threw Dara McVeety in at a young age, might he consider doing the same with Tom Hayes? Liam Buchanan at midfield? Gerry Smith as an attacking half back? What have we to lose? The definition of stupidity is doing exactly the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Let's get a bit adventurous and have a go.

ondforty (Cavan) - Posts: 460 - 13/06/2014 15:21:26    1603223

McVeety was a year older then Hayes when he was brought into the panel. Those players will be given chances I'd imagine in the future, still need some stability in a team, Donegal 2011 and 2012 was where lots of young players were brought into the team, 7 or 8 players made their debuts against Donegal that year. Gerry Smith and co will get chances.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 13/06/2014 16:21:37    1603253

CIARAN BRADY,PADRAIG FAURKNER,CONOR MADDEN,JOE DILLON AND PAUL GRAHAM 2 BE GIVING A CHANCE ?

jfkcavan (Cavan) - Posts: 315 - 13/06/2014 17:00:02    1603277

For the remainder of the championship I wish Cavan would throw caution to the win and play quick attacking football and see where it takes them... We are going to end the season winning nothing so we might as well win some supporters back... Another thing the club champ and league games should be run along side these back door games as they mean nothing... Give the clubs a run at their games when the weather is good and we have long evenings... County should no longer take preference as they got their chance...! What do others think...?

Sean66 (Cavan) - Posts: 440 - 13/06/2014 18:00:12    1603300

Lads I was seriously worried about the prospect of meeting ye again this year, and I'm glad we don't to be honest, ye very nearly stopped us in our tracks last year. Our keeper fouled the ball and ye prob should have had a free from it. Think of how things would have gone if ye had won that match. Ye could potentially be Ulster Champions now.

Ye have a great hardworking panel of players. I feel that Mackey deserved an all star last year, and I agree with posters on here that ye should throw caution to the wind and go for it in qualifiers.

On your day ye can rattle any team in the country. Best of luck for the rest of the year. I genuinely hope ye go far.

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1073 - 18/06/2014 14:10:53    1605556