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Donegal Vs Cavan

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With the preliminary round in the 2018 Ulster SFC little over a month away I thought I'd get the ball rolling with some pre-match discussion. The teams had contrasting leagues and have traded divisions. While obviously Donegal were disappointed to drop down there is a feeling that Div 1 football is not the be all and end all for this young team. Cavan will be delighted to be returning to the top tier even if they did miss out on Div 2 silverware on Sunday. At this early stage with Donegal having home advantage and if they can get all of their key men fit, I would give them a hesitant nod. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 04/04/2018 11:09:17 2090949 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "With the preliminary round in the 2018 Ulster SFC little over a month away I thought I'd get the ball rolling with some pre-match discussion. The teams had contrasting leagues and have traded divisions. While obviously Donegal were disappointed to drop down there is a feeling that Div 1 football is not the be all and end all for this young team. Cavan will be delighted to be returning to the top tier even if they did miss out on Div 2 silverware on Sunday. At this early stage with Donegal having home advantage and if they can get all of their key men fit, I would give them a hesitant nod." Obviously delighted to be returning to Division 1 but in truth, Division 2 turned out to be far poorer than it looked on paper and streets behind Division 1 in terms of quality. The Donegal game, away from home, will be a good few steps above what this Cavan team has faced before (very few survivors from last year's division 1 campaign). We need a defensive plan to stop the supply of ball to McBrearty and have shown nothing to suggest that we are capable of doing that. It's ulster championship. It should be a tight game. I just fear McBrearty (and Odhran MacNeillais) will get too many opportunities over the 70mins to give donegal the edge. cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 04/04/2018 11:50:47 2090966 Link
Dont really rate Donegal at the moment there a team in transition and couldnt beat a struggling bad Mayo team down loads of first team players. If Cavan have everyone available fany them by a few points Cuckoosinging (Roscommon) - Posts: 992 - 04/04/2018 12:00:21 2090970 Link
McVeety out. Cavan no chance. doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 04/04/2018 12:03:54 2090974 Link
Replying To doratheexplorer: "McVeety out. Cavan no chance." Not a definite? McVeety has been Cavan's player of the league and would be a huge loss if he was ruled out for this. There won't be much in it but Donegal quite simply have better shooters like McBrearty, Murphy, MacNiallais and newcomer Jamie Brennan who I think could cause the Cavan full back line a lot of problems with his pace. Donegal by four. gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 04/04/2018 12:13:39 2090985 Link
Cavan have done exceptionally well to get promoted and there has been admirable amounts of determination shown to get this far. one thing is for sure they will not give up and they'll keep fighting. If they happen to get the match ups right and we get a few big performances plus a good start we're in with a great shout. But it'll be a massive massive effort. Cavan haven't came up against the likes of Murphy and Mc Brearty in basically a year!! but for me its clean cut at this moment. Donegal have far too much and i'd be expecting a comfortable 4-5 point win by them. theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 04/04/2018 13:08:36 2091004 Link
I think we can win this game despite our poor recent form. Cavan showed they are a big threat going forward but have nothing to offer in defence on the back of their league final appearance. A close low scoring game would suit us a lot better, but if it is a shootout, I believe our forwards have the capacity to step up. I made a prediction that we could narrowly beat Mayo in Ballybofey last week which we should and could have done were it not for a rash decision in the last few seconds. This will stick in memories and I don't think we will throw anything away in a similar fashion in Ballybofey again this year. I also think that the winner of this game will end up in the ulster final as the likes of Derry and Down are so far back now that they are not the threat they would have been a couple of years ago. Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 04/04/2018 14:07:42 2091019 Link
Cavan will be competitive but they're lack of natural scoring forwards will count against them in a tough championship battle. Murphy and McBrearty simply a different class. Expect Donegal v Tyrone final. salvador (Roscommon) - Posts: 439 - 04/04/2018 14:07:52 2091020 Link
Replying To salvador: "Cavan will be competitive but they're lack of natural scoring forwards will count against them in a tough championship battle. Murphy and McBrearty simply a different class. Expect Donegal v Tyrone final." You can't rule out either cavan nor Monaghan to make the final, but if I were to call it, I would say Donegal have got to be looking at an ulster final if they are to do anything interesting at all this year. Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 04/04/2018 15:05:28 2091042 Link
We could be operating with a front 6 of MacNíallais, R McHugh, Thompson, McBrearty, Murphy and Brennan. While I don't think Cavan will be as open against us, from what I've seen of them I don't think they'll be able to handle the above 6. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 04/04/2018 15:24:27 2091049 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "We could be operating with a front 6 of MacNíallais, R McHugh, Thompson, McBrearty, Murphy and Brennan. While I don't think Cavan will be as open against us, from what I've seen of them I don't think they'll be able to handle the above 6." ............and you haven't been beaten there in 8 years. A Monaghan/ Cavan final would be the highlight of my year though, or low light- whichever!!! theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 04/04/2018 15:47:08 2091058 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "We could be operating with a front 6 of MacNíallais, R McHugh, Thompson, McBrearty, Murphy and Brennan. While I don't think Cavan will be as open against us, from what I've seen of them I don't think they'll be able to handle the above 6." Cavan don't have a back 6 to handle them. Padraig Faulkner is a top defender as is Killian Clarke who has been tasked with marking the opposition's main man in previous games. After that they are limited in defence. Enda Flanagan, Martin Reilly and Oisin Kiernan could all be considered as forwards. Ciaran Brady is a classy player and loves to attack. Toney (Meath) - Posts: 298 - 04/04/2018 15:54:52 2091061 Link
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we're water-tight ourselves by any means. The days of Jimmy's iron curtain defence are long gone. I can see Cavan causing us problems if they run at us. Cian Mackey and McVeety are very dangerous in this regard. I think we're also susceptible to the big high ball into the square. If McKiernan lines out at full forward I'd be worried. Most likely it'll be rookie Shaun Patton in goals and while we'll hopefully have Neil McGee at full back, they have had limited time playing together. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 04/04/2018 16:19:59 2091071 Link
If, and its a big if, Donegal can stop giving away silly frees then I would take them to win this especially with home advantage. Much was spoken about different players form & availability, Declan has also come under the spotlight for some of his decisions, but for me the free count went a long way towards relegating us. Sort that out & we will be along distance down the road to a win. If Donegal give Cavan any encouragement at all it could be dicey. Donegal must go all guns blazing & stay positive for 70 mins, they looked really good in the league when they adopted this approach. It was when they went cagey & negative that wheels came adrift. Donegal by a few. MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 04/04/2018 17:44:47 2091109 Link
Replying To MuckrossHead: "If, and its a big if, Donegal can stop giving away silly frees then I would take them to win this especially with home advantage. Much was spoken about different players form & availability, Declan has also come under the spotlight for some of his decisions, but for me the free count went a long way towards relegating us. Sort that out & we will be along distance down the road to a win. If Donegal give Cavan any encouragement at all it could be dicey. Donegal must go all guns blazing & stay positive for 70 mins, they looked really good in the league when they adopted this approach. It was when they went cagey & negative that wheels came adrift. Donegal by a few." Giving away frees is a problem, only scoring frees that is. I would also say that dissent after a free is given is an open invitation to give the opposition a handy moved in free. I would stop short at your assessment that this free count was something to blame for our relegation. The last 60 seconds of the game in ballybofey put us down and no other scenario. We were unlucky away to Kerry not to get a point, but even hat would not have saved us accounting for the mayo result. Tyrone, galway, monaghan and Dublin were all deserving winners against us and outplayed us at crucial times in each game. I think that we need to tighten up at the back We need to pay attention to our mid fielding consistency, although we seemed to have improved on it this year. We need, as you rightly say, to stop giving away stupid frees within distance and the verbals that follow it. We seem to have a good understanding and balance around the rest of the field. We need to be more consistent in what we are doing well. Finally, we need to close out games. Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 04/04/2018 23:48:19 2091169 Link
Replying To Donegalman: "Giving away frees is a problem, only scoring frees that is. I would also say that dissent after a free is given is an open invitation to give the opposition a handy moved in free. I would stop short at your assessment that this free count was something to blame for our relegation. The last 60 seconds of the game in ballybofey put us down and no other scenario. We were unlucky away to Kerry not to get a point, but even hat would not have saved us accounting for the mayo result. Tyrone, galway, monaghan and Dublin were all deserving winners against us and outplayed us at crucial times in each game. I think that we need to tighten up at the back We need to pay attention to our mid fielding consistency, although we seemed to have improved on it this year. We need, as you rightly say, to stop giving away stupid frees within distance and the verbals that follow it. We seem to have a good understanding and balance around the rest of the field. We need to be more consistent in what we are doing well. Finally, we need to close out games." Your job has been made a hell of a lot easier with the latest news on Mc Veety theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 05/04/2018 10:32:03 2091192 Link
Replying To theweanling: "Your job has been made a hell of a lot easier with the latest news on Mc Veety" I wouldn't rule him out yet. Players respond differently to treatment. Until I see him in the stand or not togged out on the bench I won't believe it! Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 05/04/2018 11:16:25 2091213 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "I wouldn't rule him out yet. Players respond differently to treatment. Until I see him in the stand or not togged out on the bench I won't believe it!" I hope you're right. but even if he is a fast healer he still won't be fit. It's a big blow but I'm sure they knew this was coming on Sunday evening theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 05/04/2018 13:28:24 2091236 Link
The teams that we've struggled against so far this season have set up defensively. Cavan also set up defensively so if we don't transition the ball quickly from back to front we'll end up passing laterally and going nowhere like we did in a few league games. If we get the transition right then we should win but if we don't then it could be a closer affair. Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 05/04/2018 14:47:13 2091255 Link
Replying To Tir Conaill Abu: "The teams that we've struggled against so far this season have set up defensively. Cavan also set up defensively so if we don't transition the ball quickly from back to front we'll end up passing laterally and going nowhere like we did in a few league games. If we get the transition right then we should win but if we don't then it could be a closer affair." About five years ago maybe. Not close to being defensive now. In fact we are wide open. I hope we are defensive by then but can't see us implementing it properly by then. Donegal by 7 plus. doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 05/04/2018 15:42:18 2091270 Link