"Tell me how that's fair"
April 17, 2018
Cavan manager Mattie McGleenan.
©INPHO/Oisin Keniry.
by Orla Bannon
Cavan boss Mattie McGleenan says there is "no logic" to the revamp of their Ulster senior football championship.
Ulster chiefs have tweaked an imbalanced system so that from 2020, teams drawn in the preliminary round won't have to play in it again for the following two years.
it's a bid to introduce a fairer format as only four teams have come via the tough preliminary round route to win the Anglo Celt.
The restructure will be welcomed in many quarters but McGleenan, whose side take on Donegal in this year's preliminary round on May 13, thinks there are bigger problems to be looked at.
"I don't see any sense in it," he insisted.
"There's a greater need to look at the structure of the entire championship.
"Take Roscommon, whom we played in the (Division Two) league final a few weeks ago.
"We are out in three weeks time and would face four very intense games to win an Ulster title.
"Roscommon have an extra few weeks preparation and then play Leitrim or New York to get into the Connacht final. Win that, and they're in the Super 8s. Tell me how that's fair."
Cavan have been drawn in the preliminary round more times than any other county in Ulster since the millennium.
While Derry for example have only been faced with the additional game twice, Cavan are at the other end of the scale having been drawn in the preliminary round SEVEN times.
"We are looking forward to the Donegal game in a few weeks so we're not worrying about draws or structures or anything else at the moment.
"But I see no logic to these planned changes."
Meanwhile McGleenan confirmed Dara McVeety, Caoimhin O'Reilly and Jason McLoughlin, who all picked up hamstring injuries in the league final defeat by the Rossies in Croke Park, are extremely doubtful for the Donegal clash in Ballybofey.
