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So just getting a chance to put a few thoughts together properly after Sunday. Think we can all agree it was a mad chaotic game in a small club venue, so not sure we're ploughing new ground there by going over that. The longer the week has gone on, the more I've come around about the ref. Still think he was poor in parts (not helped by his linesmen) but have to think that game was brutally hard to referee. He maybe didn't help in allowing a certain level of aggressive tackle and holding in the 1st half, and then when that was met by our boys 2nd half it went out of control. I said as much to the Louth lad standing beside me at half time, and it did indeed go out of control. Saying all that, Louth are mad as hell about the ref too. So if both camps are mad, maybe we're somewhere in the middle here.
But beyond that, we have to look at our discipline. 2 silly black cards (and consequently 1 red) in Cork, and 2 red cards here is poor going. While the 2 black cards last week were silly, the reds here were different but no less something we need to learn from. I have huge sympathy for Smith and Oisin Brady though. They were targeted all game, and clear the ref and linesmen were going to let that go. The ref gave cards for the reactions but nothing leading up to it. The lads shouldn't have reacted, but very tough when you're trying to go off the field and their keeper is up the field in your face, and feigns with a gentle push to try get you sent off. We need to learn, and any other season those are 2 losses on the back of that and we're on 2 points instead of 6 and in a relegation battle. Have to keep 15 players on
However, saying all of that, we get to the good stuff. We look like we're turning a gritty steely team who don't know when they're beat, or find it hard to lose once we get down the home stretch, and are big and strong enough to fight it out when it descends to battle. That is a huge strength to have. We've had 3 poor enough 1st halves in a row, but we seem to be able to learn on the go, make switches, bring on subs, and then turn things around 2nd half. Where before we were battling with the same 13 to 15 players, we now seem to have more (even allowing for those lads like McVeety and Kiernan who are injured) meaning we have actual bench options to make a difference. I just love what these boys are doing and this fitness, battling and hard work will pay off when we get to harder and faster ground in late Spring and Summer.
It was just great to get the win in those conditions all told. You could tell what it meant to the lads and the supporters. It leads us very well minto saturday and a possible promotion tilt. I'll talk later in the week about Meath, but a mention of a few players who deserve a word after Sunday. Jason McLoughlin - what can you say about this man. One of our longest and most consistent players. He was great again Sunday on everything he does. I'll never pass an opportunity to rave about the Gunner, and I'll do so again. He was brilliant and led the line well with physicality and leadership. Sure he got caught out for the penalty, but otherwise was at the heart of everything on a tough day in defence, even getting up the field a few times for some assists. Lynch great again too - a missed free and one on his left peg from play, but takes some watching and doing it so well that it opens up play for others. However I think the guy who I repeatedly look for these days is Gerry Smith. Jeez how many of this man is there on the field? You'd swear there is 3, as no way he can cover the ground he does and be there at the start and end of some moves. He's in unreal form, and it's a measure of the man and his form that we've won 2 on the trot while missing McVeety and it wasn't terminal for us. Just brilliant stuff Gerry
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 28/02/2024 13:11:47
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Replying To Loughduff Lad: "So just getting a chance to put a few thoughts together properly after Sunday. Think we can all agree it was a mad chaotic game in a small club venue, so not sure we're ploughing new ground there by going over that. The longer the week has gone on, the more I've come around about the ref. Still think he was poor in parts (not helped by his linesmen) but have to think that game was brutally hard to referee. He maybe didn't help in allowing a certain level of aggressive tackle and holding in the 1st half, and then when that was met by our boys 2nd half it went out of control. I said as much to the Louth lad standing beside me at half time, and it did indeed go out of control. Saying all that, Louth are mad as hell about the ref too. So if both camps are mad, maybe we're somewhere in the middle here.
But beyond that, we have to look at our discipline. 2 silly black cards (and consequently 1 red) in Cork, and 2 red cards here is poor going. While the 2 black cards last week were silly, the reds here were different but no less something we need to learn from. I have huge sympathy for Smith and Oisin Brady though. They were targeted all game, and clear the ref and linesmen were going to let that go. The ref gave cards for the reactions but nothing leading up to it. The lads shouldn't have reacted, but very tough when you're trying to go off the field and their keeper is up the field in your face, and feigns with a gentle push to try get you sent off. We need to learn, and any other season those are 2 losses on the back of that and we're on 2 points instead of 6 and in a relegation battle. Have to keep 15 players on
However, saying all of that, we get to the good stuff. We look like we're turning a gritty steely team who don't know when they're beat, or find it hard to lose once we get down the home stretch, and are big and strong enough to fight it out when it descends to battle. That is a huge strength to have. We've had 3 poor enough 1st halves in a row, but we seem to be able to learn on the go, make switches, bring on subs, and then turn things around 2nd half. Where before we were battling with the same 13 to 15 players, we now seem to have more (even allowing for those lads like McVeety and Kiernan who are injured) meaning we have actual bench options to make a difference. I just love what these boys are doing and this fitness, battling and hard work will pay off when we get to harder and faster ground in late Spring and Summer.
It was just great to get the win in those conditions all told. You could tell what it meant to the lads and the supporters. It leads us very well minto saturday and a possible promotion tilt. I'll talk later in the week about Meath, but a mention of a few players who deserve a word after Sunday. Jason McLoughlin - what can you say about this man. One of our longest and most consistent players. He was great again Sunday on everything he does. I'll never pass an opportunity to rave about the Gunner, and I'll do so again. He was brilliant and led the line well with physicality and leadership. Sure he got caught out for the penalty, but otherwise was at the heart of everything on a tough day in defence, even getting up the field a few times for some assists. Lynch great again too - a missed free and one on his left peg from play, but takes some watching and doing it so well that it opens up play for others. However I think the guy who I repeatedly look for these days is Gerry Smith. Jeez how many of this man is there on the field? You'd swear there is 3, as no way he can cover the ground he does and be there at the start and end of some moves. He's in unreal form, and it's a measure of the man and his form that we've won 2 on the trot while missing McVeety and it wasn't terminal for us. Just brilliant stuff Gerry" Would agree almost totally with what you say there Loughduff…. McLaughlin did great in his tackling and defensive play but if I had one little negative on his play it was his foot passing… on 3 occasions he delivered hospital passes that could have resulted in a bad injury …but hard to find a fault with anyone on a day that tested everyone to the limit … the lads hung tough and ground out a result… As someone said leaving the ground.. " under the last management we would have zero points from 4 games "…..!!!
ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3029 - 28/02/2024 13:32:09
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Tomsmith here
I would not be to sore on the last manager, he took us to a All Ireland cup final, all be it was a second tier. He rebuilt a team that Raymond Galligan inherited and if he would have stayed on we could have been up there with L, derry.
I say this not because he is a Cavan man but give credit where credit is due he was a fine manager and I have to thank him for his service and best of luck to Raymond Galligan but you took over agood team rebuilt
tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3982 - 29/02/2024 00:11:53
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Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here
I would not be to sore on the last manager, he took us to a All Ireland cup final, all be it was a second tier. He rebuilt a team that Raymond Galligan inherited and if he would have stayed on we could have been up there with L, derry.
I say this not because he is a Cavan man but give credit where credit is due he was a fine manager and I have to thank him for his service and best of luck to Raymond Galligan but you took over agood team rebuilt" gibberish talk again tom and its derry not l derry sooner everyone just ignores you the better
breffnibhoy (Cavan) - Posts: 23 - 29/02/2024 11:45:00
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Replying To Loughduff Lad: "So just getting a chance to put a few thoughts together properly after Sunday. Think we can all agree it was a mad chaotic game in a small club venue, so not sure we're ploughing new ground there by going over that. The longer the week has gone on, the more I've come around about the ref. Still think he was poor in parts (not helped by his linesmen) but have to think that game was brutally hard to referee. He maybe didn't help in allowing a certain level of aggressive tackle and holding in the 1st half, and then when that was met by our boys 2nd half it went out of control. I said as much to the Louth lad standing beside me at half time, and it did indeed go out of control. Saying all that, Louth are mad as hell about the ref too. So if both camps are mad, maybe we're somewhere in the middle here.
But beyond that, we have to look at our discipline. 2 silly black cards (and consequently 1 red) in Cork, and 2 red cards here is poor going. While the 2 black cards last week were silly, the reds here were different but no less something we need to learn from. I have huge sympathy for Smith and Oisin Brady though. They were targeted all game, and clear the ref and linesmen were going to let that go. The ref gave cards for the reactions but nothing leading up to it. The lads shouldn't have reacted, but very tough when you're trying to go off the field and their keeper is up the field in your face, and feigns with a gentle push to try get you sent off. We need to learn, and any other season those are 2 losses on the back of that and we're on 2 points instead of 6 and in a relegation battle. Have to keep 15 players on
However, saying all of that, we get to the good stuff. We look like we're turning a gritty steely team who don't know when they're beat, or find it hard to lose once we get down the home stretch, and are big and strong enough to fight it out when it descends to battle. That is a huge strength to have. We've had 3 poor enough 1st halves in a row, but we seem to be able to learn on the go, make switches, bring on subs, and then turn things around 2nd half. Where before we were battling with the same 13 to 15 players, we now seem to have more (even allowing for those lads like McVeety and Kiernan who are injured) meaning we have actual bench options to make a difference. I just love what these boys are doing and this fitness, battling and hard work will pay off when we get to harder and faster ground in late Spring and Summer.
It was just great to get the win in those conditions all told. You could tell what it meant to the lads and the supporters. It leads us very well minto saturday and a possible promotion tilt. I'll talk later in the week about Meath, but a mention of a few players who deserve a word after Sunday. Jason McLoughlin - what can you say about this man. One of our longest and most consistent players. He was great again Sunday on everything he does. I'll never pass an opportunity to rave about the Gunner, and I'll do so again. He was brilliant and led the line well with physicality and leadership. Sure he got caught out for the penalty, but otherwise was at the heart of everything on a tough day in defence, even getting up the field a few times for some assists. Lynch great again too - a missed free and one on his left peg from play, but takes some watching and doing it so well that it opens up play for others. However I think the guy who I repeatedly look for these days is Gerry Smith. Jeez how many of this man is there on the field? You'd swear there is 3, as no way he can cover the ground he does and be there at the start and end of some moves. He's in unreal form, and it's a measure of the man and his form that we've won 2 on the trot while missing McVeety and it wasn't terminal for us. Just brilliant stuff Gerry" I love reading your posts Loughduff lad but I wouldn't agree the game went "out of control". I've heard that a multiple times this week. I think we have to be careful that we don't overly sanitise the game. The malee was probably an issue but i think it actually helped Cavan. Other than that I thought the physicality and needle added to the game and I would hate to see cards being thrown out just for the sake of keeping a lid on things.
Anyway, any thoughts on Meath? Team selection will be interesting. O'Rourke has effectively built a new team and has Sean Boylan in the background I believe. They are a bit of an unknown quantity. They ground out home wins over Louth and Kildare but Kildare lost a couple of key men to injury.
Every league game I seem to remember was in Navan. One that sticks out was possibly late 2000s - Meath got a late goal to draw it, I think it could have been Brian Farrell. Meath supporters fairly rubbed it in that day as I remember it. Although Meath supporters generally don't like to regard Cavan as rivals, they would prefer to be associated with Dublin
97Cavans (Cavan) - Posts: 377 - 29/02/2024 16:32:29
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When Cavan played football on Sunday, Louth couldn't live with them. Cavan had a great start to second half again, and should have killed the game when 6 points up. The game itself was a bit bingo, bongo in that it had 50 or more frees, 5 goals and 12 cards. Louth were physical, but Cavan stood up to them. I felt Ref was pressured into several decisions, and had little support from linesmen. It had a lively, championship feel. Watching the ref get surrounded and verbally attacked by Louth fans at the end was off the charts mad. He literally had to run for his life. No protection, 2010 repeated :) A fighting win!
Meath is a team climbing too. Seem to have a new set of young players. It will interesting as ever with the Royals in town. I always speak of beating Meath in 2005 in Clones, with Jayo Reilly banging a goal and Gerathy fighting with his own players as the sun shined. Sure it was Seán Boylan having his last game. Pints were enjoyed in Kingscourt, maybe too well as ended up getting a punch in back of the head in Club Dún na Rí from a gang of Meath's finest. Probably shouldn't have worn my Kingspan jersey on the dancefloor:) Meath are never to be written off, but Cavan have had some good victories in Navan and Breffini against the Royals recently. I do remember Meath last minute goal in 2009. Also I member a banging Holla goal through the keepers leg in Mattie's time. Always tight. But it was always going to be....
Bring it on!
Breffini1967 (Cavan) - Posts: 18 - 29/02/2024 20:38:57
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Replying To 97Cavans: "I love reading your posts Loughduff lad but I wouldn't agree the game went "out of control". I've heard that a multiple times this week. I think we have to be careful that we don't overly sanitise the game. The malee was probably an issue but i think it actually helped Cavan. Other than that I thought the physicality and needle added to the game and I would hate to see cards being thrown out just for the sake of keeping a lid on things.
Anyway, any thoughts on Meath? Team selection will be interesting. O'Rourke has effectively built a new team and has Sean Boylan in the background I believe. They are a bit of an unknown quantity. They ground out home wins over Louth and Kildare but Kildare lost a couple of key men to injury.
Every league game I seem to remember was in Navan. One that sticks out was possibly late 2000s - Meath got a late goal to draw it, I think it could have been Brian Farrell. Meath supporters fairly rubbed it in that day as I remember it. Although Meath supporters generally don't like to regard Cavan as rivals, they would prefer to be associated with Dublin" I'm not saying over sanitise it. But that ref definitely lost that game. You know those games when you can just tell a brawl is coming? This was it. You could feel it throughout the 1st half when he didn't penalise players up to things. No one wants the game sanitised, we love a hard and manly game played well. Pulling and dragging and all the sorts that went on is not that though. And they knew they'd get away with it and they did. The ref not stamping that stuff down let that 2nd half go the way it did
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 01/03/2024 11:19:08
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Seems there's a lot of snow on the ground around town. Wonder will the game go ahead tomorrow?
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 01/03/2024 11:59:19
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Replying To Loughduff Lad: "Seems there's a lot of snow on the ground around town. Wonder will the game go ahead tomorrow?" According to reports the game is in big doubt at this stage….a lot of snow has fallen and then with rain on top it will make it almost impossible to see the pitch playable
ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3029 - 01/03/2024 13:01:29
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CB need to ask Ray Galligan if he wants game to go ahead or not.
He may want time to let injuries clear up, etc.
Or he may feel the build up has gone well and would prefer the game to go ahead (in which case, shovels deployed to Breffni to clear that snow before it melts).
Tyrone would do it.
cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5194 - 01/03/2024 14:53:45
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Celt reporting a pitch inspection at 10am tomorrow to see if we have a thaw over night
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 01/03/2024 15:34:32
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Replying To Loughduff Lad: "Celt reporting a pitch inspection at 10am tomorrow to see if we have a thaw over night" Celt reporting a pitch inspection at 10am tomorrow to see if we have a thaw over night
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2320 - 01/03/2024 15:34:32 2
A thaw ? it hasn't froze and it's not given it to freeze tonight either.
The main issue will be the amount of water the pitch has taken.
RHF (Cavan) - Posts: 878 - 01/03/2024 15:47:49
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Replying To cavanman47: "CB need to ask Ray Galligan if he wants game to go ahead or not.
He may want time to let injuries clear up, etc.
Or he may feel the build up has gone well and would prefer the game to go ahead (in which case, shovels deployed to Breffni to clear that snow before it melts).
Tyrone would do it." I get the reasoning, but I think he'd want to play. Yeah it's been a hard 2 weeks and a break will be welcome, but if not this weekend, then you take away the break the week after. You then have 3 weeks in a row, 4 potentially with a final, and then straight into Ulster preliminary. Think with the player load, prep this week, getting ready for Saturday and working for a break next week, they'd rather play it. And it'd be big to shrug it off and go and win without some players. Like stuff like this won't faze us
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 01/03/2024 16:12:46
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Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here
I would not be to sore on the last manager, he took us to a All Ireland cup final, all be it was a second tier. He rebuilt a team that Raymond Galligan inherited and if he would have stayed on we could have been up there with L, derry.
I say this not because he is a Cavan man but give credit where credit is due he was a fine manager and I have to thank him for his service and best of luck to Raymond Galligan but you took over agood team rebuilt" Which L county's do you reckon the previous manager would have us at. Surely you are admitting that it was time to get rid of him as all L counties are below us in the League tables and rankings.
wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1720 - 01/03/2024 16:55:24
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Replying To Loughduff Lad: "I'm not saying over sanitise it. But that ref definitely lost that game. You know those games when you can just tell a brawl is coming? This was it. You could feel it throughout the 1st half when he didn't penalise players up to things. No one wants the game sanitised, we love a hard and manly game played well. Pulling and dragging and all the sorts that went on is not that though. And they knew they'd get away with it and they did. The ref not stamping that stuff down let that 2nd half go the way it did" Manly? So is the female equivalent a womanly game?
visionary (Cavan) - Posts: 18 - 01/03/2024 17:18:21
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Replying To visionary: "Manly? So is the female equivalent a womanly game?" Isn't the female game non contact though?
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 01/03/2024 19:36:52
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if game is called off we will be playing meath after two defeats to cork and donegal so maybe all for the best.
breffnibluewhite (Cavan) - Posts: 479 - 01/03/2024 21:24:14
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Replying To Loughduff Lad: "Isn't the female game non contact though?" Wow.
visionary (Cavan) - Posts: 18 - 01/03/2024 21:25:42
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Replying To visionary: "Wow." It's supposed to be as per the official rulebook (read it before commenting) …. Unfortunately the club games are ruined by officials that don't know the rule difference between both codes. It's shocking how bad the rules are applied from ref to ref
ExiledCuCu (Cavan) - Posts: 239 - 01/03/2024 22:33:20
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Replying To visionary: "Wow." Is it not? What you trying to get at here?
Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2450 - 01/03/2024 22:43:13
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