New Cavan football manager Dermot McCabe says he’s eager for the elder statesmen within his panel to continue soldiering on next season.

McCabe was confirmed as the Breffni men’s new supremo in August, departing Westmeath after one year at the helm to succeed Raymond Galligan in his come county.

Veteran stars such as Padraig Faulkner, Gearoid McKiernan, Killian Clarke and Dara McVeety all featured for Cavan this past season and, speaking in an interview with Cavstream, Gowna clubman McCabe said he’s keen to see them and other seasoned campaigners lining out with the team in 2026.

“It’s so disappointing for players that have given so much to Cavan, have been excellent to Cavan, are sort of wondering are they too old, are they doing wrong?

“That’s the vibe they’ve been given and they are tremendous players and still are tremendous players and I’m very confident that they’ll offer huge to Cavan in 2026 and we just need to make sure that the load, the demands on them players is there.

“The first thing I have to do is convince them players that I expect and I anticipate that you’ll offer huge to Cavan in 2026 and I have no doubt about that.”

He added: “When I came in at 18 or 19 to the county panel, to be in a dressing room alongside the Bernard Morrises, the Stephen Kings, the Damien O’Reillys, the Fintan Cahills, to get exposed to that was massive for me and I would like to think that if you were to speak to them, a bunch of young lads that came in, Peter Reilly, Larry Reilly, myself, Jason O’Reilly, was a boost to them and that would be my philosophy and my thoughts.”

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