Kildare Blue,

True we have been poor at minor level the past while, but I think that was due to really inept management. I saw them against Armagh last year and it was just a shambles. Lump the ball into the square to a big man, it was real 1980's style football. Of course the big man was being marked by 3 players throughout so I dont know how they were expected to perform. Peter Reilly is a more astute manager, although I feel that Donnelly had a lot of influence on our tactics. By the way, does anyone know if Liam McHale is involved with the u21's to replace Donnelly?

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1022 - 18/02/2015 13:36:53    1694712

Finbar Reilly coaches the U21's, also the MacRory manager.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2216 - 18/02/2015 14:58:07    1694746

We're very quick to play down our achievements on here . The 4 in a row last year was a fantastic achievement considering the nature of Ulster football and that only one county achieved the same feat before . I would say that implying that there was nothing tangible about it is a bit insulting to the players involved . As for why we didn't win the AI ? Could it possibly be that it's a very competitive and hard cup to win , simple as that . No need for inquisitions or incriminations . And by the very nature of underage football itself your team will change drastically from year to year . Just because you win something this year does not mean you have to better the achievement next year . It doesn't work like that! Last years team was a completely different panel to the team that first won . Insulting Wexford from 2011 doesn't wash either - they were Leinster champions , a 12 county province - no bad team wins that . We played them 3 days after a hard fought Ulster final if I recall . Dublin won the AI twice in the last 4 years and could not retain their provincial crown . Galway likewise . Roscommon have not won the AI either , faired very poorly in their 2 final appearances , despite having their underage teams heralded nationwide . Cork , a county with a huge population and pedigree , on the back of an AI senior championship , went on the same run as us - 4 provincial crowns , one final appearance , no AI title ! No bad team from a province with previous minor AI champions and a certain Kerry . Are we allowed to say their tactics don't cut it and are holding them back or do we have to OK it first with a certain media pundit !
As for what the fans from 4/5 counties had to say about us after the Dublin defeat . Couldn't care less , they sound petty and ill-informed to me . Doubt they saw too much of our U21 games over the last 5 years if that's what they think . I'm sure our management have more backbone than to go fretting over the whims of some random punters who've probably read one too many Joe Brolly columns . Of course I would like to see our management play a more high octane attacking game but ONLY if the resources available justify . You play to your strengths . As for our chances in Ulster this year . Logic says we shouldn't win but then we had absolutely no right to win last year considering the draw we had . Hopefully we give it a good run .
Couldn't disagree more about scrapping the county U21s - it's a great competition that players want to be involved in and an important bridge from minor to senior . Not everyone goes to college either so for some college football would not be an option if U21 was scrapped . Player burnout is an important issue but should no be hijacked in order to push other agendas . I'm not aware of any lad that played minor , U21 and senior with Cavan recently as well as colleges . In fact Cavan have shown how U21s can be managed properly and maybe other counties could take a leaf out of our book .

Hardtimes (Cavan) - Posts: 1056 - 19/02/2015 19:49:13    1695123

Hartimes if you are going to type should long posts could you stick in a few paragraphs make it easier to read.

RHF (Cavan) - Posts: 616 - 20/02/2015 12:07:12    1695271

U-21 is a waste of time and should be scrapped...not too many have any interest in it any more... You would be hard pressed to find someone who could name the last 3 All-Ireland winners without looking it up.. The age profile of Snr County players has dropped too much for it to serve any real purpose... Drop it to U-19 and minor to U-17

Sean66 (Cavan) - Posts: 440 - 20/02/2015 13:48:04    1695312

Sean 66
Dublin Galway dublin
And how would changing under 21 to under 19 and minor to under 17 make any improvement, it would simply mean that the transition from underage to senior would be tougher.

notimpressed (UK) - Posts: 98 - 20/02/2015 14:51:41    1695336

Well said Hardtimes, about time someone said something sensible.

Culchieboyo (UK) - Posts: 19 - 20/02/2015 16:10:48    1695358

It took you about an hour to look it up so I was right ..... The reason I would drop the age is that there are far too many players involved with both senior and U-21..,it wont effect the transition from one to another... If its such a great comp. why do no County boards run an U-21 league anymore...?

Sean66 (Cavan) - Posts: 440 - 20/02/2015 16:50:34    1695364

Excellent post Hardtimes.

U21 is a fantastic competition that has served up some wonderful games of football in the past few years. Look at the array of former players managing U21 sides, Peter Reilly, Dooher, Stevie McDonnell, Dara O'Se and then the managers that have moved on from U21, Jim Gavin and Eamon Fitzmaurice the last 2 All Ireland Winning managers. It's a wonderful stepping stone for players and managers alike. Anyone who suggests this is a competition nobody cares about knows nothing about football.

JonSmith (Cavan) - Posts: 1451 - 20/02/2015 18:43:05    1695388

Jonsmith- there are quite a few on here that no very little about football! U21 is one of the mist enjoyable grades, its the only true knock competition. Only Cavan and Tyrone have won 4 in a row, a tremendous achievement. Its staggering to read the playing down of this achievement by so called Cavan fans.

fredflint (Cavan) - Posts: 1333 - 20/02/2015 21:37:25    1695421

Mark Fegan, Liam O'Reilly , Darren O'Donoghue , Ciaran Brady , Jonathan Leddy , Cormac Daly , Fergal Reilly , Barry Fortune , John Carney , Dan Wharton , Aaron Watson , Padraig Faulkner , gerard Smith , Eion Somerville , Mark Magee , Sean McDermott , Ben Kelly , Michael Argue , Liam Buchanan , Kevin Brady , Brian Magee , Kian Monahan , Thomas Galligan , Brian O,Connell , Greg McGovern , Jonathan McCabe , Conal Sheridan , Caomhin O'Reilly , Enda Flanagan , Andrew Graham , Vincent Coyle , Tom Hayes , Pierce Smith , Ryan Connolly , Conor Madden , Mattie McKenna , Ben Conaty , Cathal Maguire , Conor Bradley , Niall Walsh , Niall Clerkin , Ben Kiernan , Liam Galligan .
I think that's the panel from start of year . Don't know what the current panel is though so any input welcome . From looking at it it's very very hard to pick a starting 15 come championship . Plenty of power , mobility and class in there . Shouldn't be singling out players I know but looking forward to seeing Aaron Watson and Padraig Faulkner in action . Will need big performances from them if we are to build a platform to go on a run of games . From seeing Watson this year he looks to have developed nicely from last year - added more power to what was a very capable footballer .
Any takers on a starting 15 for Donegal ? I wouldn't know where to start .

Hardtimes (Cavan) - Posts: 1056 - 21/02/2015 13:55:07    1695469

Cavan V Meath HC
D O'Donoghue
J Carney - M MaGee - F Reilly
G Smith - A waton - J Leddy
K Monahan - K Brady
N Clerkin - C Madden - J McCabe
C Bradley - T Hayes - R Connolly

Cavan V Kerry HC
M Fegan
D Wharton - A Watson - B Fortune
E Somerville - C Daly - C Brady
L Buchanan - G McGovern
K Brady - J McCabe - B Conaty
N Walsh - T Hayes - C Sheridan

Cavan v Roscommon HC
D O'Donoghue
J Carney - M Magee - B Fortune
P Smith - A Watson - J Leddy
P Faulkner - C Daly
N Clerkin - B Kiernan - C Maguire
L Galligan - T Hayes - C O'Reilly

Hardtimes (Cavan) - Posts: 1056 - 21/02/2015 15:37:26    1695495

1. ---

2.Barry Fortune 3 Faulkner 4 Fergal Reilly

5 Gerard Smith 6 Ciaran Brady 7 Aaron Watson

8 Michael Argue 9 Liam Buchanan

10. Niall Clerkin 11. Jonathan McCabe 12.Enda Flanagan

13, Ryan Connolly 14, Conor Madden 15. Tom Hayes


Probaly be something like that

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2216 - 21/02/2015 19:57:42    1695578

That's a good solid team . I'd imagine Greg McGovern will be in there though . And I think Watson will be played in a central position in defense . A lot of competition for a starting spot .

Hardtimes (Cavan) - Posts: 1056 - 21/02/2015 21:10:42    1695601

I hope the under 21 team can take inspiration from last year's captain Conor Moynagh. I see that he picked up another winners medal at the weekend. If every Cavan footballer had his heart and will to win the future would be blue! Well done Conor!

kildare blue (Cavan) - Posts: 572 - 23/02/2015 10:49:50    1695892

Sean66 made a good point above. If you look at the modern game, and particularly, recent retirements
of some of GAA's bigggest names, many of them aged 27 to 28 years of old, the average County Footballer will now
only play 7/8 years at inter-county level. Teams seem to be getting younger now, and most players are coming onto the senior panels at 20/21, so they could do away with the U21 and have a u20 competition, which would give those who are just out of minor, but not old enough for U-21, an opportunity to play County Football and developing themselves.

cavanblueman (Cavan) - Posts: 441 - 23/02/2015 16:47:49    1696039

Don't necessarily agree with that . Players might be retiring sooner but I personally don't think they're playing any earlier than they used to . If anything the demands of senior inter county are harder now on young players than they used to . There is much more need now to bulk up quicker .
Plenty of minors have played senior county in the past - Cavan included . Apart from McBrearty with Donegal , I can't remember too many lately .
Take a look at our current U21 panel . Many of them lads are on their last year - how many do you think should be playing senior and what exactly are the benefits they would enjoy by not playing U21 this year?

Hardtimes (Cavan) - Posts: 1056 - 23/02/2015 18:05:10    1696074

Which high profile retirements recently were 27/28? Brian Cullen was 30 as was Paddy Keenan and Declan O Sullivan 30/31 Aaron Kernan the same
Injuries forced Keenan and O Sullivan to retire from County football. Brian Cullen wasn't a regular last year with Dublin, and works with Leinster Rugby so busy enough.

They were all brought into the County panels young. The commitment to training now is just greater then it was and more time consuming, only so long a player can keep it up.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2216 - 23/02/2015 19:57:02    1696120

When is our opening match and where ?

facer4home (Cavan) - Posts: 116 - 24/02/2015 10:18:52    1696229

Read the papers lads, as Dessie Farrell said himself, when he was playing the average of player was 27/28, its now down to 23/24, in fact he goes on to say that Inter County Football could now be called an U 23 competition because players are so young.
And yes, the demands on a modern GAA player are far too much, which is what Ive been arguing all along, but as long as Croker gets the crowds and the fat cats continue to line their pockets, the hierarchy dont give a toss about the players.
If they did care, we would have seen urgent changes being made.
Cavan's response to player burnout, was to create the another league (Breffni) and bring the County players back in October 14 for training for the 2015 campaign!!

cavanblueman (Cavan) - Posts: 441 - 24/02/2015 10:31:36    1696234