ANTHONY FORDE hopes the Cavan players will be stung by last year’s bitter Championship defeat to Roscommon ahead of Saturday’s repeat showdown at Kingspan Breffni Park.
Cavan mustered just five points against the rampant Rossies last July and were outclassed in all areas of the field.
Roscommon, managed by the inimitable John Evans, were fancied to go close in Connacht this summer after winning Division Two in fine style but they came unstuck against Sligo in Markievicz Park at the semi-final stages.
Desperately unlucky to lose by a single point to Monaghan in their Ulstre Championship opener, Terry Hyland’s Cavan side bounced back with a handy win over London in Ruislip and bring better form into Saturday night’s Round Two tie.
“It’s the second year in a row we’ve drawn Roscommon,” said Forde.
“They came up against a good Sligo team and nobody ever gets it easy up in Markievicz Park.”
Reflecting on last year’s meek exit to the Rossies, Forde said: “It was the manner in which we went down to Roscommon last year that was the disappointing thing.
“Probably in our four years that we’ve been there it was one of the days that we just didn’t perform. We didn’t do anything right on the day and Roscommon were much better than us. You get days like that. It happens to the best of teams.
“Roscommon were quicker to the ball, they were more comfortable on the ball and they took their scores. Roscommon can do that to you. They are in Division One next year and we know the quality they have. They have some very good footballers.”
Rory Dunne (ankle) and Killian Clarke (hamstring) sustained injuries in Cavan’s convincing win over the Exiles while Cavan Gaels forward Martin Dunne missed out with a hand injury.
Dunne is back fit again while the Cavan management team will run late fitness checks over Dunne and Clarke, with the latter more likely to feature against Roscommon on Saturday night.
Forde rejected the notion that Roscommon are the biggest side in the country.
“They have some sizable lads alright. They’re very strong around the middle but I don’t know if they’re the biggest. Donie Shine and Senan Kilbride are big lads. They have good footballers around them. The likes of [Cathal] Gregg. He’s not a huge man but well built.
“Overall, they’d be very mobile, very fast and the wide open spaces of Breffni will suit them.
“But, look, we’re mobile and fast and we’re playing with a bit of confidence after the disappointment of Monaghan.”
The Breffnimen recalibrated their attack for this year’s Championship campaign by posting the towering Michael Argue at full-forward to good effect.
Last week, Forde expressed his concern over the negative depiction of Cavan in media circles.
He said: “Some of the things being propagated by Dublin media circles, I genuinely feel, don’t help.
"But being labelled 'The Black Death’ certainly doesn’t help and is a very negative depiction of how we play the game."
Cavan have had two black cards overturned on appeal already this season.
“You just want a bit of balance and a bit of fair play," added Cavan's assistant manager.
