Allianz Football League Division Two: Tyrone v Cavan (Healy Park, 2pm, Sunday)
IF Cavan need a confidence boost – and they do – ahead of their trip to Tyrone on Sunday then they can cast their minds back to U21 triumphs.
The Breffnimen may be without a senior success against the Red Hands in League or Championship for almost 19 years, but plenty of the players involved in this game will remember Cavan collecting Ulster titles by beating Tyrone.
Cavan made their breakthrough in 2011 with a final victory over Tyrone and repeated the feat in the following year's decider.
Tyrone may feel that if they avoid conceding an early goal then they should avoid defeat. Both those finals were arguably decided in the opening minute, with Cavan netting in the first and winning a penalty (which was converted) in the second – and those goals separated the sides at the end on both occasions, both ending up 1-10 to 0-10.
Current senior boss Terry Hyland was in charge for both those triumphs and he transferred the template to the senior stage, albeit with much less success so far.
However, perhaps this season could be a coming of age for the Breffni Blues. From their 2011 U21 team, Alan O'Mara, Feargal Flanagan, Gearoid McKiernan, Niall Murray, Jack Brady, and Niall McDermott have had plenty of senior experience already. Likewise Killian Brady, Jason McLoughlin, and Killian Clarke have come off their 2012 side.
Cavan probably had to call sooner on their U21s, in order to seek improvement at senior level, but Mickey Harte has blooded plenty of players from that time too.
Tyrone's starting selection includes four players from their 2011 U21 side – Niall Sludden, Mattie Donnelly, Peter Harte, and Ronan O'Neill – with Niall Morgan and Ronan McNamee among the substitutes tomorrow. That Tyrone U21 team also included Ronan McNabb and Kyle Coney.
Three more starters tomorrow were on the 2012 team – Conor Clarke, Tiernan McCann, and Connor McAliskey, while Hugh Pat McGeary and Barry Tierney make the bench.
Indeed it's indicative of Tyrone's strength in depth that Darren McCurry and Richie Donnelly aren't named in the panel of 26.
The perception, certainly in 2011, was that Tyrone had better players but Cavan's defensive system flummoxed them.
Tyrone may carry further advantage due to their more experienced men, such as their full-back line of Aidan McCrory, Justin McMahon, and Cathal McCarron, and defensive midfielder Colm Cavanagh.
It's an interesting, attacking selection by Harte, notably handing a first League start to the lively Lee Brennan at corner-forward – on the other hand, the bench is packed with backs, with only Sean Cavanagh and Mark Bradley as out-and-out forwards.
Cavan's side was not named at the time of writing but they do have good forward options themselves, including Eugene Keating, McDermott, Cian Mackey, David Givney, Jack Brady, and Seanie Johnston.
However, they'll have to show more imagination than they displayed against Derry in the recent McKenna Cup semi-final, when they kicked too many hopeful long balls towards Givney.
Tyrone will also have noted the problems posed to the Cavan defence when Derry began running at them.
Cavan did catch the eye that day with their own runners from deep, McKiernan and Clarke from midfield, and the fresher faces of Conor Moynagh and Ciaran Brady from half-back – those latter two have not played many senior matches but look talented performers.
The weight of expectation is all on the Red Hands, favourites not only to win this match but also to earn immediate promotion back to the top flight.
The Breffnimen were solid in Division Two last year, finishing fifth after having finally earned promotion in 2014 following six consecutive seasons down in Division Three.
Tyrone have come from a different place, demoted last year, and are used to being in Division One, having only been outside it for two seasons previously under Mickey Harte, albeit as recently as 2011 and 2012.
The Red Hands will definitely want to be back among the big boys next year and must make home advantage count from the outset with only three League games in Healy Park.
Cavan's last victory over Tyrone came in a Division One relegation play-off in early April 1997, although there have been only four meetings in League and Championship since then, including the Ulster Final of 2001 and the Division One League Final the next year, with two meetings in the Ulster SFC semi-finals of 2005.
Cavan are capable of causing difficulties, and may be hard to break down, but the Tyrone promotion push should get on the road with a win tomorrow.
Tyrone: M O’Neill; A McCrory, Justin McMahon, C McCarron; N Sludden, R Brennan, T McCann; C Cavanagh, M Donnelly; C McShane, P Harte, C Meyler; L Brennan, C McAliskey, R O’Neill
Cavan: R Galligan; P Faulkner, K Clarke, K Brady; C Brady, C Moynagh, F Flanagan; D Givney, G McKiernan; M Reilly, N McDermott, D McVeety; C Mackey,
E Keating, J Brady
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
