Allianz National Football League Division Two final: Tyrone v Cavan
(Sunday, Croke Park, 1.30pm)
BOTH bosses are in agreement Cavan are on an upward curve - the question is whether or not they can take the final step up on the big stage.
The Breffni Blues have collected more underage trophies than Tyrone over the past half-decade without going the full way to All-Ireland success, as the Red Hands did in last year’s U21 series.
Still, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is well aware of the potential from Cavan’s four consecutive Ulster triumphs at that level, from 2011 to '14, which has fed into their fine recent form in the league: “They are definitely on an upward curve and are playing with great confidence now," he said.
"They’re starting to perform the way you’d expect them to with the run of [U]21 success they had. Those players are now that much more mature and that’s what we’re seeing from them.”
His Cavan counterpart Terry Hyland was the man who oversaw the start of that U21 four in-a-row - while their minors also won Ulster in 2011 - and accepts Sunday’s Division Two decider is another test of their senior credentials: “Some of these lads have minor medals, some have three U21 medals in their back pocket, but they need to grow on from that and go on to the next stage as well," he said.
“U21s is a three-year term, but seniors should be a 10-year term. You have to get into that and mature and see what you can take out of that. This final gives us an opportunity to see where we are at in terms of that maturity level.”
The Lacken clubman understandably urged patience rather than an urgent need to win on Sunday, saying: “We probably have a couple of years [to hit top level]. There'll be six guys under 22 probably togging out here on Sunday. The next six will be under 26 and then there's probably three lads over that.
“From an age profile, you know, good footballers get injured and they don't always necessarily hit their potential as sports people. So there's always an urgency when you're involved in sport because that opportunity is there in front of you and you want to grab it. That's probably where we are at this point in time.”
It’s 19 years since Cavan last lifted serious senior silverware and also since they beat Tyrone, the former occasion the 1997 Ulster SFC, the latter a Division One relegation play-off.
They pushed the Red Hands all the way in the league opener in Omagh, almost grabbing a late winning goal in a 0-10 to 0-8 defeat and Harte accepts Cavan are now a different proposition, even over that short timeframe.
“They probably got the short straw in their first two matches by meeting ourselves and Derry - at that time, we were both in good places, had good runs in the McKenna Cup and were both being tipped as promotion candidates. They met two of the projected top teams at that time. That’s difficult in your early games and it’s a credit to them that they’ve recovered from no points after two games to qualify for the league final.”
Cavan’s turnaround commenced by coming from eight points down early in the second-half in Meath before winning by seven, but another significant change came in round four, at home to Armagh.
That was the first time their new-look midfield pairing of 'Mossy’ Corr and Liam Buchanan lined out together and the knock-on effects have proved knock-out for Cavan’s opponents. Captain Gearoid McKiernan has been deployed further forward, joining David Givney and big Michael Argue in attack.
Harte said of them: “It’s not just physicality, it’s quality physicality. They’re good footballers too, it’s not just that they’re big guys, they’re very competent on the ball, very accurate finishers for big men.
"They have good ball-winning power through the spine of their team. They have quality players and that’s why they’re back in Division One and in this final.”
Dara McVeety, Martin Reilly, and either Seanie Johnston or Jack Brady have completed a potent front six that has averaged almost 21 points per each of their five consecutive victories. When Cian Mackey, Eugene Keating and Niall McDermott aren’t getting starting places, it’s clear Cavan have good forwards.
So do Tyrone, of course, although injuries have ruled out playmaker Peter Harte and Darren McCurry, at least from their starting side. The Red Hands’ form has come under scrutiny after draws against Armagh and Fermanagh - it says something about the expectations surrounding this Tyrone team that draws are almost viewed as defeats.
Harte himself has revised his immediate post-match assessments, saying: “On reflection, you can be more forensic in your analysis… Armagh were actually very good in their last couple of games and Fermanagh had a very good season last year… and are always very difficult to beat in Brewster Park. People were maybe underestimating the quality required to get draws in those games.”
Tyrone had already qualified before those two matches, a factor that cannot be discounted. Their desire to win in Croke Park and to lift silverware will be no less than Cavan’s though. As Harte concluded: “If you can’t rise yourself to win a trophy, that would not be good.”
Cavan, as top scorers across the top three divisions in the league proper, are certainly capable of continuing their winning form - but Tyrone’s experience may just edge them to success.
TEAM NEWS
Cavan: R Galligan; P Faulkner, K Clarke, J McLoughlin; C Brady, C Moynagh, K Brady; T Corr, L Buchanan; D McVeety, G McKiernan, M Reilly; D Givney, M Argue, S Johnston
Tyrone: M O’Neill; A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron; R Brennan, Justin McMahon, T McCann; C Cavanagh, M Donnelly; N Sludden, M Bradley, R Donnelly, C McAliskey, S Cavanagh, R O Neill
PATHS TO FINAL
CAVAN
Tyrone 0-10 Cavan 0-8; Cavan 1-11 Derry 1-12; Meath 1-13 Cavan 1-20; Cavan 3-18 Armagh 0-10; Fermanagh 0-9 Cavan 1-12; Cavan 1-17 Laois 0-15; Cavan 1-16 Galway 1-12
TYRONE
Tyrone 0-10 Cavan 0-8; Galway 1-9 Tyrone 1-11; Laois 0-14 Tyrone 1-14; Tyrone 2-15 Derry 0-12; Meath 1-11 Tyrone 1-17; Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 1-10; Fermanagh 0-12 Tyrone 1-9
