All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifying round 1B: Offaly v Cavan (Sunday, 6.30pm, Tullamore)
ON the face of it, a road trip to Tullamore isn’t a bad way to ease yourself back into the Championship after exiting Ulster - but Cavan boss Mattie McGleenan takes a different view.
A fortnight on from their narrow defeat to neighbours Monaghan, the Breffnimen enter the last chance saloon tomorrow evening against Division Three outfit Offaly.
This is the same Offaly side who conceded 18-90 during the League - more than any other county in the country.
That soft centre was exposed again at the weekend when, after holding Westmeath to 0-10 in their first Leinster Championship meeting, three second half goals put paid to the Faithful’s hopes in the replay.
Cavan have found goals hard to come by, registering just two majors during their ill-fated Division One campaign, while the sole goal of the day – from Conor McManus – proved the killer blow against Monaghan as the Breffnimen drew a blank.
And McGleenan feels it is an area his men must improve upon.
He said: “We had three goal chances against Monaghan - Gerry Smith had one at the very start - Drew Wylie made a super one-handed block - Killian Brady had a penalty shout, and then Thomas Connolly hit the post with the last kick of the game.
“The goal was the difference against us, so we have to go looking for a goal. Look at the game at the weekend, when Tyrone got the goal that gave them the confidence to kick on.”
The Eglish man was in the stands at Cusack Park on Saturday as Pat Flanagan’s men came up short, but feels the final scoreline flattered the Lake County.
“The game was only decided with 15 minutes to go.
“Offaly missed a great goal chance and Westmeath broke up the field and scored a goal. From a two point game it became a five point game, and Westmeath kicked on after that.”
Last year, Cavan struggled to recover in the aftermath of their Ulster semi-final exit to Tyrone, labouring past Carlow before being ousted by Derry.
Getting back into the groove so soon after a defeat can be easier said than done, and for McGleenan getting past Offaly tomorrow means even more.
Having only taken over the Cavan reins towards the end of 2016, every competitive game counts as he gets to know his group of players.
“You can’t be slow coming back in because your season finishes on Sunday night if you don’t turn up and deliver a performance like we did against Monaghan and better,” added McGleenan.
“You can’t afford to not turn up – it would be costly to the development of this football team. From my side of things, I need to be playing as much football with these boys as I possibly can.
“We need to have a longer summer. Monaghan’s five years on the road, I’m five months on the road – get me to six months and we’re going to be better.
“If this doesn’t work out this weekend, I won’t see these guys for seven months, so I need to spend every moment I can with them.”
Captain Killian Clarke was named in the official team released yesterday, though McGleenan insists he will be touch and go up until throw-in tomorrow.
The versatile Shercock man has been struggling with a knee injury for six weeks, and only came through a late fitness test to line out against the Farneymen, but the Breffni boss remains hopefully about the Offaly clash.
“His training has been intermittent, but even Killian Clarke on one leg is a serious ball player. He has a super attitude and he’s been an excellent captain around the team.”
The game comes too soon for Redhills defender Rory Dunne, while Killian Brady is also struggling with injury.
There is some good news though, as the influential Dara McVeety has been declared fully fit after playing the second half against Monaghan, and starts in the place of Conor Madden.
Wing-back James McEnroe has also recovered from a knee injury and has been named in the starting 15, while Jason McLoughlin is preferred to Niall Murray at left corner-back.
Offaly: TBC
Cavan: R Galligan; P Faulkner, K Clarke, J McLoughlin; J McEnroe, C Moynagh, G Smith; L Buchanan, G McKiernan; C Mackey, D McVeety, M Reilly; N Clerkin, N McDermott, S Johnston
