Allianz Football League Division Two: Clare v Cavan (Cusack Park, Ennis, 2pm today)
Facing Clare’s footballers may not quite be ‘diving in at the deep end’ but this will still be a testing trip to Ennis for a very new-look Cavan team.
Manager Mattie McGleenan has chosen an astonishing 10 (TEN) League debutants, albeit that forward Caoimhin O'Reilly played in last year’s Championship.
There’s also a fairly strong ‘spine’ through much of the team, giving a basis of experience to guide the newcomers.
Goalkeeper Raymond Galligan will line out behind full-back Padraig Faulkner, with Ciaran Brady in front of him at centre half-back.
Last year’s captain Killian Clarke is in midfield with his successor as skipper, Dara McVeety, in the playmaking role at centre half-forward.
McGleenan does have some more big names on the bench too, with Gearoid McKiernan and Cian Mackey named in the panel for the first time this year, along with Conor Moynagh.
However, there’s no getting away from the fact that 10 of the starting side are new to football at this level.
Corner backs Dónal Monahan and David Phillips, wing-backs Darragh Kennedy and Oisin Kiernan, midfielder Jack Wharton, wing-forwards Enda Flanagan and David Brady, and inside-forwards O'Reilly, Bryan Magee, and Adrian Cole.
It’s asking a lot for all these new brooms to sweep away some of the gloom surrounding Cavan. From the outside it seemed they showed plenty of spirit on their brief return to Division One, and in their narrow Ulster SFC defeat against old rivals Monaghan, but it was the manner of their All-Ireland exit at home to Tipperary that was dispiriting.
The newbies’ McKenna Cup campaign was underwhelming too, thouygh. They showed some fight to overcome St Mary’s late on in their opener, but then lost away to Antrim and were heavily beaten by Tyrone in Kingspan Breffni.
Division Two is probably a more appropriate level for Cavan after their demotion from the top flight last year, having spent 2015 and 2016 there after years languishing in Division Three.
It’s a more elevated setting for Clare, who have only had last year there in recent times, but while the Banner footballers may not be regarded as a force, they have been steadily improving over the past few seasons.
Indeed, they recorded notable home victories over Down and Cork in the League last year, after drawing up in Derry in their opener, results which ultimately secured them another run at Division Two.
So far this year, despite the McGrath Cup being reduced to just three teams, Clare got two games in it, beating Waterford by double scores (2-18 to 1-9) then being pipped by a last-gasp goal from Cork in the decider, 3-13 to 3-12.
Bearing in mind the pre-season element of that competition, that still suggests a certain scoring power to Clare.
Their boss Colm Collins has been pleased by the performances of newcomers in attack, Eimhin Courtney and Conor Finnucane, with the latter scoring from both play and placed balls.
The eyes for goal of Keelan Sexton, Gearoid O’Brien, and Alan Sweeney will also pose problems for the very inexperienced Cavan rearguard.
If Clare have the talents of Gary Brennan and Jamie Malone on board too then they can fancy their chances of another strong start to Division Two. A point or more for Cavan should be regarded as a decent return for their journey south.
Clare: TBC
Cavan: R Galligan; D Monahan, P Faulkner, D Phillips; D Kennedy, C Brady, O Kiernan; K Clarke, J Wharton; E Flanagan, D McVeety (capt.), D Brady; C O’Reilly, B Magee, A Cole.
