A common consensus in Cavan about the reasons for the county’s football’s travails at senior level over the past decade isn’t that common.
One theory that has ricocheted consistently around the local drumlins is that Cavan simply haven’t had enough sufficiently talented players, collectively, at a given time to make it count.
The Breffni county has, however, produced a coterie of players, at times, whose qualities compare favourably with any of their peers nationwide. Between 2010 and 2020, the following sextet have been luminous in a dark period for Cavan Football Inc.
Cian Mackey
Arguably Cavan’s Mr. Consistency during the 2010-2020 period. Certainly, the Breffni county’s most reliable playmaker and best passer of the ball over the course of the past decade.
County team-managers Terry Hyland and Mattie McGleenan had him down to start each and every time he was fit. Current manager Mickey Graham seemed to prefer to use him as an impact sub; a role Mackey played to a tee in the 2019 Ulster SFC semi-final double date with Armagh when he came off the bench to hit a hat-trick of points in the drawn game. Sprung in the replay after 41 minutes, Mackey arrowed over an inspirational point to help see off the Orchard County challenge.
In recent years, Cavan relied greatly on Mackey’s guile and experience to ruffle feathers or hang in there or keep the wolves from the door.
In his pomp, he was the man to get Cavan fans off their seats. An All-Star nominee in 2013, his eagle eye saw him adept at executing that slide-rule pass which created time and space for others closer to goal to exploit.
The sight of the Castlerahan man giving half-backs the slip with a quicksilver turn and his even quicker transition up the gears over the subsequent five metres is one that consistently lit up Kingspan Breffni Park like a beacon in a bog.
Seánie Johnston
Without a shadow of a doubt Cavan’s best attacker of the past decade. The Cavan Gaels clubman proved his worth on the club and intercounty scene, time and time again, despite all the travails that double tagging, intimidation, black arts and weather and ground conditions could throw at him.
Johnston’s career with Cavan was a fractured and, temporarily, a controversial one but the sheer brilliance he showed at the business end of the field over two stints (2004-2011 and 2016-2018) brooks no debate.
For more years than was good for the Breffni blues, it was often a case of the Seánie Show; Johnston notching a hatful of points in spearheading Cavan’s challenge.
Antrim fans won’t need reminding of how their nemesis in the Ulster SFC in May 2018 scored eight points from play at Casement Park.
And Wicklow fans who attended Kingspan Breffni will remember Johnston being sprung from the bench in the 41st minute in the 2010 SFC Qualifiers and going onto score six points (five from play) to ease Cavan home, 0-15 to 2-8.
Sadly, too often for Cavan, it became a case though of if the opposition kept Johnston quiet, Cavan were in trouble.
Renowned for shooting on sight, Johnston’s speed-of-the-mark, his ability to turn on a sixpence and his over-the-shoulder point-scoring ability – from all sorts of acute angles – became his modus operandi.
Gearóid McKiernan
The Cavan colossus started the decade (2010) with a bang. As a mere 19 year old, he was Swanlinbar’s talisman in the club’s march that year to the All-Ireland Club JFC final. His star has been on an upward trajectory ever since.
In 2011, he captained the Cavan under 21s to a first provincial title success since 1988 and three years ago he was named the senior Cavan captain by then county boss Mattie McGleenan.
Last year marked 30 year old McKiernan’s best year to date with Cavan and his four points from play against Donegal in the Ulster SFC final was pretty symbolic of his innings all through 2019.
The loose-limbed 6’4” natural left-footer is one of the most prolific scoring midfielders in the country and his penchant for striding past his opposite number and firing over from distance, on the run, is the stuff of inspiration.
His 2013 championship season was guillotined at birth by a cruciate ligament injury but he returned to the big stage the following summer a leaner, meaner operator with a better engine and a greater spring to his step. For Cavan to regain the Anglo Celt Cup for the first time since 1997, an injury-free McKiernan is a must.
Raymond Galligan
Galligan is arguably the most vaunted of Cavan ‘keepers since Paddy Lyons proved Down’s nemesis the second last time (1969) the south Ulstermen landed the Anglo-Celt Cup. His cheerleaders in Cavan say he’s like no other netminder the county has had because of the cocktail of skills he brings to the field.
A man who once notched 11 points in a NFL match under Tommy Carr’s watch, his relocation to the number one position in 2015 during Terry Hyland’s reign didn’t curb his enthusiasm for wearing the county jersey.
In the modern era, a ‘keeper’s touch in Gaelic is arguably more important than his handling skills and, in 33 year old Galligan, Cavan’s senior county team has often been glad of the Lacken Celtic clubman’s Midas touch. His exocets from anything between 45 and 60 metres out from the opposition goal has made him one of his county’s top scorers over the past four years.
A glowing parable for perseverance, 2012 county IFC medallist Galligan has gone from being his county’s third choice ‘keeper in 2015 to being the nailed-down number one and ‘oftimes team captain these days. A safe pair of hands who has become an even more reliable pair of feet for hungry Cavan.
Martin Reilly
Reilly is on the cusp of 33 but he could still run for Ireland such is his Rolls Royce engine, vitality, enthusiasm and ambition.
He is the longest serving player on the current Cavan panel. Indeed, one has to wind the clock back to 2006 to recall his debut with the blues. However, his stamina and his minutes on the ball in any given game defies his mature years.
The Killygarry clubman is unquestionably one of the finest exponents of the outside-of-the-foot pass and shot in the country and his unique free-taking style from the ground makes him out to be Gaelic’s equivalent of Ronaldo.
The former defender with Burnley FC and Ireland under 17s ace is wont to pop up with an invaluable couple of points from play for Cavan. But it’s his set-up play, creativity and support play which makes him a manager’s delight and a favourite of attacking team-mates who want the ball exactly where they want it and exactly when they want it.
Dara McVeety
One of the first names on Mickey Graham’s team sheet, McVeety is Cavan’s Mr. Versatile. His running power, powers of recovery, vision and scoring ability make him a nightmare for any opposing manager to legislate for.
The Crosserlough star made his county senior debut in 2013 and has been a stand-out in all three sectors of the field, most notably up front.
McVeety was his club’s star man when they reached the Cavan SFC final in 2018 for the first time in 21 years. Currently on a sabbatical and travelling the world, the Dublin-based primary teacher is a born leader and two years ago was appointed as the Cavan senior captain.
He’s a born winner as well and represents a core of current Cavan senior players who dominated Ulster at underage level in years gone by. The 27 year old sports an Ulster MFC medal as well as three Ulster U21 gongs but he will be desperate to go the full hogg and get his hands on the Anglo Celt Cup.
