Oh God, not Clones! Would much preferred a game back in Newry or in Omagh. There will be a big crowd at Clones no doubt, but if it had been at a smaller venue, the game would surely be a sell out. The atmosphere was great on Sunday because the stadium was full and everyone was so close to the pitch.
In terms of the team that could play, I'd say there would be a few changes. Patrick Burns will be out, so James Morgan will start. Hopefully Niall Grimley will be fit and should come in for Vernon. We will need Grimley's size and athleticism to front up to Gearoid McKiernan. It's hard to say which of our forwards could possibly be dropped. In terms of form, then Grugan would most likely face the chop. He hasn't been playing well and really needs to perform in the next round. We've seen his quality, but it's been a while since he's played anywhere near that standard. I think he will start the next game, but there comes a point where even the captain is droppable. Ethan Rafferty didn't have a good game, but I'd say he'll get another chance. His size and ability to get around the field could be a major asset for us. Jemar Hall may also be at risked. People are criticising his performance on Sunday and asking what he does. He played very well during the league. His pace and work rate was a real plus and he won a serious amount of ball and got up and down the field. His hard yards can go unnoticed, but with how Shields played when he came on, he could easily play that same role in the half forwards.
Aidan Forker had a quiet game and some have suggested he mustn't have been fit. He's improved massively over the past few years and is a key player. I hope he just had a subdued game and can come back to his best next time out. Aaron McKay had a tough outing on Sunday too. He's generally been very dependable at full back and I don't see anyone really challenging him for that position. He was just up against a top class forward in Harrison who is also freakishly big and mobile. I saw Harrison annihilate Drew Wylie a few years back at Croke Park, before we played Kildare. Oisin O'Neill has been mentioned as a possible starter. Like Murnin, I don't see how you can start a player in the Championship who hasn't played any county football this season. I think he played a club game the other night, which is massively encouraging and having him as an option to come in could be massive.
Our bench made such a big difference on Sunday and while it a cliche to say, it's not the team that starts, but the team that finishes. Stefan Campbell could make a very good case to start, but having the likes of him, Murnin and Oisin O'Neill to bring on to finish a game could be massive. My team for Cavan.
Hughes
Morgan
McKay
Hughes
Kennedy
Donaghy
Forker
Grimley
Burns
Shields
Rafferty
Nugent
Clarke
O'Neill
Grugan
