Allianz Football League Division Two, round one
Cavan v Monaghan (Saturday, Kingspan Breffni, 6pm)
CAVAN boast a winning streak of three matches in a row against Monaghan, having been underdogs in each one of those fixtures.
It begs the question just how are Monaghan favourites once again, but the manner in which The Breffni were beaten by Dublin, Mayo and Roscommon in their Championship group tells a different story.
Monaghan, by contrast, were a Barry McBennett strike and the width of the crossbar away from forcing extra-time against Galway in Salthill in the preliminary quarter-final.
But in these derbies, the formbook often goes out the window.
What is stacked in the Farney’s favour is the certainty regarding Rory Beggan compared to 2024. He will be a huge asset on placed balls as ever, and the Scotstown man has already adapted to the new two-point scoring arc, landing a number of scores in a challenge victory over Fermanagh.
Cavan’s goalkeeping situation was ironically uncertain last year given Raymond Galligan is at the helm, but there is speculation that Nevin O’Donnell will start after a transfer from Leitrim. More intriguing still is the fact that both Galligan and O’Donnell started their careers as forwards before moving between the posts.
O’Donnell showed his eye for a score with a scintillating effort against Laois in the Division Four final last year.
Having scored three goals on Arva’s Ulster run, Barry Donnelly could be a debutant inside, though the returning Gearóid McKiernan will miss out with injury. Oisín Smith has opted out of the panel since Christmas, in a further blow to management, though Paddy Lynch of Crosserlough should return from an ACL tear during this campaign.
From a Monaghan viewpoint, Andy Moran looks to have impacted the scoring department, with Davy Garland looking sharp in pre-season. The Donaghmoyne man has long been a menace on the club scene, and his free-taking could mean he becomes a regular starter for The Farney in the absence of Conor McManus.
Brían O’Connell, exceptional last season, could be elected to pick the former Sigerson player of the year up. In Pádraig Faulkner, Jason McLoughlin and Killian Clarke he has plenty of experience alongside him, but just where Cavan’s scores come from could be their undoing.
According to Stats and Solos GAA on X, the stats suggest this is to be the highest scoring match across the Division this weekend, a far cry from a 0-7 apiece draw in Castleblayney when the sides last met in the league.
Both sides may well settle for a draw if they were offered it now, but Monaghan’s half-forward line of Michael Hamill, Stephen O’Hanlon and new skipper Micháel Bannigan are all fit and firing, a rare occasion last year. That combined with Beggan’s boot could be enough to see the team who won this division 11 years ago home.
