Johnston: It's time we stepped up

These are changed times for Cavan football, with a new chairman in place and, for the first time in 16 seasons, no L Reilly, A Forde, D McCabe or J O'Reilly on the squad list. Manager Tom Carr and his experimental squad begin their season this Saturday with a tricky-looking away trip to Healy Park to face Tyrone (throw in, 7pm), with the county's notoriously-demanding supporters expecting, rightly or not, an improvement this year. Attacker Sean Johnston, Cavan Player of the Year in 2008, pulled no punches this week, stating plainly that, with the '97 connection now broken, it's time for a new generation of Breffni footballers to make a name for themselves. "Massive credit has to go to those boys, they have been around since 1995, it's a very long time," said Johnston. "They have always performed very well for Cavan and they owe Cavan football nothing at all. It's up to the new breed of footballers coming through now. "Those lads won something and they will be remembered for that so I suppose it's time for the new breed of Cavan footballers to make a name for themselves and try to get a bit of success and emulate what the 97 players did." With the annus horibilis that was 2009, at all footballing levels, behind them, Johnston believes that Cavan can now look to build a squad with the required blend. Carr seems to think likewise, having called in 40 players for the McKenna Cup after an extensive trawl of the county in the hope that some new talent will emerge. "There is still a lot of experience, boys who have been around for five or six years and know the story with inter-county football and the level of work they they have to put in, so I suppose it's important that that bunch of people come together and try to bring on the younger members of the panel," said Johnston, who turns 26 next August. "You need a mixture of youth and experience and I suppose we're lucky that we have people at the right age and a couple of very good younger players coming on who can hopefully step up to the mark. "It's important for the players around 24 or 25 to push on the youngsters because we need to realise you don't get that many years with the opportunities that we have at present so it's important that everyone is working towards the one goal." While he is unavailable for Cavan at present due to O'Byrne Cup commitments with DCU, Johnston will be back for the opening round of the league next month away to Roscommon provided his ongoing ankle injury responds to treatment. The sight of the Gaels man, who started superbly, marooned in the full-forward line as Cavan huffed and puffed out the field in Clones against Antrim last July is an enduring image of a frustrating season gone by. He uses the same word to describe the experience and, interestingly given that he wore number 11 for his club last summer, hints that he hopes to line out further out the field this season. "I'd like to move out there, that would be my favourite position but it's not down to me," he said. "Sometimes when you're playing inside it can be pretty frustrating - and a lot of that is down to myself as well - because when you're not getting the ball or you're getting double-marked or treble-marked it can be frustrating. Playing at centre half-forward gives you that bit of freedom and means that you can make things happen for other players as well so hopefully I'll get a chance out there at some stage. "Games like the Antrim game last year when you're struggling around the middle of the field and you're not picking up breaks... It can be frustrating for the corner-forward. It happens with every county, it's something we'll have to look at and try to address in the coming year." A message to supporters? "The thing about players is that most of them are doing their damnedest to try and succeed. You don't want to be involved in something if you're not going to give it your all or see yourself getting success. "It's a new year now and I presume everyone in there is there for the long haul. We're going to give it our best shot. It's just about being patient for supporters. Cavan supporters have been very, very good to players through lean times and the players haven't really paid them back properly. "The time for talking is over and it's back to the grindstone of hard work." A new year then, with new faces and, maybe, new hope.