Hyland looks to tighten defence with month to go

With four weeks to go from today (Wednesday) until Cavan's opening Ulster Under 21 clash against Down, the pressure is mounting, not that'd you'd know it from talking to manager Terry Hyland. The Lacken clubman spoke matter-of-factly this week of the need for his side - who have been racking up some huge scores and, unusually in this county, possess a core of strong, tall players - to cut out some mistakes in defence. "I'd be happy enough the way things are going. We're progressing slowly but it's a matter of getting the right balance," said Hyland. "We're starting to put up scores and we're starting to get our forwards tackling and improving their workrate. We have to tighten up a little bit more at the back end of it alright." Conceding 5-5 in a challenge against Derry last Friday evening may have set some alarm bells ringing but Hyland seeks to draw the positives from the match. "Derry are a very good side and we scored 3-13 against them," he said. "The pleasing aspect was that when we did concede the last two goals, we turned around and kicked two points, we didn't lie down "We need to tighten up. We're trying to find places for the right people, get that end of it sorted. We have to find lads in their best positions, there is no point just trying fellas in anywhere." The county is humming with expectation that this side can make an impact in a championship which Cavan have won just twice (1988 and 1996), reaching the All Ireland final on both occasions. Asked if, with four weeks to go, he knows his best 15 yet from what looks, on paper at least, to be an ultra-competitive squad,, Hyland was non-committal. "I might have an idea of my championship panel but our idea is to give every body in there as much exposure as they can possibly get at as high a level as we can. We're playing Meath this Wednesday night and we'll try to get another one [challenge match] in." Two players who definitely won't feature are Ramor's Adrian Cole, who is tied up with work commitments in England, and 2009 SFC top scorer Martin Dunne, who "decided himself to pull out" according to the manager. It is understood that the Cavan Gaels player was unhappy at the amount of game time he was receiving in recent matches and opted out of the panel.