Hurlers remain in the hunt for Croke Park place

Hurling reaction

Kevin Óg Carney

While Cavan remain in the hunt for 2020 Lory Meagher Cup honours, last Sunday’s archetypal ‘game of two halves’ in Enniskillen left the visitors with faces longer than the nearby Erne river.

Having led for the first hour of the game and with a man extra for the final 38 minutes of the contest, Cavan were left hanging on for dear life at the death.

“I’m bitterly disappointed,” Cavan boss Ollie Bellew told The Anglo-Celt after the game. “We did all the hurling in the first half and played most of the second half with a man up but we didn’t see the game out.”

Antrim native Bellew believes that the traditional mindset of Cavan hurlers turned up in Brewster Park in the second half to thwart their ambitions.

“There’s been a problem with self-belief among Cavan hurlers for years and years and that’s something we’ve been trying to change but it’s obvious we’ve more work to do in that regard because, instead of pushing on and building on our half-time lead (0-10 to 0-6), the lads went into their shell and adopted a ‘what we have, we hold’ type of attitude which, ultimately, allowed Fermanagh to come back at us and get the draw.

“It’s so disappointing (the result) after the way we flew out of the blocks and controlled the first half by playing some tremendous hurling but we just didn’t drive on from there. Our deliveries up to the forwards were poor in the second half and we didn’t match their workrate.

“It was a game of two halves really. We were by far the better team in the first half but Fermanagh got the better of us after that.”

Bellew was keen to find the silver lining(s) from last weekend’s trip up north, maintaining that for “Cavan to come away very disappointed from having gotten just a draw with Fermanagh in Enniskillen says a lot about our fellas’ ambition and their new standing in hurling circles.”

“In hindsight, we didn’t help ourselves by leaving on Cookie (Liam Óg Cooke) so long after he got injured. He wasn’t able to give his best to the battle in the engine room so a lot of work went on the shoulders of Colum (Sheanon), our other midfielder.

“But we’ll learn from the game. The players and the team-management will bring the positives and the lessons into play this week as we look forward to the game with Louth.”

Citing Fermanagh’s outing in the opening round against Louth as a possible reason for their fast finish and their greater match fitness, Bellew believes that his charges will benefit greatly from the 78 minutes of gruelling action last Sunday in Brewster Park.

“The lads will come on a lot from having a competitive game under their belt after such a long break (due to the coronavirus). They know they underperformed this time and that they can’t switch off for a minute the next time out (against Louth).

“The prospect of getting something from the Louth game is a huge carrot for the lads ‘cause it will mean a run out at Croke Park which is what every GAA player dreams of.”

A draw or a win against Louth this Sunday at Kingspan Breffni (2 pm) will spirit Cavan into this year’s Lory Meagher Cup decider.