Cavan team named for crunch clash

Breffni men host Longford

Cavan manager Mickey Graham has named his team ahead of today’s National Football League Division 3 round 3 clash against neighbours Longford at Kingspan Breffni.

Coming in for his first start of the league is Gerry Smith, who missed the wins over Westmeath and Tipperary through injury. He takes the place of regular starter Oisin Kiernan, whose exclusion from the match-day squad suggests he is also on the injured list.

Cavan are hot favourites to pick up a third successive victory against a Longford side who lost round one to Fermanagh and collapsed in the second half en route to a very heavy loss to Westmeath last time out.

However, they did win the O’Byrne Cup and with experienced players returning to the squad, there is the sense Paddy Christie’s side have under-performed and could cause Cavan problems.

However, the home side have done well thus far, with Dara McVeety in exceptional form at centre-back and the new-look strikeforce of Ryan O’Neill and Oisin Brady also performing at a high level. Anything other than a home win would be a major shock.

Throw-in at Kingspan Breffni is at 2pm.

Cavan: Raymond Galligan, Evan Finnegan, Padraig Faulkner, Niall Carolan, Ciaran Brady, Dara McVeety, Tiarnan Madden, David Brady, Killian Clarke, Gerard Smith, Cian Madden, Jonathan McCabe, Martin Reilly, Ryan O’Neill, Oisin Brady

Subs: Liam Brady, Paddy Lynch, Brandon Boylan, Conor Rehill, Killian Brady, Ryan Donohoe, Conor Madden, Jack McKenna, Brían O’Rourke, Stephen Smith, Conor Moynagh