Hughes in the running for Cavan job

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Former Down attacker Danny Hughes is in the running for the Cavan senior manager’s position, the Anglo-Celt can reveal.

The Saval clubman, an All-Star winner in 2010, will join nominees Raymond Galligan, Micheál McDermott and Jason O’Reilly in the hunt for the vacant position, interviews for which take place on the third week in August.

Hughes stressed that he sees great potential in Cavan and would otherwise not have put his name forward.

“I’m not just applying for jobs for the sake of it,” he told the Anglo-Celt today (Tuesday).

“Cavan obviously had underage success, while that was up to 10 years ago, I still think Cavan are a big and strong team, good players, and if they can get everybody on to the field, they can be extremely good. I think Cavan should have won that Tailteann Cup, they have good footballers and there’s a great focus on football around Cavan, I’ve always felt that.”

Hughes, who writes a popular column for the Irish News, made his starting debut against Cavan in the 2004 Ulster Championship and has always had an affinity with the county, he said.

“In 2003 Paddy O’Rourke came in, I was only 20 and joined the panel. I played against Donegal in a qualifier after the Ulster final but my starting debut was against Cavan in Casement Park the year after.

“We drew the game and went back to Breffni Park and Cavan beat us, we were five or six points up at one time and got beat. I always loved Breffni Park, the crowd, it’s like an amphitheatre.

“I’m managing my own club at the minute, we won an Intermediate Championship and nobody gave us a chance last year. If you’re talking about relative success, what we’re operating with, we’re doing great.

“I do believe that I’m ready for it. But, again, that’s not up to me.”

See tomorrow's print edition for full story as Danny Hughes outlines some of his plans should be successful in applying for the role.