Cavan face top teams in group stages

Cavan has been given a tough task if they are to progress in the All-Ireland SFC group stage as they will face three of the best teams in the country.

The draw made at Croke Park this afternoon saw Raymond Galligan's side placed in Group 1 where they are pitted against the Ulster Champions, the losers of the Connacht final and the 2021 All Ireland champions Tyrone.

The exact picture of who Cavan face will not be decided for another fortnight as Mayo face old rivals Galway in the Connacht final this Sunday, May 4; while the Ulster Championship final between Armagh and Donegal is set for Clones on Saturday, May 10.

Whoever lifts the Anglo-Celt Cup will also have a tie against Cavan to look forward to. The one team Cavan are definitely set to face are Tyrone. The Red Hands eased past Cavan in a seven-point win up in Healy Park.

ALL-IRELAND SFC GROUP STAGE DRAW

Group 1: Armagh/Donegal winner, Galway/Mayo loser, Tyrone, Cavan

Group 2: Kerry/Clare winner, Louth/Meath loser, Roscommon, Cork

Group 3: Louth/Meath winner, Kerry/Clare loser, Monaghan, Down

Group 4: Galway/Mayo winner, Armagh/Donegal loser, Dublin, Derry

The one team Cavan are guaranteed to face are coming off the back of a heavy defeat to.

Paddy Tally's Derry, last year's league champions but relegated from Division 1 this year, completed the group, which is undisputedly the toughest quartet that has been thrown up in the three years of the present format.

The particularly treacherous draw awaiting this weekend's Connacht champions could again throw a further spotlight on the decision to schedule the group stage draw ahead of the provincial deciders.

The Ulster and Connacht finalists are also thrown together in the second most awkward group, with Group 1 containing the Ulster champions, the Connacht runners-up, as well as Tyrone and Cavan.

Group 2 sees the Munster champions (Kerry or Clare) drawn with the Leinster runners-up (Meath or Louth), with Roscommon and Cork occupying the other slots. The draw throwing up the possibility of a repeat meeting of Kerry and Cork should the favourites triumph in this weekend's Munster decider in Killarney.

In Group 3, Monaghan and Down will join the new Leinster champions and the Munster runners-up.

ALL-IRELAND SFC GROUP STAGE DRAW

Group 1: Armagh/Donegal winner, Galway/Mayo loser, Tyrone, Cavan