Game-by-game guide to Cavan's league campaign
NFL preview
KEVIN EGAN runs the rule over Cavan’s opposition in the National League.
CORK
Manager: John Cleary (4th Season)
County profile: Every year, Cork pick a game somewhere in the summer where they prove their upward mobility. A sensational Munster championship clash with Kerry was that game in 2025 but they never built on that performance subsequently and so still we’re going into this Spring with no clear sense of whether Cork are going forwards or backwards.
Key man: Steven Sherlock stepped away for 2025 but he’s back on board now and straight away he could be their main man due to his outstanding shooting ability from distance.
Potential threat: Watch out for Stephen Dore at midfield, but the obvious name here is Conor Daly, who has been scoring freely for UCC in the Sigerson Cup. His eye for goal will be absolutely vital for a team that raised just two green flags in six championship games last year.
League prediction: Alongside Cavan, Cork are probably the team with the biggest gap between their ceiling and their floor. Last year they finished fifth, they might do well to match that.
When they play Cavan: Sunday January 25th, 1.30 pm, at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
How that game might go: This is the perfect time for Cavan to get Cork, a side not known for starting the league well. Dermot McCabe’s players will also remember how they let slip last year’s final round game and ultimately lost promotion as a result. That might focus minds and lay the groundwork for what will be perceived generally as a “shock” away win.
MEATH
Manager: Robbie Brennan (2nd season)
County profile: Unrest within the Meath management team in the Spring looked like it could derail their championship before it got started, but Robbie Brennan saw out the storm. His side mounted a sensational comeback against Offaly in the Leinster championship, albeit the wind was a huge factor, and that set up their historic clash with the Dubs. The rest is history, and now expectation levels are through the roof in the Royal County.
Key man: In a Meath midfield that is full to the brim with quality and power, Cian McBride is making waves with TUD and he could dominate games at this level.
Potential threat: The O’Byrne Cup was used by Brennan to allow those fighting for places on the National League panel to stake a claim; very few playing minutes in their games against Wicklow and Offaly went to established stars. Niall Finnerty was one attacker who did put his hand up and in a situation where Ruairí Kinsella and Eoghan Frayne are likely to miss out until mid-February at least, Finnerty might get chances to further establish himself in the early part of the league.
League prediction: The Royals have an excellent record in Páirc Tailteann, and they will be unbeaten there in this league too – all their home games are in Croke Park while the Navan venue is being refurbished. That lack of real home advantage might see them narrowly miss out on promotion.
When they play Cavan: Sunday February 1st, 3.45 pm, at Kingspan Breffni
How that game might go: Meath’s midfield is like South Africa’s front row in rugby. If that sector is allowed to dictate terms, their power and depth would make the two green and gold sides unbeatable. On the other hand, they’ll miss Kinsella to control things at 11, while Cavan might nick a goal or two. That makes this game the best pick for a draw out of the seven.
TYRONE
Manager: Malachy O’Rourke (2nd season)
County profile: To be relegated with seven points is incredible stuff and by no stretch of the imagination are Tyrone a Division Two team. Across the four leagues, by Tyrone are the team that look most spectacularly out of place in their current company.
Key man: Pádraig Hampsey has missed some playing time and isn’t the immovable object he once was. Niall Devlin is now arguably the number one ‘lockdown’ defender in the Tyrone back division, so he’ll have a lot of big assignments this Spring and Summer.
Potential threat: Eoin McElholm was the gem that sparkled and caught the eye of the nation in last year’s U20 championship win, but his time to shine at senior might be a bit away yet. Shea O’Hare on the other hand, looks ready to be a force now – albeit he didn’t look to be entirely comfortable in a more advanced role in the half-forward line in the McKenna Cup.
League prediction: Six wins, at least. They’re unlikely to be under any real pressure at any stage.
When they play Cavan: Sunday February 15th, 3.45 pm, at O’Neill’s Healy Park.
How that game might go: Trend watchers will know that Cavan’s record against Tyrone is spectacularly poor but history is not the reason why Cavan – and presumably every team that goes to Omagh this Spring – will travel home empty handed. Tyrone are just very good.
KILDARE
Manager: Brian Flanagan (2nd Season)
County profile: A lot of veteran players have decided to hang up their boots and move on from playing for Kildare, but only two look like significant losses – David Hyland for his grit and leadership, and Daniel Flynn for his X-factor. In general, there isn’t any real spark of creativity in the Kildare dressing room, making Flanagan’s failure to harness Flynn’s talent hugely regrettable.
Key man: Alex Beirne is the attacker that every manager needs – the guy who will score one or two from play on his worst day. Kildare need him - Darragh Kirwan is inconsistent but brave, and too many other Kildare forwards are happy to just be there, without making a huge impression on games.
Potential threat: Just out of U20, it’s probably a year too soon for Liam Kelly to really demonstrate his ability to win turnovers and turn defence into attack very quickly. Nonetheless, if he gets some time to bed in, he could quickly become a fan favourite L
League prediction: There have been seasons where a side like Kildare – steady, fit, unspectacular – would hold their own in Division 2. This might not be the case in 2026, relegation is on the table for them.
When they play Cavan: Sunday February 22nd, 3pm, at Kingspan Breffni
How that game might go: This has to be, and should be, a nailed on home win.
LOUTH
Manager: Gavin Devlin (1st season)
County profile: Nominally, Louth have ‘new’ management in 2026. Realistically, Gavin Devlin knows these players inside out and is arguably as responsible for last year’s Leinster final success as anyone. The big question that will determine Louth’s year will be the about the level of their ambition to push on after that momentous win.
Key man: Sam Mulroy brings the stardust, Craig Lennon won their All-Star, and this time last year we highlighted Donal McKenny in this berth. Louth have big names dotted across the pitch, none more important for 2026 however than Ciarán Downey in the half-forward line.
Potential threat: Another U20 graduate that might just be capable of skipping a few steps on the normal development timeline is James Maguire.
Many Anglo-Celt readers will have seen him tog out for Carrick Emmets, he doesn’t play or look like a man who hasn’t yet held his 21st birthday. If you were told he was 25 and had a few years of senior football behind him, it would be believable.
League prediction: Devlin is the right man for the Louth job right now. A couple of veterans (Bevan Duffy and Andy McDonnell) have retired but the age profile is still good. They’ll be in the promotion mix, but they have just three home games, one of which is against Tyrone. So, fourth.
When they play Cavan: Saturday February 28th, 5.15 pm, at Kingspan Breffni Park
How that game might go: Cork is the game where Cavan will exceed expectations. This leaps off the page as the one where Cavan might lose a game the general public expects them to win.
OFFALY
Joint managers: Declan Kelly (3rd season) and Mickey Harte (2nd season)
County profile: There’s no other way of describing it – Offaly are in real trouble going into this league campaign. Depth was an issue for them in 2025, they frequently used one, two or even zero substitutes by the hour mark in games, and that was because they just had nothing on the bench to call on.
Now they go into 2026 without Paddy Dunican (goalkeeper, ACL), John Furlong (centre back, knee), Cathal Flynn (centre forward, shoulder), Cillian Bourke (midfielder, AFL), Dylan Hyland (top scorer, osteitis pubis) all absent for either most or all of the league.
Key man: Jordan Hayes is a powerful runner, a capable ball player and a big physical presence in the middle, though he has dropped back to fill Furlong’s role at six for the preseason. He will look to carry this group on his shoulders until reinforcements arrive.
Potential threat: Ciarán Murphy of Skerries Harps didn’t come onto Ger Brennan’s radar in Dublin but he qualifies for Offaly through his mother and while he’s quite raw in some respects for a 25-year-old, he has scored well from wing-forward during preseason.
League prediction: Offaly have the dream schedule in that they have their two unwinnable games (Tyrone and Derry) both away, and their other road trip is a short hop to Newbridge to play a Kildare team they beat twice in the 2025 league. Even still, five league points and survival would be a decent haul for a full-strength Offaly team – it’s beyond the reach of this depleted panel.
When they play Cavan: Sunday March 15th, 2 pm, at Glenisk O’Connor Park.
How that game might go: If by some miracle, Offaly have three or more points on the board, this could get sticky. More likely, the Faithful are empty handed and remain so going into the last round.
DERRY
Manager: Ciarán Meenagh (1st season)
County profile: Depth has been their issue for some time and to Meenagh’s credit, he has put a lot of emphasis on developing players to bring them into the Summer with 25 or more men than he can trust in the Ulster championship.
They might still be a bit uncertain of their optimal lineout in early games in the league, but Cavan drew the short straw getting them in the final round of games.
Key man: Looking past the easy answers of Conor Glass and Shane McGuigan, Gareth McKinless is back and motoring for Derry and he can and should be a central part of their style of play this year.
Potential threat: Several, including Dan Higgins and Ulster University’s Charlie Diamond, but based on both his club and preseason form, Conor McAteer is ready to make a starting berth his own this year.
League prediction: Meenagh could have put all his eggs in the league basket and if he did, they’d be short odds to go up.
As it is we still think they might sneak into the top two, but they’ll need a win here and they might even need Tyrone to still have something to play for at home to Cork.
When they play Cavan: Sunday March 22nd, 1.15 pm, at Celtic Park.
How that game might go: Cork was a good game to get in round one and Meath have a couple of key injuries so they too should be stronger in the second half of the league. Cavan can’t complain in that regard but Derry should be motoring by late March, so this should be a home win.