O’Hanlon: ‘We got exactly what we wanted from the league’

Cavan minor manager Ed O’Hanlon expressed satisfaction with both the performance and the wider progress of his panel after they secured the Ulster Minor Football League Shield with victory over Derry at Breffni.

Having suffered just one defeat throughout the campaign, O’Hanlon believes the league has served its purpose ahead of the championship.

“It’s supposed to be a good journey, getting lots of tests, and we’re getting them. We got from the league what we wanted, to learn about the squad and get closer to what we’re confident is our best team. I think we’ve achieved that. We also wanted to be seeded and we achieved that. Unfortunately, it hasn’t given us as favourable a draw as it might have, but there are no easy games in the championship anyway.”

Cavan’s victory was built on a dominant first-half display, particularly a strong closing spell before the break, and O’Hanlon felt his side showed patience before that scoring burst arrived.

“I think we hit a bit of a purple patch in the last 10 minutes of the first half, but we were laying the building blocks throughout,” he said. “One of the messages was to stay composed. It doesn’t have to happen in the first five or 10 minutes, build the pressure and momentum and it will come. In fairness to the lads, they took that on board. At no stage did we rush things, which is very important when you have the wind.”

The introduction of the two-point arc proved crucial, with Charlie Reilly’s long-range scores helping to swing momentum decisively in Cavan’s favour.

“For the first 10 minutes, Derry started very well and it was clear their intent was to keep the ball,” O’Hanlon noted. “We adjusted fairly quickly, stepping out and putting pressure on them, but those two-pointers were huge. Charlie got a couple from midfield and they gave the team a lift. We kicked on from there.”

While Cavan’s forwards impressed, O’Hanlon was keen to highlight the platform laid by the middle third.

“There was good forward play, but the foundation of it is the work of the middle eight,” he said. “They gave us a great platform in terms of possession. That’s what the game has turned into now. We probably butchered a couple of goal chances as well, so there’s still room for improvement.”

With the wind against them after the break, Cavan showed composure in their game management, retaining possession early in the second half. “We had a good spell where we kept it well and that can be very frustrating for the opposition. But there’s a balance, you still need to have a threat going forward. In fairness, I think the lads struck that balance fairly well.”

Derry’s late goals narrowed the margin, but O’Hanlon was not overly concerned. “I thought Darragh (Eccleston) was exceptional, his kicking was brilliant,” he said. “He’d be disappointed with one, but that happens. The other came from an unforced turnover. I wouldn’t be overly concerned, it was more individual mistakes than anything else.”

Looking ahead, O’Hanlon expects a highly competitive Ulster Championship. “You’d nearly throw a blanket over a lot of the teams,” he said. “We’ve competed well with Derry here and there have been tight games across the board. There are five or six teams who will feel they have a real chance.”

Cavan now turn their attention to Donegal in the opening round, buoyed by silverware and a campaign that has delivered exactly what their manager hoped for.