McKeever relishing new role as U20s take on Monaghan

Preview

All roads lead to Kingspan Breffni tonight (Wednesday) for the eagerly-awaited local derby between Cavan and Monaghan in the Ulster U20 Football Championship quarter-final (throw-in, 7.30pm).

While Cavan pushed eventual All-Ireland champions Tyrone to a point in last year’s Ulster final, every year is different in underage football and, as always, supporters of both sides will travel as much in hope as confidence.

From the team who played in last year's Ulster final, Jake Norris (Killinkere), Cormac Brady (Gowna), Cormac McKeogh (Mullahoran), Turlough Farrelly (Cuchulainns), Daragh Lovett (Killygarry), Philip Smyth (Cuchulainns), Daire Madden (Gowna), Caoláin O’Reilly (Mullahoran) and Sean Óg McGearty (Castlerahan) will all be in contention for a spot tonight while Caoláin McCabe (Denn) who came on in that final against Tyrone captains the side. Aaron Reel (Bailieborough), who featured in the earlier rounds last year, is also on board while Ryan Brady (Gowna) missed out last year through injury.

Selector Mark McKeever, winner of his fourth SFC medal with Gowna last October, is relishing the challenge on the other side of the white line.

“I’ve a different hat on a little bit. I’m a bit out of my comfort zone, you’d rather be on the playing end of things, more familiar with it maybe, but easing into this role nicely and enjoying it,” McKeever told the Anglo-Celt.

“I would have thought that after playing I would get into some sort of coaching but the opportunity arose before my playing career was over and I jumped at it because you may not get that sort of chance again. I’m delighted to work with lads like that, who are eager to learn.

“It’s a perfect one to get your teeth stuck into because they’re mad to learn, they listen to every word you say and are always asking questions so you have to keep giving them information. Every little bit of that helps too and it makes my job a lot easier getting stuff across.

“I suppose there is a little bit of on-field coaching by times with Gowna but the way I see it, especially with Gowna, those younger lads are helping me out an awful lot so it’s give and take. To be honest, I’m learning as much from the young lads as they’re learning from me.”

McKeever was one of the most gifted underage players Cavan have produced and played county U21 football as a 16-year-old. Times have moved on since then and the level of preparation in this grade is markedly different.

“It was a different era. It was a case of you went out and played your football and trained for the hour and you kind of forgot about it again until the next hour you were back out. Whereas now, it’s a totally different set-up, it’s almost like a part-time job.

“You’re looking after nutrition, recovery… you might not be on the field every day but it’s in the back of your head all the time, what you need to do to be right on the day. I don’t think back then there was as much of that, it was a case of turn up and train and two or three days later you did the same again. “But now, youngsters are so aware of how to improve their fitness, their nutrition, they are busy at that between training sessions and everything along with that.

“Back then there was nothing about gyms, now lads are spending four or five hours a week in the gym, whether it be recovery or off-season or maintenance stuff. We were probably wasting it when we were young, lying on the couch resting up was classed as recovery in my time. And the knowledge they have to their hand, they know exactly what suits their body and what they need to do to get in shape and stay in shape.”

In year one, the Cavan management team, headed by Damien Donohoe, went in cold and were well beaten by eventual winners Down. Having a proper crack at things is an advantage, McKeever agreed.

“We probably learned an awful lot last year whereas you didn’t have the chance to learn a whole pile about players in year one, we didn’t have any league games that year. By having the league last year and then the momentum we got in championship, it meant we learned an awful lot about players and other teams and probably our own management styles too. We learned an awful lot last year and then having the league games this year building up towards the championship, that obviously helps.

“Every day you’re out, you learn a little bit more and there’s nothing like games to learn. It’s important to have those games. As we saw in year one, if you’re not prepared properly, you don’t perform on the day, it’s a short campaign and you’re out.

“We were probably lucky last year to hit the ground running, we got a performance in our first game and the momentum carried us then into the next couple of games. But if you don’t hit the ground running, as I say it can be a very short campaign so you have time things right and have everything going for you when it counts on championship day.”

Cavan lost to Longford and beat Fermanagh and Leitrim in their three Philly McGuinness League matches this term.

“They worked very hard. We had a couple of injuries like every other team and I don’t think we started any games with the same team but that in itself is a way of finding out how lads work with other guys and things like that. I think it was very informative. They all got game time and played some sort of role.”

Monaghan are favourites with the bookmakers and have the benefit of a win under their belts, having beaten Armagh last Saturday in a game which was originally fixed for the previous Wednesday.

“At minor level they were very good. That doesn’t always transpire to U20 but they had the bones of a very good team there. I thought it was going to be a toss-up and there wasn’t going to be much between either team.

“Conditions on the Wednesday night would have dragged down either side if they were ahead on skill but that game was subsequently called off and that may have suited Armagh better than Monaghan.

“They have a couple of very good footballers who were maybe better on a drier pitch. I know Armagh missed chances too but ultimately Monaghan did what they had to do to get over the line. Similar to us last year, got off the mark straight away there and have a win under their belt and have that bit of momentum now, we have to look out for that.”