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"Not the Cavan of old" - Brendan Devenney wary of what awaits Donegal

For the first time since 1983, Donegal and Cavan are going to go head-to-head in the Ulster final...
Raf Diallo
Raf Diallo

17.56 20 Jun 2019


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"Not the Cavan of old" - Brendan Devenney wary of what awaits Donegal


Raf Diallo
Raf Diallo

17.56 20 Jun 2019


Share this article


For the first time since 1983, Donegal and Cavan are going to go head-to-head in the Ulster final.

The two counties do battle in Clones on Sunday and an intriguing match awaits.

Ex-Donegal footballer Brendan Devenney and former Tyrone All-Ireland winner Enda McGinley joined us to preview the game.

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While Cavan are underdogs, Devenney believes they will be quietly confident of pushing Donegal to the limit.

"I think what they've learned from themselves beating Monaghan in the drawn game with Armagh and then beating Armagh, they're going to come in with a lot of confidence," he said.

"Not the Cavan of old that were a little bit brittle. They seem to have a bit of steel about them. So I think whatever happens, it's set up for a fantastic game."

Flattered to deceive

McGinley also believes manager Mickey Graham has breathed new life into a Cavan that had flattered to deceive.

"The main thing that they'll be tapping into is that in the past five years, these Cavan players have been lauded from their Under-21 success," he said.

"Every time they've put in a good performance, every time they've got promoted to Division 1, everybody says 'now they're coming of age'.

"'Now they're going to have a go of senior success' and translating that Under-21 success to senior. And time and time again, they have flattered to deceive and ended up being washed up and written off again.

"So that process of ongoing 'being built up, only to be written off again' is bound to harden them mentally. I think Mickey Graham has come in this year and to be honest, I'd written them off once and for all.

"That this team's time had come and gone and they're not going to come through. And yet, here we are and we're at the beginning of something again. I think it's critical for Cavan that they haven't done anything massive yet. An Ulster final is one thing. They have to now put in a big performance on Sunday and also if they're beaten in the qualifier game or the Super 8s - if they get there - it can't be a flash in the pan because they've done that before."

You can watch the full Ulster final preview including the tactical view above via our YouTube channel.


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