ROSSIES’ HOLD ON HISTORY
Cavan’s chance to lift hex
‘A remarkable record – a hard one to get your head around’
TERRY HYLAND lets out a short laugh when he hears mention of Roscommon. During his time in charge of Cavan’s footballers, there was one side that always got in their way. Not just in their way but blocked their path and even muscled them back into the pack. And that was the Rossies.
For two counties that are generally recognised to be on pretty much the same rung of the ladder, Roscommon’s record against the Breffni men is remarkable. If you include the dismal day in Longford back in April 2012, when Hyland’s impressive Ulster Under 21 champions were beaten in an All-Ireland semi-final, the counties have met 10 times in the past six seasons. Cavan have won just a single League game in that time, Roscommon have claimed eight victories with one draw. And Roscommon have won every which way, whether the games were in Croke Park, Hyde Park or Breffni Park. In dour lowscoring encounters and in a highscoring summer shoot-out. It has got to the point where Cavan players hate the sight of the primrose and blue shirt, although if there is somewhere to turn the tables, there is no better place than headquarters tomorrow.
Hyland doesn’t subscribe to the view that some teams just hold a hex over others. ‘Does it get into players’ heads that we can’t beat this team? I don’t think so,’ says the former Cavan boss.
‘I would always say to the players that the tide will eventually turn and there will come a day when you come out on top. And there wouldn’t be a better day to overturn the recent history between the teams than this Division 2 final.’
This current crop of Roscommon players emerged at the same time as Cavan were sweeping all before them at U21 level in Ulster. And when they clashed on a grim day in Longford, Hyland admits that the Rossies brought a different challenge compared to the sides they faced in the province.
‘There wasn’t too much difference between the two sides,’ Hyland recalls. ‘What Roscommon had at the time, and what we weren’t used to facing in Ulster or at U21 level, is that they had these big men, who were strong runners through the middle, who were able to kick scores. And they had some outstanding score-getters.
‘And when those players went on to senior level, John Evans had them very well-organised and when you add strong runners capable of kicking scores to that, it makes them very dangerous opposition.’
Their recent League match seemed to underline Roscommon’s psychological edge. The Ulster side were the better team for the majority of the match and looked to be heading for victory in the Hyde when Seanie Johnston kicked a score in the 52nd minute. However, in the final quarter, the Rossies outscored them 0-5 to 0-1 to take the spoils.
‘That game just summed up the recent history between the two teams,’ says Anglo-Celt’s GAA correspondent Paul Fitzpatrick. ‘It looked like Cavan were in the ascendancy and Roscommon just hit another gear. The record is remarkable. If it was Kerry or Dublin or Mayo that held this record over Cavan, you would say fair enough. But it is a county that is supposed to be on the same level, it is hard one to get your head around.’
Historically, Roscommon had the Indian sign over Cavan too. The counties met in the 1943 AllIreland final, which went to a replay which the Rossies won. They met in a semi-final in 1962, which was also won by the Connacht side.
Senan Kilbride’s strength and skills were a constant source of pain for the Cavan full-back line but Diarmuid Murtagh took over that mantle the last day in the Hyde. Even when the two teams threw the shackles off, the Rossies came out on top, as they did in a qualifier back in 2015 when they won 3-17 to 1-16.
That game was marred by Thomas Corr’s sending-off before the whistle was sounded for the start of the second half for an offthe-ball incident.
‘In fairness, in that Championship game in Breffni, having a man sent off before the start of the second half threw us off kilter,’ Hyland remembers. ‘I don’t care what the pundits and experts say but in the modern game, if you have to play an entire half of football with a man less than your opponents, it’s almost impossible to beat them.’
But Hyland does believe that Cavan can reverse the recent trend in Croke Park tomorrow. ‘This game is more important for Cavan than it is for Roscommon,’ he reckons.
‘I think these players need to get some tangible reward in their back pocket for everything they have given Cavan football. There are a lot of players who have given it all, Martin Reilly has soldiered for Cavan for 14 or 15 years and I think all he has is a Leinster junior medal. The likes of Cian Mackey, Raymond Galligan and Killian Clarke have nothing to show for it. They deserve some silverware at this stage. It would be nice to see them get some.’
Nicer still for those players if it means getting one over Roscommon.