Former Cavan captain Killian Clarke has claimed the majority of footballers outside the leading teams are not enjoying the inter-county experience.

An irate Mickey Harte delivered a damning assessment of the GAA’s black card rule after his nephew Peter picked up a third in four games to leave him suspended for Saturday’s Super 8s clash with Roscommon.

Tyrone blew Cavan away as they charged into the Super 8s series with a ruthless demolition of the beaten Ulster finalists.

It may have escaped your attention, but beyond all the din and distractions, a pretty enjoyable football championship is happening out there with the prospect of a lot more fun to come.

Twelve months ago against Mayo in the famous ‘Newbridge or Nowhere’ Qualifier, quality Kildare forwards like Niall Kelly, Paddy Brophy, Paul Cribben, and Daniel Flynn were inspirational.

For Cavan, the wait goes on.

Donegal have progressed to the Super 8s largely unscathed, but also largely untested.

Cian Mackey might never have got to play in an Ulster final if he’d stayed in London two years ago and listened to the voice in his head telling him there was more to life than football.

Cavan manager Mickey Graham has credited former goalkeeper and mental health advocate Alan O’Mara with playing a key role in the county’s resurgence this summer.

This much we know: Waterford are dead, Clare are on life support. To take the third qualifying spot next Sunday from the Munster Hurling Championship, the Banner must beat Cork and hope Limerick at least draw with Tipperary. That would knock Cork out on the head-to-head.

For those who are inclined to believe the whole GAA thing is only a racket, well point in them in the direction of Armagh men this week who have played something in the region of 200 minutes this summer and still haven’t made it into the Ulster final after a draw including extra-time here.

After a bevy of provincial underage success, classy Cavan showed signs they might be coming of age at senior level as they cruised into the semi-finals of the Ulster SFC semi-final after a dour derby duel at Kingspan Breffni.

Last summer Galway provided us with a 21-point spread against Sligo. Yesterday, a spirited and youthful Sligo team managed to keep the score respectable for the majority of the game.

Cavan sprang a shock with a four points Ulster SFC quarter-final victory over neighbours Monaghan at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Mickey Graham spent the informative months of his inter-county managerial career flitting between the home and away changing-rooms in Kingspan Breffni Park.

Ailing attendances, the strong getting stronger and the weak getting weaker, the Ulster championship finds itself at a crossroads.

Dublin won pulling up in their Division 1 NFL tie at Kingspan Breffni as Cavan fell way short of completing a hoped-for ‘mission impossible’.

It tells a tale of the scale of the challenge facing Cavan this weekend that not even Mickey Graham, the man who inspired the miracle of Mullinalaghta, seems overly confident.

Mickey Harte declared himself satisfied with their new attacking strategies after his side moved a step closer to Division One survival with an Ulster derby win over 14-man Cavan.

Cavan 3-13 Roscommon 0-13 Cavan broke their losing streak to give themselves a fighting chance of retaining their top flight league status for 2020.

Cavan boss Mickey Graham has lashed out at a series of decisions he claims have gone against his team in the opening rounds of the Allianz Football League.

The result rather than the performance is all that mattered for these two at Pearse Stadium yesterday and the value of this win will not be lost on Galway manager Kevin Walsh as he now prepares for away games in Dublin and Monaghan.

Mickey Graham’s busy end to 2018 finished with a win in his first day at the office as Cavan manager, Conor Madden’s point deep into injury-time snatching a 0-13 to 1-9 McKenna Cup victory over Down.

It's the first time a Longford club has competed in and won the provincial title.

Galway football coach Paddy Tally to set to be named Down manager next week.

The social media maxim began to gain traction around 2011 and, for a few years, was beloved of the Breffni faithful.

John Brudair is tipped to become Limerick’s new senior football manager.

Boyzone are said to be planning a movie in memory of Stephen Gately.

Colm O’Connor

Cavan 4-11 Laois 2-17

Cavan 1-16 Meath 0-7

By Mark Evans A BRAVE little girl who saved her father’s life revealed last night: “I was nervous and scared but it came as second nature to me.”

Cavan has seven points to spare over Roscommon in this incredible NFL semi-final played before a capacity 15,000 crowd at Mullingar.

Cavan deservedly earned their place in the NFL semi-final following a slick two-points defeat of an error-strewn Sligo, 1-10 to 0-11, at a thronged Markievicz Park.

Cavan 1-12 Clare 0-07

Val Andrews savoured championship success for the first time in his third

A point from Dermot McCabe one minute into injury time gave Cavan a share of the points against Mayo in this Division 1B game in the National Football League at Breffni Park.