Forged friendships fuel Cavan

IT seems unlikely but it could be argued that Cavan’s momentous Ulster U21 championship win in April was first formulated on the rock-hardplaying fields and in the bohemian bars of the west coast of America last summer.

Famously, a dozen of the 2010 Cavan U21s – beaten in the Ulster final by a Michael Murphy-inspired Donegal — headed to California on J1s this time last year.

For Gearoid McKiernan, this year’s inspirational captain who will be one of eight senior debutants in blue on Sunday, the bond of friendship forged while lining out with fellow Cavanmen for San Francisco Celts went a long way towards achieving a goal a few months later.

Joint-managers Terry Hyland and Val Andrews have parachuted ten ofMcKiernan’s underage teammates into the senior set-up and the message is clear; Cavan are building for now, but with an eye on the future.

“We [the U21s] get on really well and hopefully we can bring that on to the seniors now, please God,”McKiernan said.

“It’s important to bring the young boys into the panel so if we can push on and get over Donegal, maybe next year or the year after we can push on for an Ulster senior title.”

The Swanlinbar man impressed in his cameos at half-forward in the league but admits the step up has been noticeable.

“The pace is a lot faster and it’s a lot more physical too,” he said, “It’s more the physicality of it, that’s the big thing I find. It’s important to be strong, not be massive but be able to take the hits. At senior level, I wouldn’t say I’d be strong enough for midfield yet, it’s a big difference.”

McKiernan has played in county, provincial and All-Ireland junior club finals, All County Leaguegames in Cavan and colleges leaguedeciders and, of course, Ulster and All-Ireland U21 showpieces in the past eight months and still hasn’t found time to properly unwind.

With the big test around the corner, he’s raring to go again, too.

“I can’t complain, you’re getting to finals. Some finals went my way, some didn’t but I’m playing football, I love it and I’m enjoying it.

After the All-Ireland U21 final I wanted a break but the club asked me to come back so I had to keep ongoing and play their games.”

Playing in the US, Croker on big and not-so-big days, in county finals and deserted club grounds on humdrum week day afternoons for DIT (“boxing matches with nobody at them”) has been a learning curve – not that McKiernan expects a lesson from Donegal.

Having encountered their patented system at U21 level in 2010 and 2011, he knows all about them.

“The aim is to beat them. The way they play football, you have to try to counter-attack, so it’s all about direct ball into the likes of [Seanie] Johnston.

“It’s so hard to play against, it does take you five to 10 minutes to get into the game, it’s all about direct ball in and support play.”