CAVAN GAELS

Manager:

Kieran Donnelly (manager), Fearghal Quinn (assistant manager/coach), Cormac Nelligan (selector).

Championship programme:

League stage round one:

Cavan Gaels v Killygarry, August 1

Team news:

The big news over the winter was the transfer of Gearoid McKiernan from Swanlinbar to the Gaels. The powerhouse midfielder will now play senior football for the first time in his career and he scored three points on his debut against Ballyhaise last Sunday. Kieran Donnelly is the new manager of the Gaels having spent the last few years with Monaghan outfit Scotstown. ‘KD’ will be familiar to a lot of the players having spent a bit of time with the Cavan town club in 2015. The club has been the big dog in this competition since the turn of the millennium but they are experiencing their first period of non-domination. They have reached just one of the last five finals – a 2017 win over Castlerahan – and that is a bit of a drought for a club like the Gaels. Donnelly has a reputation for working with younger players and he will try and advance the prospects of emerging players Evaan Fortune, Luke Molloy and Keenan Donohoe. Conceded nine goals in six championship games last year, which is something that needs to be improved upon.