McEvoy and O’Donnell among call-ups to senior squad
GAA news
Cavan senior team manager Raymond Galligan has called in 13 new faces to his provisional panel ahead of the return to training.
The headline names are Ramor United forward Sean McEvoy and Shannon Gaels goalkeeper Nevin O’Donnell, while Galligan has trawled the county for further talent.
Republic of Ireland underage soccer international McEvoy, a former Cavan minor and U20 player who was on the fringes of the county senior panel under Mickey Graham, has been based in Baltimore for the last three years where he was playing Division 1 collegiate soccer for Loyola University.
He played some All-County League football for Ramor earlier this season while home on holidays, racking up impressive scores in a handful of games. The 22-year-old’s last championship action was in 2021, when he showed sensational form as Ramor won the county championship, including a haul of 0-4 in the county final replay against Gowna and an early goal in the Ulster Club outing versus Kilcoo.
His return to Gaelic football should be a decided boost for club and county given the potential he has shown to date; with the new football rules coming in for 2025, managers around the country will be looking to add pace and scoring ability to their sides and McEvoy ticks those boxes.
The new rules may have also been in the forefront of Galligan’s mind in enticing O’Donnell to throw in his lot with his home county for 2025. A former stand-out underage forward who won Ulster minor and U20 titles with Cavan, O’Donnell later converted to goalkeeper and switched to Leitrim, nailing down the number one jersey and delivering consistently impressive performances.
O’Donnell’s experience playing outfield means he is comfortable in possession and in kicking long-range points. His arrival will add further competition for the number one spot, with Liam Brady and Gary O’Rourke vying for the jersey last season. Galligan himself had been the incumbent between the posts for the previous eight years barring a short spell under Mattie McGleenan.
Meanwhile, the following players have also been called into the panel: Peter Devine (Ballymachugh), Michael Brady (Ballyhaise), Ruairi Curran (Swanlinbar), Luke Molloy (Cavan Gaels), Cormac McKeogh (Mullahoran), Thomas Edward Donohoe (Denn), Sean Clarke (Shercock), Ben McGahan (Cootehill Celtic), Darragh Dolan (Drumlane) and Barry Donnelly (Arva).
While there is speculation that former team captain Gearoid McKiernan – who was outstanding in the county championships for Cavan Gaels - may yet return to the squad, this has not been confirmed.
Otherwise, all of those who were on board last year have committed again for 2025 aside from one important figure in Gowna's Conor Brady, who is generally a guaranteed starting player but has had an unlucky run with injuries over the last two seasons.
While it is unlikely that all of the new players will make the cut for the National League, Galligan will be hopeful to add half a dozen to his settled squad. Most of those he has called up displayed excellent form in the club championships while there is a notable focus on pace, with the likes of Curran, Donnelly, McGahan, Devine and Dolan noted speedsters and ball-carriers at club level.
Midfielder Molloy stood out for Cavan Gaels in their run to the SFC semi-final, as did half-back McKeogh for Mullahoran and forward Clarke for Shercock in the Intermediate.
Cavan will begin their National League campaign with a home game against Monaghan on Saturday, January 25. After that, they will meet Meath away, Louth at home, Westmeath away, Down at home, Roscommon away and, in round seven, Cork at Kingspan Breffni.
Interest is sure to be high in each match, especially if the Breffnimen are going well, given there are two all-Ulster clashes, a derby against Meath, a renewal of recent rivalries against Roscommon and Louth, a final-day clash against Cork (against whom Cavan have a positive record of late) and a clash against Westmeath in round four, who are managed by Cavan’s own Games Development Manager and former player Dermot McCabe.