Bellew: Promotion not Cavan’s priority

By Shaun Casey

PROMOTION from Division Four is still within Cavan’s grasp but it isn’t their main focus at the minute says manager Ollie Bellew as his Breffni Blues face into their final three league encounters.

They make the short journey to Leitrim on Saturday afternoon before taking on table-toppers Sligo and Ulster rivals Monaghan in their last two fixtures.

Cavan and Leitrim currently sit on four points each, with Longford just ahead of that on six, while Sligo look to have more or less guaranteed their place in Division Three for next season, having won four consecutive games.

“We’re in the process of a rebuild,” Bellew said.

“We’ve at a lot of retirements and the priority isn’t really for the league, it’s to have a look at a lot of the u-20s that have been brought through, and to develop some of the other players that haven’t been with us before.

“It’s still there as a possibility to make the league final, Sligo are in a great place and have been very dominant but we’re just rebuilding at the minute and winning the league isn’t our priority.

“We want to continue to develop the panel, put in good performances and play to our structure and teach the new boys our setup – that is where we are at the minute.

“If we’d have gotten a result a couple of weeks ago down in Longford, we’d have been in serious contention, but we’re just tipping along in the background and if it works out great and if it doesn’t then we’ll keep prepping for championship.”

Leitrim are a side that Cavan know all about and given the local rivalry element to Saturday’s contest, Bellew is expecting a difficult day, especially away from home.

The Ridge County came out on top when the sides last clashed in the Lory Meagher Cup competition last year.

They earned a final round victory against Bellew’s men, who went on to compete in the decider but came up short against New York at Croke Park.

“No matter how well or how badly us or Leitrim are going, the games between us are always very tight and there’s never too much between us in the end.

“There’s a real healthy respect for each other there and we’re coming from a similar base and we’re both working very hard. We have two very proud groups of players and panels so it’s always a tough game.

“Going to Leitrim, it probably tips things in their favour because we’re away from home and they have been going good stuff under Mike Wall.

“They’re maybe a step or two ahead of us at the minute but it’ll give us a good picture of where we are right now.”