THE Cavan hurlers didn’t exactly set the world alight in 2020 – but context is everything and they’ll have been reasonably pleased with their performances, if not the outcome.

They finished second-from-bottom in their basement tier of the league (Division 3B), and dead last in the Lory Meagher Cup, but it was only their third year since they’ve returned to the intercounty scene after a long hiatus, and they’ve done enough to suggest that the overall project can still be a success.

With Antrim native Ollie Bellew in charge, they won a league encounter against Leitrim but lost their other three matches against Lancashire, Fermanagh and Sligo.

When the games recommenced after months in cold storage, the already limited Lory Meagher competition was condensed even further as GAA authorities decided against permitting Lancashire from entering the tournament due to the pandemic.

Cavan were able to benefit from Croke Park approved ‘guest’ players – in their case three players who hurl with Dublin superpower Cuala, namely  Brian Fitzgerald and brothers Colum and Cillian Sheanon.

The Breffni hurlers gave a great account of themselves, drawing against Fermanagh before losing narrowly to eventual champions Louth on a scoreline of 1-15 to 0-16. Brian Fitzgerald was particularly impressive in the scoring stakes, scoring nine points across their two matches.

The teams are so closely matched in the lowest-ranked league that it’s incredibly difficult to predict how it’ll all pan out.

Little will be expected of Cavan, but the main thing is that they avoid the wooden spoon.

That’s well within their capabilities, but the players themselves will be dreaming of something perhaps a little more noteworthy – even a middle table finish, or dare we say it, a place in the Lory Meagher Cup final.

That would be tremendous lift for the hurling in the county, but it’s easier said than done.

Bellew ready for round two 

Ollie Bellew is a man of his word anyway – prior to last year’s Lory Meagher competition, he said:  “Personally, being manager of Cavan is a massive, fantastic challenge and I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else at this point in time.”

And indeed, he’s back for a second year at the helm and he’ll be hoping to build on some of the progress of last year. They had a fair good turnout in training last year, with around 35 players, which suggests that players have taken to the Antrim native. The second season in charge usually brings with it heightened expectations, and he’ll be keen to notch up a few more wins as they only managed a solitary victory over Leitrim in the 2020 season.