By Michael McMullan

CAVAN have secured promotion back to Division Two but Lauren McVeety is expecting another close battle with Monaghan in the Ulster Championship semi-final this Sunday.

McVeety hit their first goal to help see off Wexford in the league decider and she puts their 2025 form down to a blend of returning players, their experienced heads and some young blood coming in from underage.

“From the beginning of the year, in our in-house games, you’re thinking there’s a big push for places,” the Crosserlough player said of the early signs of hope.

Relegation cut deep. As would be expected. When the wagons were circled this season, there was a belief of bouncing back.

With players pushing for starting jerseys, drive turned into momentum and then into a winning habit.

A defeat to Wexford was a “blip” with the regret of not doing themselves justice. By the rematch in the final, Cavan turned the tables.

Promotion is about consistency. Goals and talk doesn’t cut it. Winning games is all that matters and Cavan’s focus had them promoted with some to spare.

“We want to be playing at the highest level at all stages during the year, so from league to championship,” McVeety said.

While Monaghan have had a five-week layoff since their final league game and a chance to fully focus on Cavan, McVeety is still happy to have a shorter window and another competitive game added in.

“I have to say I think this is probably the most enjoyable year I’ve had with county,” said McVeety, who didn’t play last year after five consecutive seasons in blue before that. This season feels like a fresh start.

“There’s a lot more younger players in, but we still have a lot of the girls who were there when I was playing previously.

“I’m absolutely loving it. It’s so enjoyable. The trainings are tough, but it’s competitive. The atmosphere is just brilliant within the squad and I think that makes a big difference. Hopefully that can continue on for the next few years.”

As for the short term and this weekend’s championship joust with Monaghan, McVeety doesn’t need any reminders about who and what is in the opposition corner.

Between county games and her time with Loreto College Cavan, they’ve always ran into Monaghan teams in crunch games. That’s how it seems.

“I’d say we’ve met them every year, we know each other very well and there’s definitely that rivalry there,” she said. “The great thing is the games are always evenly matched and it’s going to be very difficult to call this one.

“They’re playing at Division Two, playing the likes of Galway and Cork, which is obviously at a higher standard than where we were this year.

“We definitely have our work cut out for us. We’ll have to match their work rate and their intensity.

“I’m really looking forward to it but we are definitely two teams that are very familiar with each other.”