Tailteann Cup favourites Cavan out to build on strong Ulster Championship showing says Killian Clarke

When the field was confirmed for the inaugural Tailteann Cup, Cavan were the consensus favourites.

The 2020 Ulster champions' poor league form in recent years saw them drop to Division 4. And their failure to reach this year's provincial decider ensured they would be competing in the second tier competition this summer.

Nonetheless, Mickey Graham's charges could take major positives from their Ulster campaign, which ended with a spirited display against Donegal.

"We did a lot of things well that day," said Killian Clarke, reflecting on the performance against Donegal. "There's still a few things we need to tweak, [Shaun] Patton was getting his kick-outs away very easy that day, something we probably need to have a look at. Even on our own kick-out, where we were getting it, we probably wanted to go a wee bit longer than what we actually did.

"It was easy to breakdown for Donegal, I think they sat back in the second half and soaked up a lot more pressure, in comparison to the free-flowing game you were seeing in the first half. Yeah, there's a few things we need to work on, hopefully we can iron out them for the Tailteann Cup."

Despite their lowly National League status, the former Ireland international rules representative feels that the basement tier had its advantages for Cavan.

"Going from Division 4 you can work on a few bits and pieces and there's maybe not as much pressure on you as you might associate with a Division 1 game," he outlined.

"You can't really be blooding new blood in if the game is in the melting pot. With some of the games we had in Division 4 we were able to run a few more subs in and maybe get a few more minutes under the belt and take a bit of pressure off from a physical point of view. There's not so much of an onus then on boys carrying knocks and that. It's good in that sense."

Paddy Lynch is one player who has made a name for himself.

"Paddy has been excellent all year. He's been chipping in with a few points, taking a bit of the burden away from Gearoid [McKiernan], who in latter years he's been carrying a lot of that scoring threat for us," he said.

"They're spreading it around a wee bit more with the likes of James Smith inside and Paddy Lynch as well, even Cian Madden coming in at half-forward and the likes of Cian Reilly coming in at corner-back and a few of the U-20s have been in training with us as well."

As they start their Tailteann Cup campaign against Down on Saturday, the Breffni County are gunning to deliver more silverware.

"We're always looking to improve as a panel and as a squad. Hopefully we'll use it as a bit of a stepping stone for next year, get a few more minutes under younger lads as well especially," the Shercock man said.

"Hopefully if you make it to the latter stages we'll be on the main stage here in HQ, and get a few more minutes on the Croke Park turf wouldn't do anyone any harm."

And despite winning an Ulster title so recently, Cavan will still embrace the challenge.

"I think the Cavan players themselves, we need to have that mindset going into it that it's an opportunity," Clarke stated.

"We're here because we've performed poorly over the last number of years and we need to see it as an opportunity to develop as players and to develop on the big stage.

"Where it ranks in comparison to an Ulster Championship, I don't know, if you asked me would I rather win an Ulster Championship or win a Tailteann Cup, it's a fairly straight answer for me all the same. But it's definitely something we'd be targeting and looking to go after."