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Cork celebrate their recent Munster U21 triumph. INPHO/James Crombie
Rising Stars

9 things to know about Cork v Cavan – All Ireland U21FC semi final

Your Friday dose of U21 Gaelic football trivia concerning the Rebels and the Breffni county.

IT’S CORK AND Cavan who face off in the Cadbury’s All Ireland U21 football semi-final tomorrow.

Throw in at  O’Connor Park in Tullamore is at 3.45pm.

Here’s nine things to know about the clash between the Rebels and the Breffni county.

1. Cork boss John Cleary is quite proficient when it comes to winning medals in the U21 football grade. Between roles as a player, selector and manager with Rebels teams, he has been involved with three All-Ireland winning teams and 10 Munster winning sides.

All-Ireland: player (1984), selector (2007), manager (2009).

Munster: player (1982 and 1984), selector (2004-2007), manager (2009, 2011-2013).

2. Cavan U21 manager Peter Reilly was also an U21 player of note back in the day. In 1996 he captained a Cavan team that reached the All-Ireland where they were narrowly beaten 1-17 to 2-10 by a Kerry team inspired by Darragh Ó Sé.

Current Cavan selector Ronan Carolan was part of the county’s U21 team that reached the All-Ireland final in 1988. But free-scoring attacker Carolan missed that decider through injury, a factor that contributed to Cavan’s eventual defeat to Offaly by 0-10 to 0-8.

3. Given that both these counties have completed provincial three-in-a-row’s at U21 level, there must be some experienced campaigners in their ranks. That’s the case on the Cork side where there are five players – Damien Cahalane, Alan Cronin, Tom Clancy, Jamie Wall and John O’Rourke – who have started in their last three Munster U21 final wins.

Kevin Hallissey, who came on as a substitute in the recent Munster final, came on as a sub in the 2011 final and started in the 2012 decider. While Brian Hurley also has three Munster U21 medals, he has started the last two years and only missed out in 2011 through injury.

For Cavan, two of their players have started all nine Ulster championship matches since 2011, Feargal Flanagan and Jack Brady. Turloc Mooney came on as a sub in 2011 in all games, including the All-Ireland final against Galway, but missed out altogether in 2012 due to a cruciate ligament injury. He would have been a certain starter.

Cavan’s Jack Brady
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

4. Is this a Golden Age for Cavan football? Consider the fact that prior to April 2011, Cavan had won four Ulster titles at any level in 431 months – which is just under 36 years. They have now won four provincial crowns in the last 25 months (threee U21, 2011-13 and one minor 2011).

5. Cork U21 Luke Connolly was in action for the UCC team that reached this year’s Sigerson Cup final. They beat an Athlone IT side that featured Cavan’s Killian Clarke at the semi-final stage. Last year Cavan’s Jack Brady was part of the DCU side that won the Sigerson Cup.

6. These Cavan and Cork players have decent football family links.  First up Cavan. Paul and Andy Graham are brothers of Ulster U21 and senior medallist Mickey. Jack Brady is a grand-nephew of 1960′s Cavan star John Joe O’Reilly.

Full-forward Paul O’Connor is a first cousin of Mayo senior Cillian O’Connor while Conor Finnegan is a nephew of European Cross Country champion Catherina McKiernan.

For Cork, defender Damien Cahalane is the son of former county senior football great Niall. Alan Cadogan is a younger brother of current Cork senior footballer Eoin. Finally Brian O’Driscoll’s older brothers Kevin and Colm played on the Cork side that won the 2009 All-Ireland final against Down with Colm grabbing the match-winning goal in injury-time in that game.

Cork’s Alan Cadogan
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

7. Several members of the Cork squad are quite adept at hurling as well. Damien Cahalane lined out for Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s Cork senior side last season. Alan Cadogan, Jamie Wall and Kevin Hallissey have all featured for Cork sides at minor hurling level. Wall started for the Mary Immaculate College side that reached this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup final but they lost to a UCC side that featured Mark Sugrue in their panel.

8. Key Cavan defender Jason McLoughlin has spent most of the year on Erasmus in Spain and returned home frequently in the season for matches. They have needed his input as DCU student Conor Moynagh, who was centre-back for the U21′s last year and is still eligibile for the U21 grade next year, has been reduced to substitute appearances this year due to a foot injury.

9. The Cavan squad may not have any All-Ireland medals to their name but the county’s strength and conditioning coach Peter Donnelly has plenty honours. He has All-Ireland senior, minor and U21 medals with his club Tyrone and a county SFC medal with his home club Coalisland.

Former Tyrone footballer and current Cavan coach Peter Donnelly.
Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Here’s how Cavan, Cork, Galway & Kildare reached the All-Ireland U21FC semi-finals