Cavan’s rise continues as Shauna Lynch eyes Division Two title boost

Michael Bolton

Promotion secured and a Division Two final to come -  it is all smiles for Cavan and Shauna Lynch ahead of this weekend.

Finishing top with a game to spare, Cavan were one of the stories of the league campaign, as they take on Donegal at St Tiernan's Park in Clones on Saturday.

After winning Division Three last year, it's back-to-back promotions for Cavan.

Speaking ahead of the finals, Cavan captain Lynch says they have learned a lot from last season.

"I think our buildup from last year had a big impact on us this year.

"We got into a habit of winning, and winning quite well. You are coming up to Division Two, you are definitely playing stronger teams, and we are winning games.

"We had done quite well last year until the All-Ireland series. You progress as a team, and I would like to think we have learned a lot from last year."

Following league and provincial success last season, the All-Ireland series did not go to plan as they were defeated in the quarter-finals by Westmeath.

However, topping a Division Two table that included the likes of Mayo, Tyrone, and Tipperary, underlined Cavan's progress and proved they can compete with some of the supposedly more established names in senior football.

The likes of Kerry, Armagh, and Galway have shown how winning Division Two can be a good platform for the championship, and Lynch hopes it will be the same for Cavan.

"It is such a competitive league,  and it will make you strong as a team.

"We sat in Division Two for years and couldn't get out of it; it is always so competitive. You see the likes of Mayo and Tyrone dropping down, I am sure they would have been gunning to get back up to Division One, but they couldn't.

"I think winning becomes a habit, and when you are winning, you just want to win more. It will stand to us going into the first round of Ulster."