Sunday April 2

Allianz Football League Division One

Roscommon v Cavan, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm

Avoiding a seventh straight loss is what already relegated Roscommon crave; Cavan want to preserve their top flight status.

Seanie Johnston nailed a pressure free to earn Cavan a vital point against Kerry last Sunday, it was another show of resilience from Mattie McGleenan’s team.

“I thought it was a fabulous football match, we showed again that we can compete at this level,” McGleenan commented following that stalemate. “I don’t care what anybody says, they may not have won the game, but they fought for it right until the end.

“And I’m delighted with the attitude, because that’s the main objective, to compete week in, week out. And it was another fantastic learning curve for us to take into the Championship. We have to prepare for Roscommon now, and see where that leaves us.”

Cavan have four points and a win in the Hyde would give them a real chance of staying up depending on how Mayo and Kerry fare elsewhere in the country.

It has been a significant learning spell for Roscommon’s youngsters, but manager Kevin McStay doesn’t want to leave Division One pointless.

“I know the patience is wearing thin at home,” McStay admits. “It’s a young team. They’re 22, 23 years of age. They’re three, four, five years behind these big teams in terms of conditioning.

“And people just have to hold their nerve and stay with it. If they want to chop and change and get rid of half them young fellas and bring back what? It doesn’t work like that.

“So we’ve moved on to a longer-term plan. Three years. I’ve spoken to the Board about it. That’s what I want to do. And it would be nice if people hold their nerve and stay with it. It is difficult, these experiences. They’re not simple ones, obviously.”

League Semi-Finalists in 2016, Roscommon will be in Division Two in 2018 so it has been a disappointing 12 months.

The Murtaghs and Smiths, though, are capable footballers so Roscommon will still feel that they can launch a serious bid for Connacht Championship honours in the summer.

This Sunday Cavan want to take a scalp on the road to boost their survival hopes so Roscommon will need to disturb Gearoid McKiernan, Dara McVeety, and Tomas Corrr, who have been in fine form.

ROSCOMMON: Colm Lavin; David Murray, John McManus, Niall McInerney; Seanie McDermott, Ultan Harney, Conor Devaney; Tadhg O'Rourke, Enda Smith; Fintan Cregg, Ciarain Murtagh, Donal Smith; Diarmuid Murtagh, Cathal Compton, Cian Connolly.

CAVAN: Raymond Galligan; Killian Brady, Rory Dunne, Fergal Reilly; Martin Reilly, Conor Moynagh, Ciaran Brady; Tomas Corr, Killian Clarke; Gerard Smith, Gearoid McKiernan, Dara McVeety; Niall Murray, Joe Dillon, Niall McDermott.