RTÉ GAA analyst Ryan McCluskey has said that Cavan will have no fear of their potentially decisive trip to face Armagh on Saturday evening.
Raymond Galligan's charges head to the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds knowing that a win would leave them in pole position to secure back-to-back promotions with a final Division 2 home game with Fermanagh to come.
For Kieran McGeeney’s side, a win would guarantee an instant return to Division 1 with Cavan then having to rely on Donegal dropping points in their final two games.
The two counties may not be traditional rivals, but their encounters have been spikey in recent times and with a huge crowd expected to attend, the ingredients are there for a blockbuster contest.
"Absolutely not," was the former Fermanagh player’s response when asked on the RTÉ GAA podcast would Cavan have any fear of the trip.
"They were so unfortunate against Meath the last day, although it probably was one of the most enthralling, error-ridden, worst games of football that I think I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
"They’ll not fear Armagh. They played Armagh in the Ulster championship last year and probably it was a bit of class from Rian O’Neill near the end that actually took the game away from Cavan.
"They’ll have no fear going to the Athletic Grounds at the weekend.
"Another Ulster derby, Division 2 is riddled with them this year, Division 2 has been brilliant."
That said, McCluskey believes that Armagh are a top-tier team operating lower than they should be.
"There’s a massive gulf between your likes of your top sides, your Kerrys, your Derry, your Dublin, your Mayos - I just think from those four backwards the gulf’s quite big between Division 2 and Division 1.
"Armagh, out of those sides, are a Division 1 side to be fair.
"Donegal are in transition, they've had that bounce from Jim McGuinness and his backroom team as well, but Fermanagh exposed them in so many areas."
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