# 2023 Cavan county football team season

The 2023 season was the Cavan county football team's fifth season under manager Mickey Graham. They competed in the third division of the National Football League, having been promoted as champions from Division 4 in 2022. They also competed in the Dr McKenna Cup, Ulster Championship, and the Tailteann Cup.

## Dr McKenna Cup

The draw for the Dr McKenna Cup was made on 13 December 2022. Cavan were drawn in Section C with Armagh and Antrim. Cavan opened the competition with a seven-point win over Antrim in Portglenone. Cavan won their second match against Armagh, reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2016. Cavan faced Tyrone in the semi-final, with the Red Hands reaching the final after a five-point win.

### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PR | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Cavan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 21 | 1.571 | 4 | Advance to semi-final |
| 2 | Armagh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 31 | 1.226 | 2 | |
| 3 | Antrim | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 42 | 0.548 | 0 | |

### Knockout stage
## National Football League Division 3

Cavan competed in the third division in 2023, having been promoted as champions from Division 4 in 2022. The opening round was a rematch of the 2022 Tailteann Cup final, with Cavan travelling to Mullingar to face Westmeath. Cavan started the league with a three-point win. Cavan won all three of their February matches, beginning with a twelve-point home win over Tipperary on 5 February, and followed this up with another win at the same venue against Longford two weeks later. A seven-point win away to Offaly kept Cavan at the top of the table with four wins from four. On 5 March, Cavan extended their winning run with a comfortable win over Down, all but securing promotion. Cavan suffered their first defeat against Antrim on 18 March, but with results going their way were promoted with a game to spare. Cavan ended the league with a defeat at home to neighbours Fermanagh, who joined the Breffni men in the league final. Cavan won the final by 0–16 to 1–7, claiming back-to-back league titles.

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Fermanagh | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 94 | +20 | 12 | Advance to NFL Division 3 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 2 |
| 2 | Cavan | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 130 | 94 | +36 | 10 | Advance to NFL Division 3 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 2 |
| 3 | Down | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 129 | 114 | +15 | 10 | |
| 4 | Westmeath | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 135 | 79 | +56 | 8 | |
| 5 | Offaly | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 105 | 115 | −10 | 8 | |
| 6 | Antrim | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 124 | 158 | −34 | 4 | |
| 7 | Longford | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 104 | 142 | −38 | 3 | Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 4 |
| 8 | Tipperary | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 83 | 128 | −45 | 1 | Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 4 |

### League Final
## Ulster Senior Football Championship

The draw for the provincial championships took place on 15 October 2022. Cavan were drawn to face the winners of the preliminary round match between Armagh and Antrim. Armagh won the preliminary round match to meet Cavan the quarter-finals. The match took place on 22 April in Kingspan Breffni. Armagh won the match by 1–14 to 0–12, sending Cavan to the Tailteann Cup.

### Championship draw

| Preliminary roundvte | Preliminary roundvte | Preliminary roundvte | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals | Quarter-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | Fermanagh | Fermanagh | 2–8 | | | | | | |
| | | | Derry | Derry | 3–17 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Derry | Derry | 1–21 | | | |
| | | | | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 2–10 | | | |
| | | | Tyrone | Tyrone | 1–18 | | | | | | |
| | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 2–17 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Derry | Derry | 1–15 (3) |
| | | | | | | | | | Armagh | Armagh | 0–18 (1) |
| | | | Down | Down | 2–13 | | | | | | |
| | | | Donegal | Donegal | 1–11 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Down | Down | 0–12 | | | |
| | | | | | | Armagh | Armagh | 4–10 | | | |
| | | | Cavan | Cavan | 0–12 | | | | | | |
| Armagh | Armagh | 0–20 | Armagh | Armagh | 1–14 | | | | | | |
| Antrim | Antrim | 1–8 | | | | | | | | | |

### Matches
## Tailteann Cup

The draw for the group stage of the Tailteann Cup took place on 2 May 2023. Cavan were drawn into Group 1 with Offaly, Laois and London. Cavan opened the group stage with a nine-point home win over Laois. This was followed up with a six-point win away to London. Cavan ended the group stage with a sixteen-point win over Offaly, sealing their place in the quarter-finals. Cavan were drawn against Down in the quarter-finals. Cavan's season came to an end as Down were five-point winners.

### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Cavan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 44 | +31 | 6 | Advance to quarter-final |
| 2 | Offaly | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 56 | −7 | 3 | Advance to preliminary quarter-final |
| 3 | Laois | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 2 | Advance to preliminary quarter-final |
| 4 | London | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 43 | 58 | −15 | 1 | |
| Pos | Grp | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | 4 | Wexford | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 3 | Advance to preliminary quarter-final |
| 2 | 3 | Longford | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 2 | Advance to preliminary quarter-final |
| 3 | 1 | Laois | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 2 | Advance to preliminary quarter-final |
| 4 | 2 | Tipperary | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 62 | −28 | 2 | |