IT'S not a reflection on his composed full-back play to say that Kevin Cahill's timing was a bit awry. Having missed the minor grade altogether, he made his senior championship debut in 1993 and finished his debut season with the notorious thrashing sustained by Mayo against Cork in that year's All-Ireland semi-final.

From then on, things got worse with Leitrim beating Mayo in the following year's Connacht final and Galway repeating the dose, more severely, 12 months later. His acquaintance with inter-county having got off to a dispiriting start as part of a struggling team, he hardly expected his season to be still alive at this stage of 1996

John O'Mahony, the former Mayo and Leitrim manager, is a clubmate of Cahill's in Ballaghderreen and remembers his progress.

"He came on the scene in '93 and came to prominence with the club in the intermediate final in 1992. He was also a student at Sligo RTC and got a lot of good, competitive winter football. Although he wasn't a minor, he was noticed playing colleges for St Nathy's (Ballaghderreen). He would be similar to Noel Durcan (also from the town and member of the 1989 All-Ireland final team, managed by O'Mahony) who never played minor either."

In common with Meath's full back Darren Fay, Cahill is a big player with a preference for the more modern style of racing his marker for the ball and tracking him, rather than the traditional virtues of high catching.

"He has great speed to the ball," says O'Mahony. "He's not a huge catcher, but is quick. He can play in the corner and in the semi-final moved there leaving Ken Mortimer to follow Dara O Cinneide. His speed over five yards is his strength. He tends to bat down the ball and often runs onto the breaks himself - it's both his style and a weakness. He has a good temperament and never gets involved in anything messy. Brendan Reilly should suit him."

His performances this summer have encompassed well-known full-forwards, most recently Kerry's Liam Hassett and in the Connacht final, Jarlath Fallon. Cahill played well on both occasions and was happy to follow his man away from the square.

One striking aspect of the Mayo defence is its adaptability. Cahill can play in front of or beside his usual position whereas Pat Holmes offers the option of dropping back to the corner from wing back.

"Jacko (O'Shea) showed a lot of faith in him in his first year," says O'Mahony, "and he held his court fairly well that year." The high-point was the Connacht final that year. He destroyed Lorcan Dowd who had gone into the final with a big reputation and had been man-of-the-match against Leitrim in the semi-final, having outplayed Mickey Quinn. Cahill didn't give him a kick.

"In the famous 20-point semi-final (Mayo lost to Cork by 20 points), he played quite well, although John O'Driscoll got a goal at the end."

Although he is suited to other positions, Cahill's future is likely to be tied up on the edge of the square. "Full back is where he would have normally played. He's adaptable, has marked David Brady at midfield in senior county championship and would be good at centre back but being a mobile full back is his niche."

His meeting with Brendan Reilly presents Cahill with the most dangerous scoring full forward he has faced so far. His speed will cut down on the space available for Reilly, but he will know that each slip can be costly.