BREFFNI BOYS CAN ‘WIN UGLY’
IT MIGHT have been dubbed ‘winning ugly’ by Cavan manager Mattie McGleenan, but his team’s superiority at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday could not be denied.
Cavan advanced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead early on as Oisín Kiernan, Ciarán Brady and Caoimhín O’Reilly got on the score sheet.
Cork then responded to lead 0-5 to 0-4 with Seán White and Mark Collins impressing. Unfortunately for the hosts, they would never have the advantage thereafter.
Dara McVeety’s run and point started a streak of five unanswered Cavan points as the Breffni County took a 0-9 to 0-5 lead into half-time. That advantage could have been stretched even further on the resumption but Conor Moynagh shot wide after McVeety had played him in.
John O’Rourke — one of four Cork half-time substitutes — made his presence felt on the scoreboard with two points but there was never any real concern that Cavan would lose their grip on the game.
The visitors were able to get scores when required, with Enda Flanagan and sub Gearóid McKiernan on target while full-forward Adrian Cole weighed in with two.
Another Cork sub, Stephen Sherlock, also recorded a brace. A score from wing-back Tomás Clancy reduced the deficit to three points in injury time.
Cavan’s clean sheet was never in any doubt as Cork struggled to create a goalscoring opening.
At the other end, Cavan should have netted at least one of two late chances, with sub Thomas Galligan and Martin Reilly denied by goal line blocks from Ruairí Deane and Clancy respectively.
Cavan boss McGleenan rued some missed first-half chances but was happy his side’s profligacy did not cost them. ‘I suppose first half I felt we had worked the wind very well but we missed a lot of chances that could have made things better at half-time,’ McGleenan said.
‘In the second half, I thought Cork were immense. They kept coming at us. We’ve been very lucky in the scoring we’ve had in the last couple of games.
‘Today was about coming out of Cork with a win. Sometimes, winning ugly is as good as anything.’
McGleenan believes his side will need to become more ruthless come the Ulster championship this summer.
‘We’re delighted to not concede any goals,’ he said.
‘Yes, we created a couple of good chances, but you have to take them at this level.
‘Come championship, you have to take those opportunities.
Cork manager Ronan McCarthy acknowledged that his team’s display hadn’t been up to scratch.
‘It was disappointing,’ he said. ‘We knew it was a big game. It was a very poor performance.’