DOWN IN THE DUMPS SLOWING GAME
CAVAN got the better of Down for the third time in 2018 with a one-point win in yesterday’s Mckenna Cup opener.
New Breffni boss Mickey Graham (above) – who is still double-jobbing with Longford club and Leinster giant-killers Mullinalaghta – got his Cavan reign off to a flier with a 0-13 to 1-9 win at Kingspan Breffni.
Conor Madden snatched the winning point in the fourth minute of injury-time to inflict an opening day defeat on new Down manager Paddy Tally.
Cavan also won a Division Two league clash against Down in the spring and a fiery All-ireland qualifier in Enniskillen in the summer.
Down had the better of the first half and led right up until a Raymond Galligan free brought Cavan level for the first time.
The visitors had raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 with frees from Rory Mason and goalie Rory Burns plus points from Aaron Mcclements and Pat Havern.
Mason also hit the post for the Mournemen while Cavan stayed in touch with points from established stars Niall Murray and Ciaran Brady.
Cavan ‘keeper Raymond Galligan’s frees helped them level it up at 0-6 apiece. That was the first of five points in a row for the Breffni boys who raced into a 0-11 to 0-6 lead, on target through Ciaran Brady, Conor Madden and a Stephen Smith free.
Down full-forward Pat Havern slotted home a penalty in the 56th minute to spark a mini Down revival. Suddenly out of nowhere they were level with Ciaran Harney and Conor Mcgrady points levelling it up at 0-11 to 1-8.
Jack Brady edged Cavan ahead again and while
Down newcomer Mcgrady responded in injury-time, there was still time for Madden to land the winner. MAN OF THE MATCH
Ciaran Thompson
(right) hit 0-4 as holders Donegal beat Queen’s University
0-21 to 0-11 in Ballybofey.
It was a first game for new assistant Donegal manager Stephen
Rochford. The hosts led by
0-13 to
0-5 at half-time.
Westmeath Offaly
0-11 0-11 WESTMEATH boss Jack Cooney feels the handpass limit is slowing the game down after seeing his side snatch a draw with Offaly.
Paddy Fagan (below), who impressed with 0-4 in all, hit a late equaliser on Saturday to ensure a share of the spoils at St Loman’s in Mullingar and keeps Westmeath in with a shout of reaching the Bord Na Mona O’byrne Cup semi-finals as they welcome Kildare to The Downs next Sunday.
Offaly had the better of the first half, leading 0-6 to 0-4 at the break, and while Westmeath got a strong impact from their bench to move two in front in the second half, the visitors pushed ahead again before Fagan’s equaliser two minutes into injury time.
Having beaten Carlow earlier this month, it was Westmeath’s second exposure to the experimental rules in a competitive setting and the game was notable for a number of short kickpasses in situations when players would ordinarily opt to play the ball through the hand.
“You’re just trying to adapt, it’s a different thought process now,” said Cooney. “You’re very conscious of the three handpasses, of trying to maintain possession and of having lads in the right position to take a kick pass.
“As you can see out there, a lot of the kickpasses are short, a lot of kickpasses
FULL WEEKEND RESULTS
O’byrne Cup round 2 Westmeath 0-11 Offaly 0-11 Louth 1-17 Wicklow 1-9
Cavan 0-13 Down 1-9 Donegal 0-21 Queen’s 0-11 Monaghan 1-20 Antrim 1-12 Munster SHL Round 1 Clare 1-20 Cork 0-21
are backward or lateral.
“It probably slows up the game quite a bit, it allows the opposition to kind of filter back. Three handpasses, it’s a completely different mindset to approach the game.”
While fixing pre-season games in December has been maligned in some quarters, Cooney welcomed the opportunity to run the rule over his players.
“The O’byrne Cup for us, this side of January, has been great. It’s two games, it’s a great opportunity for lads.
“We got to see more players today, on top of the Carlow game, and we’re delighted with that. I’m delighted with their attitude.”
Fagan’s leveller put paid to Offaly’s slim chances of progressing in the competition having already been heavily beaten by Kildare but their manager John Maughan acknowledged an improved level of performance here.
He said: “Obviously there’s a lot of work to be done.. and that’ll happen over time hopefully but it’s very early days.” Maughan hopes to be able to call on key pair Peter Cunningham and Eoin Carroll for the start of the League in late January.