Magee stars for clinical Cavan

THREE second-half goals worked the oracle for Cavan as they extended their unbeaten run.

Despite making a poor start, Louth played their best football in the opening half but they quickly lost their way before slumping to a second consecutive defeat.

Cavan were spring-heeled early on and dominated the opening 17 minutes by which time they led by 0-8 to 0-2.

Louth improved in the second quarter and were only two points (0-8 to 0-10) adrift at the interval but it was all too easy for the hosts after the break.

It wasn’t until the 74th minute when substitute Ciaran Downey split the posts that the visitors notched their first and only score from play in the second half.

Earlier, Declan Byrne’s 10th-minute point cut Cavan’s lead to two points (0-4 to 0-2) but a brace of Martin Reilly points helped give the hosts to a six-point cushion.

A converted free by Louth’s top scorer Ryan Burns made it a one-point game for only the second time in the match three minutes into the second half.

However, once rookie midfielder Bryan Magee found the net on 40 minutes to make it 1-14 to 0-9, Louth fell apart.

Cavan’s confidence visibly grew and Cian Mackey showed his value off the bench by rifling over a hat-trick of textbook points as Louth looked to top-scorer Burns to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

As things panned out, a classy side-footed goal by Ciaran Brady on 54 minutes left 12 points between the sides with just Burns’s free-taking keeping the score respectable.

Cavan showed a killer instinct on the night and Niall Clerkin’s close-range finish ended a great night for the unbeaten Breffni men.