Sheanon free earns Cavan a draw

FERMANAGH and Cavan played out an entertaining draw in round one of the Lory Meagher Cup and both sides will believe they could have claimed the two points on offer.

Cavan were six points up at one stage thanks to two first-half goals, but Fermanagh goalkeeper Colum McPhillips will have been disappointed with both. A long free from John Sheanon ended up in the Fermanagh net for the first, while Sean Keating reacted quickest to f lick home the second goal.

The home side reduced the deficit to just four points at the break thanks mainly to the shooting of John Duffy and Shea Curran. By the midway point of the second half, the home side had restored parity but thanks to the accuracy of Sheanon from frees and Keating from play, Cavan regained their advantage.

A pivotal score came with just ten minutes left to play as Fermanagh took the lead with a crisp finish to the net from Ciaran Rafferty but Cavan battled back to equalise through Anthony Sheridan.

Shea Curran twice thought that he had given Fermanagh the win with brilliant strikes, but Cavan were defiant and ensured the draw with Keating scoring from play and Sheanon converting a free.

SCORERS – Fermanagh: J Duffy 0-9 (3 ’65, 4f), S Curran 0-8 (4f), C Rafferty 1-0, T Cleary, R Bogue 0-1 each. Cavan: J Sheanon 1-6f, S Keating 1-3; P Brady, Colum Sheanon , K Conneely 0-2 each; A Sheridan 0-1. FERMANAGH – C McPhillips 5; A Breslin 7, M Slevin 7, D Russell 7; C Rafferty 8, B Duffy 7, D Bannon 7; J Duffy 8, R Bogue 7; S Curran 8, T Cleary 7, C McShea 7; R Porteous 6, JP McGarry 6, A McShea 6. Subs:

B McPhillips 6 for Porteous (40), O Russell 6 for A McShea (61), O Mahon 6 for Bannon (65).

CAVAN– D Sheridan 7; N Neary 7, M Hayes 7, M Moffett 6; R O’Hagan, P Sheridan 8, M Hynes 7; J Sheanon 8, N Browne 6; Colum Sheanon 7, K Conneely, J Crowe 6; Cillian Sheanon 6, S Keating, P Brady 7. Subs: C Wall 6 for Crowe (h-t), F Hughes 6 for C Sheanon (55), A Sheridan 6 for Browne (62). REF– J Connors (Donegal)