‘COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I’M LUCKY’
Cavanagh injured amid carnage on Tyrone’s club scene
FORMER Tyrone All-Star Sean Cavanagh has been left with multiple facial injuries – including a broken nose – which led to him being hospitalised after an incident in a club championship game between Moy and Edendork.
An image was shared on social media showing Cavanagh’s bloodied face before the five-time All-Star confirmed the graphic nature of his injuries yesterday afternoon.
“Thanks for all the messages. Released from hospital with a bad concussion, broken nose and extensive facial injuries but could have been much worse. I’m lucky,” Cavanagh tweeted.
There was a remarkable 27 cards brandished by referee Kieran Eanetta in the game, 20 yellow, 6 red and 1 black. According to one observer, nobody received a card of any colour following the incident which led to Cavanagh’s injuries.
The red cards were shared evenly between the sides; county stars Colm Cavanagh and Harry Loughran were among those to receive their marching orders in a game which saw Cavanagh’s Moy side beaten 0-10 to 0-9 as Edendork progressed to the second round.
The incident and subsequent scrutiny will be very unwelcome for Tyrone GAA, who were already being put under pressure to investigate a mass brawl that occurred in the county’s Intermediate championship on Friday evening.
The clash between Stewartstown and Strabane was edging towards the end of normal time when the incident involving upwards of 30 players and officials broke out.
Stewartstown won the game after extra-time by 1-19 to 2-13.
Elsewhere in Tyrone’s Senior championship, Trillick produced a controlled performance and strong finish to see off Donaghmore at Healy Park by 2-11 to 1-7.
They got off to the perfect start with a brilliant 10th-minute goal when Mattie Donnelly’s surging run through the middle set Ryan Gray up for a thunderous finish to the net.
Lee Brennan converted a handful of frees to give them a 1-5 to 0-2 lead, but Donaghmore sparked their challenge late in the opening half, with scores from Tiarnan Drayne, Dan Toner and Deasun Quinn.
Trillick subsequently led by 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval, before two more Brennan frees stretched the advantage just after the break.
Veteran attacker Niall Gormley then came off the bench to smash home a second goal to settle the issue, with Donaghmore’s goal coming from a Philip Donnelly penalty deep into stoppage time.
Galbally scored a thrilling 3-15 to 2-13 extra-time victory over Pomeroy in Dunmoyle to qualify for the quarter-final.
Elsewhere Tyrone attacker Connor McAliskey suffered a broken ankle in a club championship match last night.
McAliskey, the Red Hands’ top scorer in the provincial and All-Ireland series this year, sustained the break midway through the second half of Clonoe’s clash with Ardboe.
It’s the latest setback for the 26-year-old, who missed last season with a ruptured cruciate.
And his side lost the game by 2-9 to 1-11 to an Ardboe side inspired by former Tyrone attackers Shay McGuigan and Kyle Coney, who scored 1-6 between them. In the Armagh senior football championship, Madden continued to make headway by beating Dromintee by 1-15 to 1-14 while Harps beat Granemore 1-15 to 0-11.
In the Derry senior hurling championship semi-finals, champions Slaughtneil survived a scare at the hands of Dungiven when they clung on to win by 1-14 to 1-13 while Banagher proved too strong for Lavey, coming out 3-16 to 2-14 winners.
Ballymun and St Jude’s confirmed their places in the last eight of the Dublin senior football championship following yesterday’s final round of group games.
Kickhams recorded a three-point victory (2-13 to 1-13) over Castleknock, with Dean Rock netting in the latter stages of the first half to swing the contest the hosts’ way, as they took a 1-7 to 0-7 lead they never surrendered.
DUBLIN SFC QUARTER-FINAL DRAW: Ballyboden St Enda’s v Na Fianna; St Vincent’s v Castleknock; St Sylvester’s v Kilmacud Crokes; St Jude’s v Ballymun Kickhams.