Breffni full value for their win over Rebels in the Páirc
Cork 0-11 Cavan 0-14
CAVAN came to Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Sunday in Round 4 of the Allianz National Football League looking to keep their challenge at the top of division 2 firmly on course for a promotion place back to the top flight.
In their way, a Cork side still in transition, still without their Nemo stars and still looking to impress their loyal and at this stage it would be fair to say disheartened fans. This was the big game in this division last weekend with Cork favourites in the pre-game stakes – that said, right from the off it was clear that the visitors hadn’t read any script as they went straight for a home side that seemed ill equipped to deal with what the Ulster side brought to the party.
Cork’s Colm O’Neill showed early on that he had packed his shooting boots with a comfortable ‘45 to open the day’s scoring, but his next long range attempt slipped just wide before Cavan got into the groove.
It took Cavan all of nine minutes to bag their first score (Enda Flanagan), which levelled things up before centre-back Ciaran Brady put the visitors in front. Another quick score for the Ulster championship side saw them open up a two point gap as Cork struggled to get their hands on the ball for anything like a sustained period of time.
Clonakilty’s Sean White landed a tasty score to cut the gap as Cavan began to rack up a disappointing wides tally.
White brought proceedings level with a great score moments later which was set up by O’Neill as Cork began to show something like the side that manager Ronan McCarthy would have wanted to see.
Cavan again struck the lead with a close in free from Bryan Magee, but Mark Collins landed a beauty to once more bring parity to the scoreboard. Cork began to find their mojo again and a long range effort from Brian O’Driscoll put them back in front on this bitterly cold afternoon. That however was the end of the rebel competitiveness for a while as the men in blue took control.
Cavan showed they came to the Rebel County for the win as they firstly tied the game up before adding another score from Conor Moynagh to lead 0-6 to 0-5. Cavan had more chances to add to their tally however again some of their shooting in front of the posts was quite wasteful.
Cavan did open up a two point lead for the second time with a great score from midfielder Killian Clarke which was added to from a placed ball free from Caoimhin O’Reilly – his second to that point. Cavan cemented their later half dominance with a point from O’Reilly and led at the interval by a well-deserved four points 0-9 to 0-6.
Cork went to the bench at the break looking for some inspiration with Mallow’s Matthew Taylor, Carbery Rangers’ John O’Rourke, Ballincollig’s Cian Kiely and Kevin O’Driscoll from Tadgh McCarthaigh all making the restart 15.
Cork needed a good start if they were to get anything from this one, but it was the Cavan men that struck first to show double scores on the board. Cork’s first score didn’t come till 10 minutes after the game restarted as McCarthy’s charges continued to struggle all over the pitch.
Cavan managed to hold Cork at bay for the majority of the second period and never really looked like losing this one, in fact they could have had a goal late on when Thomas Galligan shot close in, but a two player save meant that at least the home side were spared the pain of seeing a green flag against them.
Although Cork had a good spell late on and got this one back to just three points Cavan were able to see this one through and were well worth the spoils on this particular day.
CORK: A Casey; S Ryan, J O’Sullivan, M McSweeney; K Crowley, B O’Driscoll (0-1), T Clancy (0-1); I Maguire, C O’Hanlon; K Flahive, S White (0-2), R Deane; M Hurley, C O’Neill (0-1’45), M Collins (0-2) Subs: J O’Rourke (0-2) for Hurley (ht), K O’Driscoll for Ryan (ht), C Kiely for Crowley (ht), M Taylor for O’Driscoll (ht), C Dorgan for O’Hanlon (54), S Sherlock (0-2) for O’Neill (60)
CAVAN: J Farrelly; D Phillips, P Faulkner, J McLoughlin; M Reilly, C Brady (0-1), E Flanagan (0-1); B Magee (0-1f), K Clarke (0-1; N Clerkin, C Moynagh (0-1), O Kiernan; D McVeety (0-1), A Cole (0-2), C O’Reilly (0-4, 2f) Subs: G McKiernan (0-1) for Clerkin (ht), S Murray for Moynagh, (45), C Mackey (0-1f) for O’Reilly (48), T Galligan for Magee (60), D Brady for Cole (62), Conor Brady for Ciaran Brady (72) (bc)
REFEREE: D Coldrick (Meath)