McStay off the hook as Rossies rule
KEVIN McStay admitted he gambled with Roscommon’s tactics and lost, allowing Cavan to pinch two early goals that set in motion an absorbing Division 2 League final.
Roscommon fought back from the bad start and matched Cavan’s four goals on the day, though had a mountain to climb after conceding two in the first eight minutes.
Manager McStay admitted he considered starting Niall Kilroy as a sweeper but didn’t and that it was a mistake which almost cost them silverware. Roscommon’s livewire forwards eventually bailed their boss out by scoring four second-half goals and opening up with some terrific football at times.
‘We didn’t play a sweeper for the first quarter and we paid a heavy price for it,’ said McStay. ‘There’s nobody infallible around here.
‘We made a mistake. Well, in hindsight it’s easy to say we made an error but our tackling wasn’t good enough either. But to be fair, we had the insurance policy of Niall and we didn’t use it. It was only after the second goal we had to cash in our chips and do it.’
McStay’s admission was another intriguing angle to an incredible game that swung over and back throughout. Cavan, showed their thirst for a battle by somehow sticking with Roscommon at the end of the first half despite scoring just five times, and hitting only a point from play.
A third goal from captain Dara McVeety in the 27th minute left Cavan with 3-2 to Roscommon’s 0-12 at the interval.
Roscommon had scored eight points in a row at one stage and kept Cavan scoreless for 19 minutes but still led by just one.
The Connacht champions were better in the second half and hit the goal trail themselves, with Kilroy and David Murray blasting 45th and 46th-minute majors.
Cathal Cregg then added two more after coming on, while Roscommon’s bench yielded 2-4.
Still nothing was guaranteed until the full-time whistle because Cavan raised another green flag themselves through Enda Flanagan.
They should have scored a fifth in the 58th minute but Conor Devaney, the Roscommon captain and Man of the Match who finished with 0-3, pulled off an expert last ditch tackle to deny Stephen Murray.
Substitute Seanie Johnston hit his fourth point in the 73rd minute to leave three between them but Cregg, who hit 2-1, bagged an insurance point.
There was bad news for Cavan as McVeety, who oozed class and scored 1-3 from play, pulled his hamstring and is doubtful now for their Ulster Championship clash with Donegal on May 13.
‘It’s probably a grade two or three tear which is four to six weeks,’ said Cavan manager Mattie McGleenan. ROSCOMMON: J Featherston; P Domican, C Daly (N McInerney h-t), D Murray; F Lennon (I Kilbride 67), U Harney, B Stack (N Daly 61); T O’Rourke (E Smith 47), C Compton (O O’Rourke 54); C Murtagh, N Kilroy, C Devaney; D Smith, C Lennon (C Cregg 52), D Murtagh. Scorers: C Cregg 2-1, N Kilroy 1-1, D Murtagh 0-4 (2f), D Murray 1-0, C Devaney, D Smith 0-3, C Murtagh (1f), N McInerney, E Smith,I Kilbride 0-1. CAVAN: R Galligan; K Clarke, P Faulkner, J McLoughlin (N Clerkin h-t); M Reilly, E Flanagan (S Murray 51), O Kiernan; G McKiernan, B Magee (N Murray 29); C Mackey, C Bradley (C Madden 51), C Brady; C O’Reilly (S Johnston h-t), D McVeety (C Moynagh 62), A Cole. Scorers: D McVeety 1-3, S Johnston 0-4 (3f), M Reilly, E Flanagan, C Bradley 1-0, R Galligan (1 ’45), C O’Reilly (1f), G McKiernan (1f), C Brady, P Faulkner 0-1. Referee: S Hurson