Cavan end 70-year drought
CAVAN ended their Croke Park hoodoo in beating adversaries Tipperary and claiming the Division 4 title.
While some Breffni fans may have deemed this ‘just’ a basement title, it was Cavan’s first national success at HQ at senior level since the 1952 All-Ireland final.
And it would have helped to ease the pain of being relegated in 2021 just months after winning the
Ulster title.
Cavan had won just once in their last 10 trips to Croker and Mickey Graham’s troops did it the hard way against a Tipp side who had beaten them in the group three weeks ago.
Key to Cavan’s triumph was a twogoal haul from young attacker Paddy Lynch, who raised green flags in each half and was a constant menace.
At half-time, Cavan were ahead by a point, 1-5 to 0-7, thanks to Lynch’s first goal on 24 minutes. That major had put four between the teams but Tipp would finish the half strongly, with Mark Russell kicking three sublime points from the right wing.
Conor Moynagh opened the scoring for Cavan but Tipp were soon ahead through Conor Sweeney (free) and Mikey O’Shea.
Lynch gathered a Jason McLoughlin pass and converted a mark, but Tipperary nudged in front again with a 40-metre effort from Teddy Doyle.
Gearoid McKiernan (free) and Lynch raised further white flags and when Cavan, playing against the wind, found the net through Lynch, they were in command.
But Tipp came roaring back through Russell’s three, and a Jack Kennedy free and Galligan’s free was all that separated them at the midway point.
On the resumption, Conor Sweeney and Mikey O’Shea pointed but Cavan pulled two back quickly from Padraig Faulkner and a fisted
Cian Madden point. Sweeney bagged another two scores from play as Tipp hit the front with 20 minutes to go. James Smith sent over a good score for Cavan but a fourth from Russell nudged them in front again. And when Kevin Fahey thumped over a big score, Tipperary were in the box seat.
But back came Cavan. Stephen Smith threaded over a well-taken score and Lynch converted a pressure free. Then, after a brave Jason McLoughlin interception, the 22-year-old attacker raised his second green flag to make it 2-10 to 0-13 with seven minutes remaining.
In the closing minutes, Cavan forced numerous turnovers but struggled to convert.
Impressive Tipperary captain Sweeney knocked over two frees, either side of Quirke’s powerful attempt which shook the crossbar, but Cavan held on for a timely boost ahead of their championship opener against Antrim on April 23.
cavan: R Galligan, L Fortune, P Faulkner, K Brady (C Brady 47), J McLoughlin, C Moynagh, G Smith (Conor Madden 60), J Smith, K Clarke, T Galligan, G McKiernan, Cian Madden (C O’Reilly 49), E Finnegan (C Conroy 63), P Lynch, S Smith (N Murray (70). Scorers: R Galligan (0-1, 45), P Faulkner (0-1), C Moynagh (0-1), J Smith (0-1), G McKiernan (0-1f), Cian Madden (0-1), P Lynch (2-3, 1f, 1m), S Smith (0-1).
tipperarY: M O’Reilly, S O’Connell, J Feehan, J Harney (W Eviston 49), K Fahey, C O’Shaughnessy, T Maher (M Keogh 69), C Kennedy, M Russell (S Quirke 54), B Maher, J Kennedy, T Doyle, M O’Shea, C Sweeney, S O’Connor (C Deeley 19 (B Hewitt 65)). Scorers: K Fahey (0-1), M Russell (0-4), J Kennedy (0-1f), T Doyle (0-1), M O’Shea (0-2), C Sweeney (0-6, 3f).
ref: J Hickey (Carlow)