Published: Wednesday, 16th June, 2010 11:35am

Hurlers slip to Cup defeat

Michael Carr clears his lines

Understrength Cavan pushed Leitrim before losing out by a single score when the sides met in the Lory Meagher Cup at Kingspan/Breffni Park on Saturday evening last.

By dint of their win, Leitrim booked a place in the semi-finals of the competition while Cavan must await their fate in the losers' section.

In perfect conditions, Brendan Nelligan's side gave as good as they got over the hour-plus but two timely goals gave the westerners just the impetus they needed to maintain the upper hand of the blues.

Having put one over Leitrim earlier this year in the NHL, Cavan didn't lack for confidence or self-belief last weekend but as on so many occasions in the past, the team's inability to muster up enough majors to fatally wound their opponents again cost them dear.

Cavan enjoyed just as much decent possession in both halves as their opponents but their cause wasn't helped by being slow off the blocks at the start of both moieties.

Indeed, thanks, in part, to a Conor Burns goal, the westerners were able to leap into a 1-1 to 0-0 lead after six minutes and position Cavan up against the ropes.

However in what was always likely to be a nip and tuck affair, the visitors never looked entirely comfortable in the driving seat and, indeed, they laboured to keep the fired-up Cavan side at bay for the rest of the game.

Cavan didn't lack for determination or ambition and they continued to nip away at their opponents' heels.

The hosts got a significant filip when a goal by relocated defender Sean Og Brady (18th min) - after a fierce Bernard Gaffney daisycutter was blocked on the line by Leitrim 'keeper McKiernan - cut Leitrim's first quarter lead to a single point, 1-3 to 1-2.

Leitrim later had to play catch-up with David McGovern making it 1-5 apiece at the interval after Cavan goalscorer Brady had put his side into the lead for the first time in the match.

Even minus the Sheridan brothers, Jonathan Dalton and county footballer Philip Brady, Cavan were more than a match for opponents who boasted an earlier win over South Down in the competition.

Brendan Nelligan's charges remained in sleeves-rolled-up mode as they started the second half in determined fashion.

Sadly the blues were dealt a sucker blow just five minutes after the restart which again left them playing a game of catch-up they were destined to lose in an agonising manner.

Leitrim's second goal came after Cavan defender Andrew Nelligan initially did well to block a shot from Leitrim's Morgan Quinn.

However in the ensuing scramble for possession, Liam Burns fired home an opportunist goal.

It was a score that would prove crucial in giving Leitrim just the cushion they needed to maintain their winning run in the competition.

Cavan worked hard to eat into their opponents' lead and a point apiece by Ciaran Brennan and Gary Brennan gave them renewed heart.

Then two frees by Bernard Gaffney hoisted Cavan to within two points, 1-13 to 2-12, of Leitrim with just over five minutes remaining.

Midfielders Keith Connolly and Clement Cunniffe both rifled over a point apiece in 66th and 73rd minute.

In between times, Eugene Hill converted a free and Cormac Nelligan lobbed a ball in from midfield with the intention of inviting a team-mate to flick the ball to the net but it only landed into goalkeeper McKiernan's hands.

Another case of Cavan once again not achieving their goal against entirely beatable opponents.

Cavan; Mark Curry; Daithi Neary, Michael Carr, Liam Kelly; Barry Devine, Cormac Nelligan, Andrew Nelligan; Eugene Hill (0-1, free), Gary Brennan (0-1); Kevin Downes, Bernard Gaffney (0-6, five frees), Ronan O'Hagan (0-2); Michael O'Connell, Ciaran Brennan (0-2), Sean Og Brady (1-1).

Sub; Barry Harten (0-1) for M O'Connell (41).

Leitrim; P McKiernan; S Guckian, V McDermott, M Poniard; K McGrath, N Guckian, K Boyle; K Connolly (0-2), C Cunniffe (0-3); D McGovern (0-2), I Bermingham (0-5, two frees), C Burns (1-1); L Burns (1-1), M Quinn, D Poniard.

Ref; J O'Rourke (Monaghan)