Derry next as Cavan defeat Carlow

Cavan 2-13
Carlow 0-12

Paul Fitzpatrick

Cavan's season is still alive after they overcame the dreaded six-day turnaround to defeat Carlow at Kingspan Breffni Park. The Breffni men will now meet Ulster rivals Derry (this Saturday at Kingspan Breffni Park).

After a win that was just a little too close for comfort, Terry Hyland's side live to fight another day but the Cavan boss - the second longest serving in the country after Tyrone's Mickey Harte - insisted that his charges will need to improve next time out.

'History will tell you that we're only the second team ever to win after losing six days before,' he said.

'Carlow, in fairness, put it up to us, especially in the first half. We weren't playing well, we were a wee bit flat-footed and that's a psychological thing coming off a defeat.

'But,' he added, 'I thought we were a lot better in the second half.'
That the Blues were - but they needed to be. The underdogs used the ball well and after being rocked by the concession of a goal to Eugene Keating, who flicked to the net three minutes in, they matched Cavan throughout the opening stanza.

After a stunning reversal against Tyrone, Cavan could have been expected to come out swinging but after landing that early blow, they seemed reluctant to go toe to toe.

Carlow, who finished a full 18 places below Cavan in the league, set out to stifle the hosts and they held them to just five more points in the first half.

Darragh Foley and Daniel St Ledger fired over a brace apiece from frees to keep the Leinster side, recent victors over Wicklow, in touch. They were a point down in the dregs of the first half before Man of the Match Gearoid McKiernan and the effervescent Killian Clarke landed points to ease Cavan into a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead.

Cavan were guilty of trying to force the issue and looked panicky at times as the visitors hung tough. Despite three frees from the recalled Seanie Johnston, Cavan struggled to shake Carlow off and with 20 minutes to go there was just four points separating them.

However, a 51st minute goal from the lively Cian Mackey finally put some daylight between the teams.

Cavan finished with 14 men after Dara McVeety added a black card to his earlier yellow and the loss of Martin Reilly to a finger injury also gives Hyland something to ponder.

'After conceding five goals last week it was only natural that we were going to be a bit more defensive but we probably were sitting back too much,' he said.
'I haven't been talking to Martin yet, we'll have to assess it and see how he is.'


Cavan: R Galligan; K Brady, R Dunne, P Faulkner; F Flanagan, C Moynagh, C Brady; T Corr, L Buchanan; K Clarke (0-01), G McKiernan (0-05,0-01f), D McVeety (0-01); C Mackey (1-01), E Keating (1-01), S Johnston (0-03, 0-03f).
Subs: M Reilly for Buchanan, J Brady for K Brady, G Smith for Reilly, T Hayes (0-01) for Keating (BC), N Murray for C Brady.

Carlow: R Molloy; D St Ledger (0-05,0-05f), K Nolan, BJ Molloy; G Kelly, J Murphy (0-01), B Kavanagh; E Ruth (0-01), S Gannon; A Kelly (0-01), D O'Brien (0-01), H Gahan; D Smithers, D Foley (0-02, 0-02f), C Blake (0-01, 0-01f).
Subs: D Walshe for Smithers, D Lunney for Foley (BC), D Moran for O'Brien, P O'Halloran for Blake, B Cawley for Nolan, C Bailey for Ruth.
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).