Minors win major battle with stylish attacking performance

Paul Fitzpatrick

Cavan minors marched on to the Ulster semi-final with a merited 3-14 to 1-15 win over favourites Monaghan this evening at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Before a healthy attendance of 3,100, Cavan conceded eight points in succession in the second quarter but spurred on by the likes of Ronan Patterson, James Smith, Oisin Pierson and Ruairi Curran among others, the Blues never took a step back and ran out deserving winners.

It was a breathless attacking performance and while Cavan will need to tighten up at the back, there is no doubting their verve and skill at the other end, with Patrick Lynch and Tiernan Reilly landing the first two points and seven of the listed front eight getting on the scoresheet.

The goals came from James Smith (two) and Cian Madden, with goalkeeper Gary O’Rourke also one of the heroes of the hour.

“We started the first half really well then in the second half of the first half we were just fighting fires to be honest, Monaghan were coming at us from everywhere,” Cavan manager John Brady told The Anglo-Celt.

“We had to try find answers, we were making changes and in fairness to Monaghan, they played really well during that spell which we knew they could do.

“We responded well in the second half, the lads showed their character. I was interviewed a week ago and I think I said that one thing about this team is that they’ll leave everything on the field and they did that.”