Minors beaten in first round by Fermanagh

Ulster MFC quarter-final

Cavan 1-11

Fermanagh 1-12

Cavan minors exited the championship at the first hurdle with a disappointing home loss to Fermanagh.

The Erne lads were disjointed early on but once they got going, they were much the better side and thoroughly deserved their win. While Cavan will point to the loss of captain Eoghan Hartin to injury in the first half, in truth a one-point margin flattered the home side, who were awarded what looked a soft penalty in second-half stoppage time, which Darragh Lovett tucked away.

Cavan started slowly and then hit their stride, opening a 0-6 to 0-1 lead, but Fermanagh came back into it well and struck five in a row to draw level before corner-back Oliver McCrystal strode forward for an important point to give the home side the lead at half-time, 0-7 to 0-6.

The outstanding Diarmuid Owens gave Fermanagh the lead early on after linking up with the influential Sean Conlon. Cavan soaked up a lot of pressure in the opening 10 minutes but once they opened their account with a lovely point from full-forward Daire Madden, they grew in confidence.

Matthew Smith carved out an excellent individual score and Madden slotted over a tricky free – and when Ryan Tobin swung in a stylish point off the left and Barry Donnelly also kicked a good one, Cavan were humming with 17 minutes played.

Whatever was said to Fermanagh during the water break seemed to work wonders as they emerged on the front foot and quickly ate into Cavan’s lead. Caoilte Farry kicked three points (two frees), none of them easy, and with the towering Conlon laying the ball off to good effect, the visitors were by now moving ominously well, with Owens knocking over another from play.

McCrystal’s point steadied the ship before the interval and on the restart, Cian McGovern cut in from the left and sent over a well-taken score to double Cavan’s advantage – but that was as good as it got.

Almost like flicking a switch, Fermanagh suddenly took complete control of the game. They dominated on both kick-outs and Cavan had no answer.

The Blues seemed shell-shocked; inexplicably, having done the basics so well for the first 20 minutes and looked so comfortable, they now started to give away frees with sloppy tackling and resorted to panicked pot shots from long range, most of which tailed wide.

Forwards ran up blind alleys and defenders marked space as Fermanagh dominated. Farry (free) and Donnacha Morris pointed and then, again with good work from Owens, Morris found Cian O’Brien who sent his shot to the roof of the Cavan net.

The wides continued to rack up for Cavan (they finished with nine in total), with danger man Darragh Lovett trying hard but well marshalled, and two more Farry frees made it a six-point game.

Madden converted a free but this was cancelled out by a super Conor O’Hanlon score. A gutsy point from McCrystal, showing leadership, cut the gap to five and a Lovett free reduced it further before the penalty fell Cavan’s way.

Lovett tucked it away well and Cavan had a late chance but time ran out before they could get a shot away.

Cavan: Oscar Brady, Ben Tierney, Conall Mooney, Oliver McCrystal, Conor Ward, Favour Shehu, Pauric Morgan, Barry Donnelly, Eoghan Hartin, Cian McGovern, Ryan Tobin, Finn Riley, Matthew Smith, Daire Madden, Darragh Lovett

Subs: Liam Maguire for Hartin (18 mins, inj.), Kevin Fakova for Morgan (45), Killian Brady for Maguire (48), Ciaran O’Brien for Riley (48), Fiachra Dowd for Madden (inj, 56)

Fermanagh: Jamie Ray, Cal McAnespy, Pearse McDermott, Kai McGoldrick, Diarmuid Owens, Conaill Boyle, Jamie McCaffrey, Lughaidh Donnelly, Josh Killilea, Donnacha Morris, Cian O’Brien, Conor O’Hanlon, Kealán Fitzpatrick, Dan McCann, Sean Conlon

Subs: Ruaidhri O’Keeffe for McDermott (temp, 54), Jack Quinlan for Morris (58), Mark Hughes for Farry (60)