Gaels claim silverware with stirring reserve final win

Reserve Division 1 Championship final

Cavan Gaels 1-13

Crosserlough 0-15

Kevin Óg Carney

It was a case of ‘survival of the fittest’ at Mullahoran on Friday night last as Cavan Gaels emerged victorious in a fiercely competitive Reserve Football Championship Division One final.

After a neck-and-neck tussle, the Gaels timed their run to the finishing line; playing their best stuff in the final third to win out.

The pattern of the game was established from the get-go. It was all-action, see-saw stuff after after less than 90 seconds the Gaels might well have goaled but Mark Minehane sidefooted the ball, soccer style, wide of the butt of the post.

Crosserlough were slow to get out of the starting blocks and they got another let off in the 8th minute when Mark Sexton was found by a great pass by Bradley Okaidja but the former also flashed his shot wide of the Crosserlough post.

Leon Smith eventually broke the deadlock by firing the ball over Crosserlough’s black spot after good work by the impressive Luke Molloy.

The would-be losers slowly went up through the gears and Eoin Cusack’s free (13) gave the black and ambers a 0-2 to 0-1 lead against the run of play.

The Gaels quickly hit back with interest though with Jack Tully unerring from a 35 metre free and a point thereafter by Leon Smith giving their side the lead by the odd point in five at the first briseadh uisce.

Shortly after the restart, the Gaels got a huge lift when Mark Sexton arrowed the ball into the Crosserlough net, soccer-style, after latching onto a rebound.

Enda Gaffney got Crosserlough motoring again however in the 23rd minute, rifling over a point with the minimum of fuss from the right wing to make it a two point game once again.

The Gaels impressed in the swiftness of their approach work and their handling but not so good finishing allied to stout defending from Crosserlough stymied the Gaels’ bid to extend their advantage.

From there to the interval, the sides matched punch for counter punch with Enda Gaffney’s close range free (28) making it all-square,1-4 to 0-7.

Crosserlough held the upper hand in the dregs of the first half but solid goalkeeping by Patrick Murphy helped keep the Gaels well afloat.

Leading by 0-9 to 1-5 on the restart, Crosserlough wasted no time in making it a two point game with a neat finish by tommy Boylan from the right wing.

Oran Rehill then pulled the trigger in the 36th minute but Evan McIntyre effected a great block.

A snap shot by Eoin Cusack then stretched Crosserlough’s lead to three points, 0-11 to 1-5, after 38 minutes.

Luke Molloy’s brace of frees in the 22nd and 23rd minutes made it 1-9 to 0-13 and it seemed like Leon Smith’s effort (54) had levelled matters but his high shot drifted narrowly wide at the death.

Mark Sexton then drove at the Crosserlough defence but was fouled and Padraig Sexton’s subsequent free made it all-square 1-10 to 0-13.

The Gaels maintained their momentum and Padraig Sexton, Leon Smith and Killian Murphy combined to put Jack Tully through and, suddenly, Crosserlough were trailing once more, 0-13 to 1-11.

The Gaels kept up the pressure and frees by Molloy (58) and Sexton (59) left the chasing team desperating hunting for a goal to pull the fat from the fire.

A great interception by sub. Enda Fitzsimons broke up a promising Crosserlough attack as the final whistle beckoned.

The Gaels came under severe pressure in the run-in as Peter Smith (62) and another one from Oran Rehill seconds later had Crosserlough on the pig’s back but the blues weren’t for turning and they duly held out.

Cavan Gaels: Patrick Murphy; Evan McIntyre, Eoghan Galligan, Fintan Carolan; Killian Murphy, Mark Minehane, Christopher Quinn; Luke Molloy (0-4, 3f), Sean Smith; Michael Meehan, Padraig Sexton (0-4, 1f), Leon Smith (0-2); Mark Sexton (1-0), Bradley Okaidja (0-1), Jack Tully (0-2).

Subs; Michael Veale for S Smith; Enda Fizsimons for M Meehan; Callum McNamara for F Carolan; Dallan Duffy for K Murphy.

Crosserlough: Thomas Byrd; Karl Lynch, Colin Lynch, Ben McGovern; Aaron Cooke, Damien Lynch, Andrew Galligan; Ryan Galligan, Peter Smith (0-1, f); Oran Rehill (0-2), Stephen McKiernan (0-2), Dylan Harton; Tommy Boylan (0-2), Eoin Cusack (0-2, 1f), Enda Gaffney (0-4, 1f).

Subs; Conor Lee (0-1) for D Lynch; Shane McManus (0-1) for S McKiernan; Darren Gaffney for E Gaffney; Eoin Smith for A Galligan; Shane McVeety for D Harten.

Ref: Ollie Donohoe