Timely goals pivotal to Cavan win

Lory Meagher Cup round 2

Cavan 2-16

Monaghan 0-19

Kevin Óg Carney at Kingspan Breffni

Two second-half goals at Kingspan Breffni provided the springboard for Cavan’s senior hurlers to open their account in this year’s Lory Meagher Cup.

After going under in their first round defeat to Warwickshire, Cavan went into last Saturday’s derby duel knowing that defeat would all but fatally damage their hopes of making their second Lory Meagher final in three years.

Monaghan also knew that on foot of their opening round draw with Leitrim, victory over Cavan would have put them in a good position to forge some success in the fifth tier competition so the scene was set for a tense and intriguing tussle and so it proved.

In a nip and tuck encounter played in difficult underfoot conditions, the hosts proved good value for their surprise victory against a side who played in a higher division in this year’s NHL.

That said, Monaghan were the better team in the opening quarter and looked all up the match favourites that the local turf accountants ordained.

In contrast, Cavan looked tentative and slightly nervous in making their way out of the starting blocks and while top scorer Canice Maher opened the scoring with a trademark free (3), the visitors began with a greater spring in their step on the greasy underfoot conditions.

The visitors demonstrated notice of their intention to make the bookies honest men and a monstrous point from Kevin Crawley helped propel them into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 11th minute.

However, the sleeves rolled-up hosts never looked like being cut adrift though and by the 21st minute they had drawn level, 0-5 apiece, after yet another Canice Maher free and just six minutes after Monaghan ‘keeper Byrne saved a kicked effort from Seán Keating.

With Niall Arthur in rude good form starring for Monaghan on the half-forward line, Cavan found themselves trailing on a regular basis but things looked up for the blues in the 28th minute when they went ahead (0-8 to 0-7) for the first time in the match courtesy of a Keating point.

The run-in to the half-time break was a frantic one and it took points from Enda Shalvey, Cillian Sheanon and Maher (36) to edge the eventual winners into a 0-11 to 0-10 interval lead.

Cavan were at their most sprightly in the early part of the second half and they got a major filip when Diarmaid Carney finished the ball to the net (37) after Monaghan ‘keeper Hugh Byrne parried a shot from Mark Moffett who was set up by a storming run by Jack Barry.

Carney’s major made it 1-11 to 0-12 in Cavan’s favour but it was a precarious lead with Monaghan beginning to edge matters on the possession front.

Cavan ‘keeper Darren Sheridan had to be smart to prevent Stephen Lambe from sneaking in for a goal in the 47th minute. Two minutes later, Monaghan netminder Byrne prevented Sean Keating from firing home a second goal for the hosts.

A classy Arthur point (49) cut Cavan’s lead to three points but Keating’s opportunist major (57) – after Maher’s effort for a point fell into the small box - left Cavan 2-15 to 0-15 in front and with one foot in the winners’ enclosure.

Monaghan gave it their best shot in the final quarter of the game but the Cavan defence aped their resilient display in the league final win over Leitrim by keeping their goal intact and limiting their opponents to a hat-trick of unanswered points (all frees) in the dregs of the game.

Cavan: Darren Sheridan; Shane Briody, Dominic Crudden, Mattie Hynes; Dillon Mulligan (0-1), Cillian Sheanon (0-4), Enda Shalvey (0-1); Diarmaid Carney (1-0), Jack Barry; Thomas Leonard, Canice Maher (0-5, 5f), Colum Sheanon; Mark Moffett (0-3), Seán Keating (1-2), Nicky Kenny.

Subs; Caoimhín Carney for D Carney; Anthony Sheridan for N Kenny; Caolán Kelly for D Crudden; R Delaney for S Keating; P McCabe for T Leonard.

Monaghan: Hugh Byrne; Jack Guinan, Paddy Finnegan, Cathal McAnespie; Conor Flynn, Aaron Kenny, Declan Hughes (0-1); Colin Merrick, Niall Garland (0-1); Niall Arthur (0-13, 7f), Conor Gernon, Conall McHugh (0-1); Thomas Hughes (0-2), Stephen Lambe, Kevin Crawley (0-1).

Subs: Ethan Flynn for C Gernon; Pauric Malone for S Lambe.

Ref: Kevin Parke (Antrim)