Lacken stun the Gaels with three second-half goals
ACFL Division 1
Lacken 3-6
Cavan Gaels 0-8
Three second-half goals proved crucial as Lacken picked up a valuable away win over Cavan Gaels at Terry Coyle Park.
The Celtics struggled for wins in Division 1 this season but the table probably didn’t do their efforts justice as they lost several games by narrow margins and they have picked things up in recent weeks with an impressive win over Killygarry followed by this victory away to the Gaels.
At half-time, the home side were in front by 0-6 to 0-3 but Lacken dominated the second half and repelled the Gaels at the back, where Kevin Shanaghy was outstanding.
Lacken opened the scoring through Karl Clerkin but the Gaels soon drew level with a super point from Padraig Sexton from a tight angle and edged in front when Paul Graham raised a white flag.
Leon Smith pointed after a goalmouth scramble before Ryan Coyle pulled one back with a smart outside-the-boot effort. Gaels full-forward Alan O’Riordan and Lacken’s Mark Wilson traded frees but a Paul O’Connor point for the hosts saw them go in leading by double scores, albeit they had played with a strong breeze at their backs.
Lacken missed a few scoreable frees in the first half and would have felt they should have been at least level at the break and they got off to the perfect start on the resumption when James Smith hit the net after taking a pass from James Galligan just a minute in and, three minutes later, they hit the jackpot again when the in-form Shane Moynagh jinked through the defence and planted a shot in the top corner. The finishes were top class although the Gaels will be disappointed with the defending.
Cavan Gaels replied through O’Connor but two 40-metre frees from Raymond Galligan and a terrific effort from sub Craig Lanauze made it 2-6 to 0-8 in favour of the visitors.
And when a long ball from Raymond Galligan was flicked to the net by Paul Leddy, there was no way back for Jason O’Reilly’s men as Lacken ran out seven-point winners.
Lacken: Ray Galligan, Aodhgán Halton, David Wilson, Kevin Shanaghy, Ryan Coyle, Peter Galligan, Shane Finnegan, Shane Moynagh, James Smith, Darragh Reilly, Paul Leddy, Mark Wilson, Karl Clerkin, James Galligan, James Moynagh
Subs: Phil Moynagh, Craig Lanauze
Cavan Gaels: Ciaran Flynn, Luke Fortune, John Fortune, Niall Gurhy, Darragh Sexton, Niall Murray, Levi Murphy, Paul Graham, Evaan Fortune, Andrew Graham, Padraig Sexton, Emmanuel Shehu, Paul O Connor, Alan O’Riordan, Leon Smith
Subs: Declan Meehan, Chris Rowley
Ref: Brendan Sweeney
Preview of this weekend's games here.