Outstanding second-half performance sees minors into Ulster final
Ulster MFC semi-final
Cavan 1-17
Donegal 0-15
Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni
A tremendous second-half performance, highlighted by a crucial goal from Nathan Quigley, saw the Cavan minors qualify for the Ulster final for the first time in eight years.
The teams cancelled each other out for long spells but Cavan put daylight between them with an outstanding spell midway through the second half during which they out-scored Donegal by 1-3 to 0-1 and that proved to be the winning of the match.
Donegal piled on the pressure in the closing stages and will rue a couple of wides but Cavan’s whole-hearted defending saw them weather the storm and take a deserved win.
Cavan had reached this stage by virtue of beating Derry and Down, those wins sandwiching a defeat to Tyrone, while Donegal enjoyed victories over Armagh and Monaghan.
The sides had met once before this year, in the opening round of the Ulster Minor League, with Donegal edging it narrowly, so another close match was expected.
Cavan trailed by a point, 0-9 to 0-8, at the end of an evenly-contested first half in which there was little to choose between them. The sides were level on three occasions in the opening stanza, with never more than two points between the sides.
Cavan started brightly; Jake Brady opened the scoring with a confident strike after patient build-up play and the Gowna lad doubled Cavan’s advantage in the third minute with a lovely indivifual effort after a good pass from Faolán Graham.
Donegal full-back Jamie Gavigan strolled forward for an easy opener for the visitors before the lievely Shane Sweeney levelled matters with an outside-the-boot score off the left.
After Nathan Quigley’s attempt fell short, his clubmate Mark Reilly bravely contested in the air and palmed over Cavan’s third point and a free from Quigley made it 0-4 to 0-2.
Donegal, however, would reel off the next three scores in succession, one of them a two-pointer, to take a two-point lead themselves. A Joseph Gibbons free and a point from play by Sweeney was followed by a spectacular long-range effort, in tight confines, from Tomás Carr (whose two brothers were on the Donegal U20 side who beat Cavan recently at the same stage), to make it 0-6 to 0-4.
Donegal then spurned a good goal chance – captain Kalvin McLaughlin squared it but only to a blue jersey – and Cavan punished them when their own captain, Cian McConnell, found Cathal Smith, who curled in an eye-catching score.
Gibbons replied for Donegal but Cavan again hit back, the impressive Michael Smith winning a kick-out and finding Quigley, who was fouled; Graham knocked over the resulting free.
Gibbons converted a free at the other end for Donegal, who were backed by the wind although it only blew in gusts, but a two-point free off the deck from the edge of the D from McConnell saw Cavan draw level.
The Blues created half a goal chance as the clock ticked down; Reilly picked out Quigley but sterling defending saw the moment lost and Donegal countered and had the final say of the half with a fisted point from Jack Gallagher.
Cavan again started on the front foot with a super point from Harry McMullen and after an inspirational run upfield from Danny Brady, Quigley won and converted a free as the hosts regained the lead.
Kalvin McLaughlin replied for Donegal but Cavan quickly cancelled that one out when McConnell’s shot dropped short and Donagh Lynch won the aerial battle and flicked over.
Gibbons kicked a free for Donegal to tie the game again and it seemed it would remain like that, score-for-score – but Cavan had other ideas. After a long delivery eluded the Donegal full-back line, Quigley pounced, showing coolness and skill to find the top corner of the net.
Donegal, perhaps rattled, missed a scoreable free and although Gibbons kicked a long-range point but Cavan’s dander was up. When a shot dropped short, Michael Smith read it and scored and a couple of minutes later, sub Senan Smith kicked a stylish point from the edge of the D.
All the momentum was with Cavan; Jake Brady did very well to pinch the resulting kick-out and found Cathal Smith, who curled in a brilliant point, and suddenly Cavan were five up.
Full-back Gavigan landed another superb point under pressure as Donegal poured forward and Cavan, understandably, grew a little jittery but it never veered into panic. Sub Jay Graham was fouled and McConnell did the honours; then Sam Maguire, who along with Faolán Graham worked tirelessly in the middle third, found himself in space and split the posts,
Gavigan, who played very well, struck a two-pointer to draw Donegal closer but Cavan soaked up the pressure and, with their final foray forward, Maguire secured the win with a massive point.
Cavan will now face Tyrone in the Ulster Minor Championship final (details TBC).
This match was preceded by a minute’s silence to honour the late Brendan Keaney RIP, the respected former chairman of Cavan county board who passed away in the previous week.
Cavan: Cian McConnell (Butlersbridge, 0-3, 2ptf, f); Danny Brady (Laragh), Shea Brady (Arva), Andrew Smart (Ramor United); Michael Smith (Crosserlough, 0-1), Harry McMullen (Cootehill, 0-1), John Donohoe (Mullahoran); Sam Maguire (Templeport, 0-2), Faolán Graham (Butlersbridge, 0-1f); Mark Reilly (Denn, 0-1), Jake Brady (Gowna, 0-2), Cathal Smith (Lavey, 0-2); Donagh Lynch (Cuchulainns, 0-1), Nathan Quigley (Denn, 1-2, 2f), Rory Dolan (Templeport)
Subs: Dylan Brouder (Munterconnaught) for R Dolan (16), Senan Smith (Denn, 0-1) for M Reilly (44), Jay Graham (Lavey) for C Smith (46), Joseph Crowe (Lacken) for D Lynch (57), CJ Fitzpatrick (Ballinagh) for C Smith (60)
Donegal: Ronan O’Donnell, Christopher O’Donnell, Jamie Gavigan (0-4, 2pt), Daithi Molloy, Cathal Doherty, Evan Daly, Jack Gallagher, Kalvin McLaughlin (0-1), Cathal McGee, Joe Doherty, Tomás Carr (0-2, 2pt), Joseph Gibbons (0-5, 3f), Shane Sweeney (0-2), Conor Farrell, Callum McGilloway
Subs: Thomas Lenehan for J Doherty (ht), Peter McLaughlin for C Farrell, Danny McCready for C McGilloway (44)
Ref: Enda Mallon (Armagh)