Shehus inspire Gaels to big win over Castlerahan

SFC round 3

Cavan Gaels 0-19

Castlerahan 0-6

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Cavan Gaels recorded their first win of the campaign as they swept past a disappointing Castlerahan at a rainy Kingspan Breffni. The Gaels were in control from the off, with the Shehu brothers – Emmanuel, Favour and Joshua – particularly impressive.

Between the trio, they registered 0-11 while also having the final assist on four points; rarely have three brothers dominated a Senior Championship match to the extent that they did.

The Gaels started brightly, aided by a strong wind, and although they dipped midway through the first half, they raised their level again before the break and could have won by more, registering 10 wides and spurning some clear goal chances. The heavy rain had stopped by throw-in but conditions underfoot were greasy, and it was the Cavan Town side who adjusted best.

Castlerahan tried to build patiently but were turned over inside two minutes by Favour Shehu. Brother Emmanuel took the pass, burst around the outside and fisted over, an early warning.

From the resulting kick-out, Ben Tully claimed unchallenged possession and Padraig Sexton curled in a superb two-pointer. Within moments Paul O’Connor won a dirty ball on the ground, released Sexton and the captain pointed to make it 0-4 to 0-0 after just five minutes.

Evaan Fortune won the next kick-out, feeding Sexton who linked with Andy Graham before Joshua Shehu clipped over an easy score. Castlerahan, it was clear, even accounting for the wind, were in trouble.

A Luke Molloy two-point effort drifted wide before Emmanuel Shehu missed a straightforward free. At the other end, Castlerahan’s Oisin Kiernan was off target with a long-range free, their first attempt at the posts.

The Gaels struck a couple of poor wides themselves in this spell and their early fire appeared to be fizzling out, but Joshua Shehu landed a vital point on 16 minutes to steady them again, although Castlerahan were rightly aggrieved on this one as Jamie O'Reily's jersey was clearly pulled and the linesman incorrectly signalled for a Cavan Gaels ball in the same passage of play.

Luke Molloy then produced a key block at the back, sparking a quick counter-attack that ended with Paul O’Connor swinging over a fine point from play. Enda Flanagan eventually got Castlerahan on the board with a brilliant individual effort, shipping some heavy challenges before curling over with the outside of his boot. It was their first score and only their third shot from play, arriving on 20 minutes.

That brief respite didn’t last. Favour Shehu was left in oceans of space and punished Castlerahan with a crisp effort off the laces, before Ciaran Caldwell converted a free which was moved forward 50 metres by referee Derek Argue – but almost immediately Favour Shehu struck again with a delightful left-footed effort.

Then came one of the highlights of the half as Sexton arrowed over a magnificent sideline ball for a two-pointer to leave it 0-11 to 0-2 at the break.

Castlerahan made changes at half-time, with Sean Óg McGearty and Cormac Lynch introduced, but the pattern didn’t alter. Emmanuel Shehu tapped over a free after Joshua was fouled and soon after, Favour produced a lovely dummy to create space before slotting over. By the 35th minute, the Gaels led 0-13 to 0-2.

Castlerahan were standing off, perhaps wary of being burned for pace, but it only allowed the Gaels to dictate. Emmanuel clipped another free and when Molloy and Andy Graham combined to carve out a goal chance for Joshua Shehu, it seemed certain he’d palm in but he couldn’t make the connection.

Oisin Kiernan briefly lifted Castlerahan spirits with a superb two-pointer from distance but Luke Fortune responded by bursting out of defence and sending Favour Shehu racing through to notch his fourth from play.

Emmanuel Shehu then galloped through from the kick-out and squared for Levi Murphy, who missed, and moments later Murphy had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for a square ball. The Gaels, though, kept coming, Conor Doyle getting forward to fist over before Caldwell replied with a two-point free, Castlerahan’s last meaningful contribution.

Joshua Shehu’s blistering pace created another score for Murphy, who clipped over easily, and Emmanuel added a routine free after Favour was fouled. Fittingly, it was Joshua Shehu who had the final say, splitting the posts in injury time to complete a 13-point victory.

The Gaels’ pace and athleticism, spearheaded by the Shehus, proved overwhelming. Declan McCoy’s men may have lost talisman Gearoid McKiernan but they have regenerated well and look a stronger all-round side than last year. Castlerahan, by contrast, were flat on the day and never threatened a goal chance; the relegation play-offs beckon for the 2018 and 2019 champions.

Castlerahan: Kieran Daly; Enda Flanagan (0-1), Senan Macken, Fergal Reilly; Stephen Cooney, Oisin Kiernan (0-2, 2pt), Conor Farrelly; David Wright, Cormac Daly; Jamie Clarke, Cian McCabe, Rory Smith; Jamie O’Reilly, Shane O’Reilly, Ciaran Caldwell (0-3, 2ptf, f)

Subs: Sean Óg McGearty for J O’Reilly, Cormac Lynch for S Macken (both ht), Jack McCabe for S O’Reilly (40), Padraig McGahern for J Clarke (59).

Cavan Gaels: Alan O’Riordan; Conor Doyle (0-1), John Fortune, Evan McIntyre; Favour Shehu (0-4), Luke Fortune, Padraig Sexton (0-5, 2pt, 2pt s/l); Paul Graham, Evaan Fortune; Emmanuel Shehu (0-5, 4f), Ben Tully, Keenan Donohoe; Andy Graham, Paul O’Connor (0-1), Joshua Shehu (0-3)

Subs: Keenan Donohoe for A Graham (42), Levi Murphy (0-1) for P Graham (46), Conor McClarey for P O’Connor (55), Niall Gurhy for E McIntyre, Paul Surlis for F Shehu (60).

Ref: Derek Argue