Cuchulainns impress in tough test against Denn

Intermediate Championship quarter-final

Cuchulainns 1-19

Denn 0-15

Paul Fitzpatrick

Cuchulainns are the first team through to the Intermediate Football Championship semi-finals after this impressive win over a gallant Denn side at Kingspan Breffni. The margins were finer than the final scoreline would suggest, with no more than three points between the teams at any stage until second-half injury time.

Cuchulainns, with four wins from four in the group, came into the match as favourites but Denn’s credentials were strong – they arguably had a tougher draw in the group and their two defeats were both by a point. They were in the final two years ago and were beaten by the minimum in last year’s semi-final, and here they showed once again that they are a team of substance in this grade, even if their ball skills let them down on the night.

The winners made a fast start when Bryan Magee won the throw-in and worked the ball to his brother Niall, who showed great pace and directness to knock over inside 30 seconds. Denn hit back in style, Ben Conaty linking with Sean Donohoe who launched a booming two-pointer from 47 metres, one of several Denn’s captain has kicked in this campaign.

Mark Gilsenan quickly replied after a one-two with Bryan Magee, although a goal seemed on. At the other end, Conaty, in lively form, produced a couple of dummies before curling over a stylish point.

The tempo was high and the first quarter was exceptional, the scores coming thick and fast.

Evan Doughty, who was outstanding all night, powered through traffic to curl in with his left before Oisin Smith, who started and nearly finished a move involving Cavell Keogan and Thomas Edward Donohoe, pointed neatly from a tight angle.

Glenn McCann missed a fairly straightforward chance before Oisin O’Reilly, who has had a break-out campaign, found a pocket of space and delivered a terrific two-pointer to leave Denn 0-6 to 0-3 ahead.

But Cuchulainns always had a response. McCann was fouled when nearly in for a goal and Doughty converted the free, before another free was conceded for a late tackle on Philip Smyth, Doughty again punishing it. Oisin Carolan then hooked over to tie it at 0-6 apiece at the end of the first quarter.

Two poor Denn wides followed before Cavell Keogan, from 47 metres off the ground, landed another excellent two-pointer. Conaty then sold a dummy and clipped a neat score to make it 0-9 to 0-6 by the 22nd minute. Denn looked the better side in this spell but failed to press home their advantage.

Cuchulainns didn’t panic; Niall Magee darted into space and curled over, Doughty followed with a superb two-point free, and Cian Donoghue rounded off a move to edge them in front.

Back came Denn with yet another long-range free, Keogan again, but when the hard-working Adam O’Reilly was denied by a brilliant save from Mark Fegan, goalkeeper Ryan Lennon strode upfield to nail the resulting 45. Cuchulainns seemed to have legitimate claims for a penalty for a foot block but ref John Power thought differently; the resultant 45 was some consolation.

Doughty added a free from 14 metres for a three-up infringement to send Cuchulainns in 0-12 to 0-10 ahead at the end of an interesting first half which came to the boil early but then merely simmered for the 10 minutes before half-time as mistakes kept the temperature down.

On the restart, Ryan Tobin cleared brilliantly off the line when Oisin Smith looked set to score a goal and, in the counter-attack, Doughty curled in. Bryan Magee added a neat score after good work from Adam O’Reilly and when Doughty split the posts again, Cuchulainns had opened a three-point gap.

Denn kept coming. Oisin O’Reilly swung over a superb effort from the right and Fegan landed a long-range free, their fifth two-pointer of the evening, to reduce the margin to the minimum.

But Cuchulainns had the stronger bench and the greater running power. Adam O’Reilly finally got the point his industry deserved, Turlough Farrelly stormed forward to belt over a lovely score and Tobin showed a neat side-step as he clipped another.

Denn pressed again; a tired-looking Caolain McCabe was left unmarked and calmly found the target but it felt Cuchulainns had done enough – and they finished with a flourish.

Smyth powered through and offloaded to sub Sean Kenny, who hammered an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net.

Oisin Donoghue had the ball in the net too but it was ruled out for a square ball; from the free, Doughty curled over to leave Cuchulainns 1-19 to 0-15 winners.

Among those to impress were Doughty, who finished with nine points, Niall Carolan, Adam O’Reilly, Turlough Farrelly and Bryan Magee. Denn will reflect on missed chances – they kicked nine wides to Cuchulainns’ seven – but they also struck five superb two-pointers and for long spells were right in the contest.

There wasn’t much between the teams but Cuchulainns looked to have the edge on conditioning and running power and that saw them out-last a game Denn, who will rue missing so many chances, having won a lot of breaking ball.

But Cuchulainns will be delighted to have passed this stern test. Denn are no bad side and played well here but Niall Lynch’s men showed an ability to move through the gears and remain the team to beat in this championship, with their key men in exceptional form and strong competition for places.

Cuchulainns: Ryan Lennon, Niall Carolan, Cian Donoghue, Cian Doughty, Oisin Carolan, Philip Smyth, Ryan Tobin, Bryan Magee, Adrian Taite, Adam O’Reilly, Evan Doughty, Niall Magee, Glenn McCann, Mark Gilsenan, Turlough Farrelly.

Subs: Sean Kenny for G McCann, Oisin Donoghue for A Taite (both 46), Conor O’Reilly for A O’Reilly, Ruairi O’Connell for M Gilsenan (both 56), Luke Doyle for C Doughty (59).

Denn: Mark Fegan, Mark McSherry, Michéal Gaffney, Leon Cobey, James Brady, Caolain McCabe, Brandon Keogan, Sean Donohoe, Oisin Kiernan, Stephen Callaghan, Cavell Keoghan, Oisin Smith, Thomas Edward Donohoe, Ben Conaty, Oisin O’Reilly.

Subs: Oran Callaghan for M McSherry (ht), Gary Murtagh for C Keogan (35).

Ref: John Power.