Cavan slip to heavy home loss as relegation fears deepen

NFL Division 2, round 5

Louth 1-22

Cavan 1-12

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Cavan turned in their worst performance of the season as they slipped to a chastening loss to Louth at Kingspan Breffni.

After ending a run of three successive losses with victory over Kildare last week, Dermot McCabe’s men were hoping to build some momentum against a side they had beaten in the last two league campaigns. However, Cavan were second best in every facet of play and a humiliation beckoned when they trailed by 18 points with just over 20 minutes remaining, before a few late scores put a prettier look on the scoreboard.

Cavan made a bright start when Cian Shekleton clipped over from the left inside 20 seconds but Louth responded immediately with a flowing move which carved open the home defence, only for Liam Brady to produce an excellent save from Ryan Burns, who had to settle for a point.

After that early warning shot, Conor Brady drove forward purposefully moments later and laid the ball off for Brían O’Connell to split the posts, but Louth were already finding space too easily and Sam Mulroy equalised from a free after a foul on Craig Lennon.

The visitors then seized control with a ruthless spell of scoring which exposed Cavan’s defensive frailties and lack of ball-winning options at midfield; McCabe’s gamble in holding Gearoid McKiernan, match-winner off the bench a week earlier, in reserve backfired as the Swanlinbar man was called on after just 15 minutes.

By then, however, Cavan were 0-9 to 0-2 in arrears and Louth were humming.

Tadhg McDonnell struck a two-pointer after good work in midfield and Mulroy followed with a two-point free to push Louth four clear. Burns then finished another point superbly, turning his marker and curling a shot in off the crossbar, and although Kieran McArdle missed a goal chance soon after, the momentum was firmly with the Leinster side.

Further points from Ciaran Downey and Burns stretched the lead, and when Paul Matthews added another after a turnover, Louth were completely dominant, leading by eight approaching the midway point of the half.

McKiernan made an immediate impact and set up Gerard Smith for a point, while Dara McVeety, who battled hard all through, also raised a white flag, but a hungrier Louth continued to punish Cavan’s defensive looseness.

Mulroy tapped over a free after another incisive break and then helped engineer the decisive score of the half as Louth worked a sensational goal.

After Gerry Smith dropped a shot short (Cavan did this five times, along with 13 wides), a slick move involving perfect passes from Mulroy and Burns ended with Downey applying a composed, soccer-style finish to the net.

Mulroy added a two-point free soon after, and Matthews struck a two-pointer from the right wing as Louth’s advantage ballooned.

Cavan managed a brief rally before the interval, with Lynch and Ryan Brady on target, but they still trailed heavily at half-time, 1-16 to 0-6.

There was no respite after the restart. Louth controlled possession for the opening two minutes and McDonnell added to their tally, while Burns and Downey continued to find gaps in the Cavan defence.

Conor Grimes and McArdle also pointed as the margin stretched further and the outcome was beyond doubt long before the closing stages.

Cavan did create a lifeline when sub Ciaran Brady (Corofin) palmed to the net from close range, and Lynch followed with a two-point free, but it did little to alter the course of the contest. McKiernan converted frees as Cavan chased the game and Shekleton added a late point, but clear goal chances went begging, with McVeety flashing a shot wide and further efforts blocked as Louth defended comfortably.

By then, the result was already decided. The Leinster champions were on a different level athletically and in terms of game nous while Cavan, devoid of confidence, are left to wonder what has gone wrong that they have slipped so far behind a team they beat home and away in the last two seasons.

Including the McKenna Cup, Cavan have now lost six matches from seven in 2026, with Offaly and Derry (both away) still to come as they seek to avoid relegation to Division 3 and the Tailteann Cup.

Cavan: Liam Brady, Jason McLoughlin, Paddy Meade, Brían O’Connell (0-1), Oisin Brady, Eoin Clarke, Gerard Smith (0-1), Ryan Brady (0-1), Conor Brady, Ciaran Brady, Cormac Brady, Peter Corrigan, Cian Shekleton (0-2), Patrick Lynch (0-4, 2ptf, 1f, 45), Dara McVeety (0-1)

Subs: Gearoid McKiernan (0-2f) for E Clarke (16), Niall Carolan for Ryan Brady (half-time), Ciaran Brady (Corofin, 1-0) for G Smith (49), Tiarnan Madden for Ciaran Brady (49), Thomas Smith for N Carolan (69).

Louth: Niall McDonnell, Padraic Tinnelly, Dermot Campbell, Conal McKeever, Tadhg McDonnell (0-3, 2pt), Emmet Carolan, Craig Lennon, Dara McDonnell, Conor Early, Paul Matthews (0-3, 2pt), Sam Mulroy (0-6, 2ptf, 2f, 2pt), Conor Grimes (0-1), Kieran McArdle (0-1), Ciaran Downey (0-4), Ryan Burns (1-4)

Subs: Ciaran Keenan for R Burns (43), Eoghan Callaghan for C McKeever (54), Daire Nally for T McDonnell (62), Tommy Durnin for P Matthews (64), James Maguire for K McArdle (69).

Ref: Paul Faloon (Down)