Solid Cavan performance in Meath challenge

Meath 1-13
Cavan 3-14

Paul Fitzpatrick
at Bettystown

A number of players have given Terry Hyland a welcome selection headache after Cavan had a useful win in a challenge match against Meath to mark the opening of new facilities at the Colmcille club in Bettystown last night (Friday).

Among those to impress for the visitors, who made 13 changes at half-time, were Killian Clarke (at midfield), Eugene Keating, David Givney, Turloc Mooney, Martin Reilly, Cian Mackey, John McCutcheon and Barry Reilly as Cavan ran up a high score in difficult conditions.

Cavan led by 1-8 to 1-5 at half-time, haviung played with the benefit of a stiff breeze.

Barry Reilly opened the scoring in the fifth minute from play, after taking a pass from Kevin Tierney, and although Donal Keogan levelled matters for Meath, Padraic O'Reilly nudged Cavan back in front.

Meath hit back with a goal from Dalton McDonagh, created by Joe Sheridan after slack defneding from Cavan, but Martin Dunne picked up a pass from Mark McKeever seconds later and curled over well with his first touch.

The Gowna man got in on the act next, kicking a fine score from 47 metres, and a good left-footed point from Dunne (after a perfectly-weighted pass from Barry Reilly) and another from Givney nudged Cavan back in front.

Meath were reaping some rewards from running directly at Cavan and they recorded three quck points in succession from, Brian Meade's the pick of them, before Dunne replied with a free at the other end.

With Givney and Clarke begining to dominate at midfield, Cavan were by now on top and they landed a superb score just before the break. Barry Reilly, standing over a 45, picked out a Givney run at the last second and the Mountnugent man threw off a defender with a trademark dummy solo and tucked away an excellent finish past Paddy O'Rourke to make it 1-7 to 1-5.

Dunne turned provider for the next, laying off for Killian Clarke to curl in Cavan's ninth score as Hyland's men went in three up at half-time.

Cavan made a raft of changes at the interval, with Clarke and goalkeeper James Reilly the only two to come back out, and the tempo was visibly lifted on the resumption.

Joe Sheridan had the first score but good work from Cian Mackey and Martin Reilly created a chance which John McCutcheon smashed to the roof of the net with a fantastic finish.

The Cootehill man wasn't done yet, either - after Keating powered through, holding off three defenders, McCutcheon picked up another pass and tucked away well with the left foot from a tight angle to send Cavan into a commanding 3-8 to 1-6 lead ten minutes into the second half.

A good point from Turloc Mooney, who had started the move by turning Sheridan over, made it 3-9 to 1-6 as the conditions worsened. Meath hit back through Andrew Tormey and Peadar Byrne but Niall McDermott added a point for Cavan before Martin Reilly squeezed over an excellent score after good fielding from Keating.

A fisted point from Feargal Flanagan and a monster kick from Keating sent Cavan 3-13 to 1-8 in front, but Meath would shade the last ten minutes.
A forty-five from Sheridan was followed by two more points, one from a Byrne free. Sheridan tacked on another free and Meath almost had a goal, Reilly saving smartly from Tormey, but Cavan had the final say, Keating kicking another to round off a good evening's work.

Cavan (first half): James Reilly, Jason McLoughlin, Rory Dunne, Dara Tighe, Padraic O'Reilly (0-1), Alan Clarke, Michael Brady, David Givney (1-1), Killian Clarke (0-1), Mark McKeever (0-1), Barry Reilly (0-1), Niall Murray, Martin Dunne (0-3, 1f), Kevin Tierney, Chris Conroy

Cavan (second half, approx.): James Reilly, Ronan Flanagan, Turloc Mooney (0-1), Josh Hayes, Damien Barkey, Oisin Minagh, James McEnroe, Dara McVeety, Killian Clarke, John McCutcheon (2-0), Cian Mackey, Martin Reilly, Feargal Flanagan (0-1), Niall McDermott (0-1), Eugene Keating (0-4), Oisin O'Connell.
Also: Niall O'Reilly