McKeown strikes send Town through to next round

CAVAN Town travelled to Meath on Sunday morning for the first round of the Tully Bookmakers Challenge Cup against a determined Electro Celtic FC and fought hard to secure their place in the second round. This game was closely contested between the two teams with Cavan Town having to dig deep and scrape a result on a sunny Sunday morning. The game was very quiet for the first 20 minutes with both sides not making much of an impression in front of goal. Cavan were playing good football but their touch was letting them down. Brendan Smith and Finbar Donohue were being marked well in centre midfield and could not get a chance to spread the ball wide, focing them to play a long ball game which suited the home team, who won the majority of the aerial balls in first half. Shane Byrne in defence was linking up very well with winger Barney Morris and it was those two who created much trouble for the home defence with Morris finding space and playing some magical passes into the danger area. Up front, however, Stan McKeown and Pauric Molloy failed to get on the end of them or when they did they missed the target, Frustration was building on the strikers but Cavan kept the pressure on through Byrne and Morris and again and again, it looked like it was only a matter of time before the Cavan lads would score but at half time it remained 0-0. The second half was a lot better with Shane Cawley replacing Pauric Molloy. Town pushed Johnny Cawley up front and it was he that produced a magnificent piece of play down the left side beating the defender and executing a great ball outside the boot to put Stan McKeown through. McKeown calmly rounded the keeper and slotted home Cavan"s opener. Relief was the reaction for Cavan as they could have had a bag full at this stage, Vinnie Wimsey replaced hard worker Donohue in centre midfield and he brought calm to a very excited sector. He took time on the ball and spread everything wide, giving Barney Morris more freedom to run at the Electro defence. Yet again Cavan had chances, hitting the woodwork twice, A second would have sealed it but Electro were not giving up. As full time approached, Cavan introduced John Heffernan to break up any ball that Electro had won from kick outs and wrapped up a win but not a vey convincing one for Cavan Town. Best for Cavan were yet again Michael Doheny and Barny Morris in midfield with Shane Byrne helping out. CAVAN TOWN: James Heffernan, Greg Meehan, Shane Byrne, Michael Doheny, Michael Smith, Finbar Donohue, Brendan Smith (captain), Barney Morris, Johnny Cawley, Stan McKeown, Pauric Molloy. SUBS: Shane Cawley, Vinnie Wimsey, John Heffernan.