Fermanagh 1-07 Cavan 0-16

Fermanagh came up short in the Allianze NFL Division Three League Final against Cavan at a wet Croke Park this evening (Saturday).

Having overcome their Ulster neighbours last Sunday to seal promotion to Division Two, Fermanagh were unable to reproduce that performance as Cavan upped the intensity, especially in the second half, to run out six point winners.

Fermanagh led by a single point at half time despite taking 21 minutes to score as they were at fault of some poor shooting.

It was the Breffni men who opened the scoring through a Gearoid McKiernan free after 12 minutes after the dangerous Paddy Lynch was fouled.

Lynch then doubled Cavan’s lead from a free, but it would be almost another 10 minutes before another score and this time it came for Fermanagh from Ryan.

Lynch and Lyons would then swap frees before Ryan O’Neill fisted over, 0-04 to 0-02.

But Fermanagh responded in the best possible fashion.

From the kick out the ball made its way to Josh Largo-Elis and he played a ball over the top to Luke Flanagan. He spied Darragh McGurn and while his attempted pass was not the best, a touch by the retreating Killian Clarke pushed the ball onto McGurn and he slotted the ball into the bottom corner to put Fermanagh into the lead for the first time.

With the half entering the latter stages, Cavan broke following a loose Johnny Cassidy pass and Lynch fired over to level it once again.

But Fermanagh keeper Sean McNally hit a monster free to leave it 1-03 to 0-05 at the break.

The second half was to belong to Cavan as they dominated proceedings and they could have found the net a couple of times only for some last ditch saves.

James Smith started it with a fine score to level the game and while Aidan Breen would respond for Fermanagh with his last action of the day, Cavan would hit the next five points.

Three placed balls from Raymond Galligan, Oisin Brady and Dara McVeety from play made it 0-11 to 1-04.

Ryan Jones stopped the rot for Fermanagh after 56 minutes with a badly needed point and with scores from Sean Quigley and a Lyons free on the bounce the Cavan lead was cut to just a single point heading into the last 10 minutes.

But those were to be Fermanagh’s final scores as five more points from Cavan sealed the win.

McKiernan, Conor Smith, another Galligan 45, Brady and a super score from Conor Madden rounded off an impressive victory for the Breffni men.

 

FERMANAGH: S McNally (0-01, 1f); L Cullen, C Cullen, L Flanagan; J Cassidy, S McGullion, C McManus; R Jones (0-01), B Horan; J Largo Elis, R Lyons(0-03, 2f), R McCaffrey; U Kelm, D McGurn (1-00), A Breen (0-01). Subs S Quigley (0-01) for Breen & D McCusker for McManus 41 mins; McShea for Largo-Elis 50 mins; G Jones for McGurn 58 mins; C McGee for Horan 72 mins.

 

CAVAN: R Galligan (0-04, 2f, 2 45); N Carolan, P Faulkner, J McKenna; C Brady, D McVeety (0-01), G Smith; K Clarke, J Smith (0-01); J McCabe, G McKiernan (0-02, 1f), C Madden; O Brady (0-02), P Lynch (0-03, 2f), R O’Neill (0-01) Subs – Conor Brady for J McKenna (19 mins); J McLoughlin for Carolan h/t; C Smith (0-01) for O’Neill 45 mins; C Madden (0-01) for McKiernan 62 mins; T Madden for McCabe 65mins;

Referee- Anthony Nolan