Juniors make history with magnificent win

Cavan 2-14
Kerry 0-14

 

Paul Fitzpatrick
at O'Moore Park

Sixty-two years of hurt came to an end for Cavan when the county juniors became the first county side to win an All-Ireland of any description since 1952 today in Portlaoise.

Stars of the show were Cootehill duo Enda Hessin and Tom Hayes, who combined to kick 2-5 from play, with Hayes burying a magnificent first-half goal to set Cavan on their way.

Having played with the wind, Cavan led by 1-7 to 0-6 at the break, with Conor Moynagh playing well at the back and Enda O'Reilly doing well linking the play with danger man Hayes and O'Connor.

Cavan led by 0-3 to 0-1 after 10 minutes with points from Hayes, Enda O'Reilly and a 45 from Chris Conroy, and further scores from O'Connor and Enda Hessin made it 0-5 to 0-2 on the quarter-hour mark.

The Kingdom hit the crossbar twice early on and had landed two brilliant points from Paul Kennelly but Cavan kept the scoreboard ticking over through another Conroy 45 before Hayes' magical goal.

Ranked as 7/2 underdogs, Terry Hyland's Cavan continued to tear into the Kingdom and Hayes palmed a second goal early in the second half.

He followed up with a point to put eight between the sides before the inevitable Kerry onslaught; Stephen Wallace's troops dominated the final quarter but could only muster five points, even as Cavan – the end of the famine in sight – panicked.

Late points from David Hyland (one free and one beauty from the right wing) and the pacey Enda Hessin sealed the deal, though, and Cavan held on, with captain Packie Leddy accepting the cup amid great scenes.

Cavan: J Farrelly; D Barkey, J Morris, F Reilly; C Brady, B Sankey, P Smith; L Buchanan, P Leddy (B Doyle, 52mins); C Moynagh (F Smith, 58mins), C Conroy (0-2, 2 45s) (D Hyland 0-2, 1f, 48mins), E O'Reilly (0-2, 1f) (N Clerkin, 57mins); T Hayes (2-2), E Hessin (0-4), P O'Connor (0-2, 1f) (N Smith, 46mins)

Kerry: S Murphy; M Brennan, K O'Dwyer, D Wrenn (S Moloney, 23mins); G Gibson, D Daly (A O'Donoghue, 33mins), G Crowley; A Garnett (D Roche, 45mins), B O'Sullivan; P O'Connor (0-2, 1f) (P Ó Sé, 43mins), C Keating (0-1), B Crowley (0-1f) (E Walsh, 0-2, 47mins); G O'Grady (0-4, 1f), P Kennelly (0-3), T Hickey (0-1)

Referee: J Henry (Mayo)

* See this Wednesday's print edition for full report, reaction, analysis and colour.

 

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