Tyrone hold Cavan at arm's length to take Division 2 crown
Tyrone 1-17
Cavan 0-15
Paul Fitzpatrick
at Croke Park
A well-worked goal from Ronan O’Neill with 20 minutes on the clock was the score that broke Cavan’s resistance as Tyrone stormed to a five-point win in this eagerly-awaited NFL Division 2 final.
Cavan’s long wait for a national title at senior level will continue after a more cohesive Tyrone deservedly took the spoils. The Red Hands won the first half by three points and the second by two and although Cavan responded well to O’Neill’s goal, Tyrone were impeccable on the counter and picked Cavan off at their ease.
The enormous travelling Cavan support had some moments to savour but, overall, this was a dip in performance by their team, albeit against a Tyrone side who asked considerably more questions than opponents of late.
Cavan opened the scoring through Martin Reilly but Tyrone quickly replied with a Rory Brennan point. Gearoid McKiernan (free) and Sean Cavanagh traded scores and the nip and tuck nature of proceedings early on continued as the sides were level at three and four points apiece, with Mossy Corr, Liam Buchanan, Connor McAlliskey and TG4 Man of the Match Tiernan McCann on the mark.
Cavan hit the front with a fantastic point from Michael Argue but Tyrone were able to muster scores more easily and Mattie Donnelly replied less than 30 seconds later before the excellent Peter Harte added another.
Tyrone’s counter-attacking style was most impressive; they used the ball cleverly and successful closed out the space in front of their own goal, with the result that none of Cavan’s most prolific forwards – McKiernan, David Givney and Sean Johnston – got a shot from play away in the opening half.
That, more than anything, was the difference in this clash. Cavan had 11 different scorers but had to work over-time to raise white flags.
They managed two in succession from Dara McVeety and goalkeeper Ray Galligan (45) but a Mark Bradley free and a neat score from McAlliskey made it 0-9 to 0-7 eight minutes before the break.
Johnston tacked on a free after Conor Moynagh was fouled but a Ronan O’Neill free and another Cavanagh point made it 0-11 to 0-8 at the break.
Cavan started the second half well, although their delivery of the ball to the inside forward line was still lacking in accuracy. After Tyrone’s Mark Bradley saw a free rebound off the upright, the Blues broke quickly and McKiernan curled in a wonderful point.
McAlliskey and McVeety traded scores but Cavan then lost midfielder Buchanan to a black card and fell three behind when McAlliskey added yet another.
And then, in the 48th minute, came the score which defined the contest – Mattie Donnelly played a crisp cross-field pass into the path of O’Neill and he smashed home from 20 yards out.
To their credit, Cavan knuckled down and summoned up a great effort to eke out three points, one beauty from captain McKiernan, one for Moynagh and a Givney rocket which clipped the top of the crossbar on the way over.
Sadly for Terry Hyland’s men, that was the only real goal chance they created over the 70 minutes. Tyrone had the luxury of being able to move through the gears and Ronan O’Neill fisted over to restore their four-point lead.
There was a sense of inevitability about the game in the dying minutes as Mickey Harte’s side held Cavan at arm’s length.
Cavanagh sauntered through for an easy point and McAlliskey audaciously volleyed first-time over the bar from another goal opportunity.
Sub Eugene Keating curled in a long-range score for Cavan in response but when veteran Cavanagh raised a fist in the air after adding his fourth from the right wing, it was all over.
Jason McLoughlin had a late consolation point for Cavan but it mattered little; in the end, the better team won.
A lot done by Cavan, then, but this match showed there is a lot more to do.
Scorers for Tyrone: R O'Neill 1-3 (1f), C McAliskey 0-5, S Cavanagh 0-3, M Donnelly 0-2, R Brennan 0-1, T McCann 0-1, P Harte 0-1, M Bradley 0-1 (f).
Scorers for Cavan: G McKiernan 0-3 (1f), D McVeety 0-2, M Reilly 0-1, T Corr 0-1, L Buchanan 0-1, M Argue 0-1, R Galligan 0-1 (1f), S Johnston 0-1 (1f), C Moynagh 0-1, D Givney 0-1, E Keating 0-1, J McLoughlin 0-1.
Tyrone: M O'Neill; C McCarron, R McNamee, Justin McMahon; R Brennan, A McCrory, T McCann; C Cavanagh, M Donnelly; N Sludden, M Bradley, P Harte; C McAliskey, S Cavanagh, R O'Neill.
Subs: C Meyler for Sludden (50), B Tierney for McMahon (51), R Donnelly for Bradley (56), L Brennan for O'Neill (57), K McGeary for McAliskey (61), F Burns for McCarron (71).
Cavan: R Galligan; J McLoughlin, K Clarke, K Brady; P Faulkner, C Moynagh, C Brady; T Corr, L Buchanan; D McVeety, G McKiernan, M Reilly; D Givney, M Argue, S Johnston.
Subs: N Murray for Brady (25), E Keating for Johnston (46), C Mackey for Buchanan (48, black card), R Dunne for Argue (53), F Flanagan for C Brady (60), J Brady for Moynagh (66).
Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down).