Madden fires Cavan to huge win over Rossies

Cavan 3-13
Roscommon 0-13

Paul Fitzpatrick
at Kingspan Breffni

Cavan turned in by far their best display of the season to comfortably brush aside bogey team Roscommon and keep their Division 1 survival hopes alive.

And Mickey Graham's men should have won with a good bit more to spare - of the first 13 wides, the home side kicked 12 – as they deservedly picked up a rare victory over the Connacht side.

A brilliant performance from Niall Murray, who linked the play superbly while also contributing on the scoreboard and setting up two goals, was key but in truth Cavan were on top in most positions.

Corner-forward Conor Madden will take most of the headlines for his two magnificent goals but this was by no means a one-man show; the positive things Cavan had been doing in patches in their earlier matches finally came together as they completely dominated proceedings.

That said, wayward shooting by the Blues kept Roscommon in touch longer than they should have been.

Niall Daly opened the scoring for Roscommon before Cavan reeled off three in a row from Chris Conroy, Murray and Jack Brady (free).

Kerry native Conor Cox landed two points, one a magical effort from the wing, either side of a classy Martin Reilly score.

The sides were level four times in the first half in total. Conor Hussey and Madden (mark), Niall Kilroy and Murray exchanged points before the Rossies took the lead again with two fine scores from Cox and Cathal Cregg on the half-hour mark.

Frees from Martin Reilly and Cox left it 0-8 to 0-7 in favour of the visitors before Cavan struck for the crucial score of the contest in the dregs of the first half, Reilly finding Madden who tore along the end-line and sent a rocket of a shot to the roof of Darren O'Malley's net to leave Cavan two ahead at the break.

Roscommon would regain the lead midway through the third quarter with frees from sub Donie Smith, Cregg and a super effort from captain Enda Smith but once Madden gathered a perfect long ball from Murray and planted to the net again, Cavan didn't look back.

Roscommon lost Ultan Harney to a straight red card with 20 minutes to play and Cavan won the final quarter by 1-6 to 0-1.

Another high ball from Murray was flicked to the net by Reilly and the Killygarry man added the next point, with Conor Moynagh, Dara McVeety and Man of the Match Murray all raising further white flags as Graham's side won pulling up.

Cavan: Raymond Galligan, Jason McLoughlin, Padraig Faulkner, Conor Moynagh (0-1), Ciaran Brady, Chris Conroy (0-2, 1f), Conor Rehill, Paul Graham, Killian Clarke, Martin Reilly (1-3, 1f), Dara McVeety (0-1), Niall Murray (0-2), Niall Clerkin, Jack Brady (0-1f), Conor Madden (2-1, 1m)
Subs: Gerard Smith (0-1) for Rehill (44 mins), Thomas Galligan for Graham (44 mins), Pierce Smith for J Brady (52), Stephen Murray for C Brady (58), Cian Mackey for Madden (63)

Roscommon: Darren O'Malley (0-1f), David Murray, Conor Daly, Evan McGrath, Conor Hussey (0-1), Niall Daly (0-1), Ronan Daly, Tadgh O'Rourke, Enda Smith (0-1), Shane Kiloran, Ultan Harney, Niall Kilroy (0-1), Conor Cox (0-5, 4f), Conor Devaney, Cathal Cregg (0-2, 1f)
Subs: Donie Smith (0-1f) for Kilroy (ht), Gary Patterson for Kiloran (51), Aonghus Lyons for Hussey (56), Caoilean Fitzmaurice for Cox (64), Hubert Darcy for McGrath (67)

Ref: David Gough (Meath)