‘We worked harder and it paid off’ - O’Reilly

GAA news

Damien Donohoe

Cormac O’Reilly played a key role in Cavan’s impressive victory over Roscommon in Hyde Park, as they overcame adversity to secure a crucial result in their promotion push. Despite injuries and setbacks both before and during the game, Cavan showed remarkable resilience, something O’Reilly believes is a testament to their growing belief as a team.

“We came into the game in good form and good spirits,” the Mullahoran man said after the win.

“We knew we had a great opportunity to lay down a marker. There’s been a lot of talk about Roscommon, but we wanted to show that we’re a top team and that we’re right up there with them.

“We worked harder than them, and that paid off.”

The inside forward, son of Cavan great Damien, is only back on the county panel in the last month but has wasted no time making an impact. A natural summer footballer, the timing of his return appears to be bringing out the best in him as he thrives in the fast-paced attacking style that suits his game.

Against Roscommon, O’Reilly and his teammates had to adjust to tricky conditions, with a noticeable breeze .

“We saw in the warm-up that the wind would be a factor,” he explained.

“So we tried to work the ball through the hands a bit more. We probably could have scored more in the first half, but thankfully, a few shots went over for us in the second.”

The new advanced mark rules have also been a benefit to the Cavan forward line, and O’Reilly is relishing the changes.

“There’s been a lot of talk about them changing the game, but I think they’ve actually made it more attractive to watch. The lads out the field are looking to kick it in more, and when they do, it’s up to us forwards to deliver.”

Cavan racked up 20-plus points in the win, an impressive tally as they push towards a strong finish in Division 2. While their league status is now secured, promotion is still within reach. If they can defeat Cork in their final game and get a helping hand from Louth, a return to Division 1 could still be on the cards.

“We’ll go into the Cork game with the same mindset as today—heads down and focused,” O’Reilly said.

“We’ve got a week off now to put in a solid workload, and we’ll be ready to go.”