Tyrone ease home as Cavan exit Ulster race

Ulster SFC

Tyrone 1-24

Cavan 0-20

Paul Fitzpatrick at Healy Park

New rules, yes, but a familiar old result as Tyrone put Cavan to the sword with ease at Healy Park.

A crowd of just 6,791 turned out for this one, a 20pc reduction on the same fixture last year which was, at the time, considered a poor attendance. And those who did pay in didn’t get much bang for their buck as Tyrone controlled proceedings throughout barring a spell towards the end when Cavan’s ability to kick two-pointers saw them cut the gap to six.

While Tyrone were very efficient, registering just four wides, on the balance of play, the scoreline probably flattered Cavan who landed five two-pointers to none from Malachy O’Rourke’s men.

Cavan came into this one as heavy underdogs; the Blues hadn’t beaten Tyrone in championship football since 1983 and started without key attackers Paddy Lynch, Cormac O’Reilly and Oisin Brady as well as midfielder James Smith.

Both sides were down several starting players, in fact, with Darragh Canavan and Mattie Donnelly replaced by Ruairi Canavan and Cathal McShane for Tyrone while, on the away side, Cian Madden and Killian Clarke came in for Cormac O’Reilly and James Smith.

Cavan’s cause wasn’t helped when talisman Gearoid McKiernan also went off at half-time but by then, it was clear that the Breffnimen’s dismal record against the Red Hands would continue as the hosts led by 10, 0-14 to 0-4, with Cavan struggling badly to win primary possession on either kick-out and Tyrone, with eight scorers in the opening half, looking on a different level.

Tyrone eased into a two-point lead with scores from Niall Devlin and a Darren McCurry free and although championship debutant Sean McEvoy opened the Blues’ account, Tyrone would tack on three in succession from Kieran McGeary, Ruairi Canavan (free) and a fisted Aodhán Donaghy effort.

Dara McVeety, Cavan’s best player on the day, pulled one back but already, things were looking ominous for Ray Galligan’s side.

With Niall Morgan hogging the left flank on Cavan’s restarts, goalkeeper Gary O’Rourke’s options were limited and Tyrone dominated the breaking ball, ensuring a steady supply to the inside line.

McCurry and Oisin Kiernan traded scores but Tyrone put the game to bed with six white flags in succession from Cathal McShane (two), Morgan (45), Canavan (free) and McGeary.

After a slow build-up, Cavan registered again through Cian Madden but McCurry and McShane rounded off the first-half scoring.

Canavan (free) and Michael McKernan made it 0-16 to 0-4 on the resumption. Cian Madden landed a two-point free for Cavan but the favourites looked hungrier and devoured the breaking ball.

Canavan and Ciaran Daly made it 0-18 to 0-6 and when McGeary pounced on a misplaced McVeety pass and strolled through, it looked like it would get very ugly for Cavan.

Kiernan and McVeety sent over two-pointers but Tyrone kept the scoreboard ticking with singles, running hard lines from deep impressively.

A point from captain Brian Kennedy, who, worryingly for O’Rourke, went off injured, made it 0-23 to 0-12 with 16 minutes of normal time remaining. To their credit, Cavan dug in with a pair of two-pointers from McVeety and a one-pointer from sub Ryan O’Neill implausibly cutting the gap to six.

Tyrone had grown sloppy and looked a little vulnerable at this stage but wind-assisted Cavan didn’t have the legs to kick on, although they did have a shout for a penalty when Thomas Edward Donohoe was felled.

McCurry pointed on the loop to steady the ship and then came two important plays, Morgan spectacularly pulling down a Barry Donnelly shot which looked like it was sailing over for two and, at the other end, Conn Kilpatrick powering through and planting his finish in the bottom corner.

Cavan tacked on a couple of frees but, by then, many of their supporters were mirroring the team and heading for the exit.

Cavan: Gary O'Rourke, Cian Reilly, Brían O'Connell, Jason McLoughlin, Padraig Faulkner, Ciaran Brady, Niall Carolan, Killian Clarke, Gerard Smith, Gearoid McKiernan, Oisin Kiernan (0-3,1 2pt), Dara McVeety (0-8, 2 2pt, 1 2ptf), Barry Donnelly, Cian Madden (0-3, 2ptf), Sean McEvoy (0-4, 3f)

Subs: Ryan Donohoe for B Donnelly (14, temp, reversed 18), Donohoe for G McKiernan (ht), Ryan O’Neill (0-1) for B Donnelly (45), Thomas Edward Donohoe for C Madden, Killian Brady for K Clarke (50), Peter Devine for P Faulkner (temp, 64)

Tyrone: Niall Morgan (0-1, 45), Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague (0-1), Niall Devlin (0-1), Michael McKernan (0-1), Rory Brennan, Kieran McGeary (0-3), Brian Kennedy (0-1), Conn Kilpatrick (1-0), Aodhán Donaghy (0-1), Cathal McShane (0-3), Ciaran Daly (0-1), Darren McCurry (0-7, 1f), Peter Harte, Ruairi Canavan (0-4f)

Subs: Seanie O’Donnell for P Harte, Joe Oguz for A Donaghy (both 49), Mattie Donnelly for C McShane (58), Eoin McElholm for B Kennedy (64)