U20s through to Ulster semi-final after impressive win over Down

Ulster U20 Football Championship quarter-final

Cavan 2-26

Down 1-13

Cavan powered into the Ulster U20 Championship semi-final with their best performance of the campaign as they put a disappointing Down side to the sword.

At half-time, Cavan led by 0-16 to 1-7 but, strangely, would have gone in slightly disappointed given that they were utterly dominant for most of the half.

Cavan had earned their passage to the knock-out stages - and a home game - with a win over Armagh, a draw with Monaghan and a loss to a high-flying Derry but there were much the better side here as they delivered a sparkling performance, full of sharp attacking play and clever use of the ball, all done at a high temp.

Larry Reilly’s lads, backed by the breeze, played their best stuff of the season for the first 25 minutes, owning possession as they constructed a 0-15 to 0-3 lead. But in the final five minutes before the interval, Down rattled in a goal from Lorcan Ward and added a two-point free from Eoghan Travers and a Dan McKernan point from play to go in at the break well in touch.

Cavan opened a two-point lead with a brace from Cian Keaney (one free) in the opening two minutes. The visitors replied with a Jamie McFerran point and although Matthew Smith, the architect of many of Cavan’s scores, knocked over his first, wing-back Donagh Murdock cut the gap to one on five minutes and Barra McEvoy tied the game with a free.

For the next 20 minutes, though, Cavan’s play was nigh on perfect as they tore Down apart. Smith pointed off the left, and Lorcan Reilly soon added two (one free) as Cavan dominated the Down kick-out.

Keaney curled in a two-pointer, Cormac Galligan registered and then Keaney added a free to make it 0-10 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter.

Dylan Edwards, Keaney and Reilly (free) tacked on further points, with Smith and captain Matthew Costello, with a 45, leaving 12 between them.

That free from Travers stopped the bleeding; Smith replied with his fourth from play but a well-taken goal from Ward got Down going again and they went in trailing by only six.

Cavan stretched their advantage on the restart with points from Niall Magee, Costello (two) and Keaney and when Ward picked up a second yellow card with 20 minutes remaining, Down’s race seemed run.

To their credit, the away side dug in and a pair of two-point frees from Travers and a single from a free from Barra McEvoy drew them closer.

But Cavan weathered the storm and when Costello palmed in at the back post, they weren’t going to be caught. The Blues kicked a succession of neat scores on the run-in, with sub Jake Whyte wrapping things up with a second goal deep in injury time.

Cavan: Lee Philingham (Killinkere), Kyle McCabe (Knockbride), Jensen Tynan (Ramor United), Aaron Shekleton (Kingscourt Stars), Ben Tully (Cavan Gaels, 0-1), Evan Crowe (Ballyhaise, 0-1), James Tully (Laragh United), Matthew Costello (Crosserlough, 1-3, 45), Davin Graham (Butlersbridge), Dylan Edwards (Templeport, 0-2), Matthew Smith (Ramor United, 0-5), Niall Magee (Cuchulainns, 0-1), Cian Keaney (Killygarry, 0-8, 4f, 2pt), Lorcan Reilly (Knockbride, 0-3, 2f), Cormac Galligan (Mullahoran, 0-1)

Subs: Oliver McCrystal (Ramor United) for C Galligan (42), Darragh Noonan (Killygarry) for L Reilly (51), Luke Allison (Butlersbridge) for J Tully (56), Conor Sharpe (Mullahoran, 0-1) for M Smith (58), Jake Whyte (Cootehill Celtic, 1-0) for N Magee (59)

Down: R Burns, B Christie, L Vaughan (0-1), L Lynch, D Murdock (0-1), O Murray, J McFerran (0-1), L Ward (1-0), O Byrne, E Murray, B McEvoy (0-2f), C Morgan, D McAleenan, R Madine, E Travers (0-7, 1f, 3 2ptf)

Subs: D McKernan (0-1) for O Murray (21), L Quinn for O Byrne (44), C Ward for D Murdock, C Clerkin for D McAleenan (both 45), R McEvoy for C Morgan (53)