Impressive opening win for minor footballers over Derry

Ulster MFC round 1

Cavan 1-12

Derry 1-7

Kevin Óg Carney at Kingspan Breffni

Cavan’s minor footballers produced a mature and composed performance to out-gun their peers from Derry in a top quality Ulster MFC first round tie at Kingspan Breffni.

The new rules plus near-perfect playing conditions formed the catalysts for a fast, open and high standard game with the offering in particular in the first half top drawer.

On a sodden turf made even more greasy by a steady afternoon drizzle, the ball-handling by both sides, the expert foot passing and disciplined tackling was of the highest order.

Ultimately, Cavan lasted the Formula One-like pace of the game the better.

The early exchanges pointed towards a close affair for the duration of the game and that’s the way it panned out for three-quarters of the game before Cavan took the game by the scruff of the neck in the final 20 minutes. In that extended dash for the finishing tape, Cavan failed to concede any score while tagging on seven unanswered points themselves.

Ed O’Hanlon’s side started well but, more crucially, it was their sustained finish that worked the oracle after influential Derry midfielder Daithí McCloskey had edged the Oak Leafers into a 1-7 to 1-5 lead with 42 minutes on the clock.

Cavan’s long run for home was spirited, intelligent and precise and left Derry facing the back door and deservedly so.

Derry had given as good as they had got up until the blues grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck down the back straight.

The sides were level for the first time in the 11th minute when Derry’s Codi Rocks landed a two-pointer to make it 0-2 apiece. At that juncture, it appeared that the game would do down to the wire but Cavan clearly penned a different script in nursing a 1-5 to 1-6 deficit at the half-time break.

The game ebbed and flowed in the first half with high fielding, arrow-like foot passing and well-worked and executed scores pock-marking the 32 minutes of play.

The game’s only two goals came in the first half, hinting at the promise of more of the same but a high bar had been set and the restart ushered in a more cautious, claustrophobic affair where ball retention was paramount in the testing conditions.

The first half had a cavalier, all guns-blazing ring to it and Derry’s success in landing a haymaker in the 13th minute with a Daithí McCloskey razor incision and goal had the visitors boasting a 1-3 to 0-3 lead.

One minute earlier, an always threatening Cavan attack had eyes for a goal when Sam Maguire’s exocet landed in enemy territory but Dylan Brouder was out-gunned, two-to-one, under the high ball.

Hard working, industrious and intelligent on and off the ball, the teams had fire in their bellies but the game was never anything other than a positive affair.

Cavan’s goal arrived in the 22nd minute when Faolán Graham’s powerful fetch and run from midfield was the preamble to a fine finish to the Derry net by Mark Reilly which tied the scores at 1-4 apiece.

The second half was more chess-like than cavalier with both teams retreating with gusto and defending in depth with the customary 12 players behind the ball. As things panned out, a point from goalscorer McCloskey in the 42nd minute gave the visitors a two point lead.

Both teams resolved to deny their opposite numbers plough a furrow through the spine of the defence as had been the case on an intermittent basis in the first half.

But even allowing for tiring legs, the quality of the football remained relentingly high with the disciplined tackling, touch-tight policing and clever running off the ball redolent of a more senior contest.

Slowly but surely, Cavan set sail for the port labelled ‘winner’ and another converted ’45 by impressive ‘keeper McConnell and a sublime two pointer by midfielder Graham plus several textbook block-downs by the blues’ defenders paved the path to victory as the final quarter took shape.

Four additional minutes were added on but Cavan were’t for turning. Instead, they turned the screw with half-back Michael Smith garnishing some patient build-up play with a point (62) before team-mate Faolán Graham produced a classy dummy to engineer the space and time to split the posts with glee.

Job done.

Cavan: Cian McConnell (Munterconnaught, 0-3, ‘45s); Danny Brady (Laragh United, 0-1), Lee Glennon (Munterconnaught), Andrew Smart (Ramor United); Michael Smith (Crosserlough, 0-2, 2pt), Harry McMullen (Cootehill Celtic), Shea Brady (Arva); Sam Maguire (Templeport, 0-1), Faolán Graham (Butlersbridge, 0-2pt); Mark Reilly (Denn, 1-0), Jake Brady (Gowna), Cathal Smith (Lavey); Donagh Lynch (Cuchulainns), Nathan Quigley (Denn, 0-3, 1f), Dylan Brouder (Castlerahan)

Subs; John Donohoe (Mullahoran) for C Smith (39); Senan Smith (Denn) for D Lynch (46); Damien Hughes (Drumgoon) for M Reilly (60).

Derry: Michael Conlon; Emmet Óg McKeever, Joseph Cassidy, Tobias Beattie; Daire Hull, Fionn Cartin, Blaine Conwell; Daithí McCloskey (1-1), Michael Higgins; Sean O’Kane, Codi Rocks (0-2 pt), Don Mulholland; Tony O’Hagan (0-2, ’45), Cathal Scullion (0-1, f), Kian Maynes (0-1, 1f).

Subs; Callum Leacock for T O’Hagan (37); Emmet Spiers for M Higgins (45); Matthew Diamond for D Hull (45); Jonathan Teague for B Conwell (53).

Ref: Shane Murphy (Armagh).