Donegal ease past Cavan

Ulster GAA Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round:
Cavan 1-10 Donegal 1-16

A confident performance from Donegal saw them record a comfortable six-point victory over Cavan in the Ulster GAA Football Championship preliminary round on Sunday at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Colm McFadden top-scored with 1-6 for Donegal, and his penalty at the end of the first half effectively killed the game off as Cavan never looked like being able to claw back the six-point deficit that score established.

Although Cavan kept fighting, with full-forward Eugene Keating hitting 0-5 from play and Niall McDermott hitting a second-half penalty, Donegal were always in control and fully deserved their win.

Donegal went in 1-7 to 0-4 ahead at half-time after dominating the last 20 minutes of the first period, and they cemented their lead with McFadden’s penalty just before the interval.

Cavan started very well, and were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead within 8 minutes. Jack Brady, David Givney and the excellent Keating hit the Breffni side’s first points in response to Rory Kavanagh’s opener for Donegal, and the home side were flying.

Donegal got back level through points from McFadden and Mark McHugh but another fine score from Keating put Cavan back in front at 0-4 to 0-3 after 11 minutes. That was to be Cavan’s last score for half an hour though as Donegal took charge of the game and pulled away.

Their surge began when Neil McGee came all the way up from full-back to flash over an equaliser, and when three quick points followed from McFadden (free), Kavanagh and Leo McLoone, Donegal were three clear after 26 minutes.

Cavan were struggling to get the ball into their forwards, and Donegal were looking very assured in possession as the half went on. Then, just before half-time, the visitors won a penalty when Patrick McBrearty was fouled by Killian Clarke after a long ball was flown in towards the Cavan goal.

McFadden buried the penalty to the top left hand corner, and that was the last score of the half as Donegal went in coasting

Their dominance continued after the restart, with McFadden smashing over a beautiful score from distance before an equally classy effort from Mark McHugh left Donegal eight ahead.

Cavan finally ended their scoring drought shortly after this brace though, substitute McDermott and midfielder Givney knocking over scores either side of an effort from Donegal corner-back Frank McGlynn.

Donegal continued to knock over points and when McLoone fired over his second of the day on 57 minutes, the Ulster champions led 1-13 to 0-7. Cavan however, were handed a lifeline shortly afterwards when McDermott successfully converted a penalty.

However two quick frees from McFadden reaffirmed Donegal’s dominance, and although Cavan continued to fight and hit a few more scores through the outstanding Keating, Donegal had their work done and were good value in the end for their six-point win.

Cavan: J Reilly; P O’Reilly, D Reilly, R Flanagan; K Meehan, K Clarke, R Mahony-Derham; D Givney (0-2), G McKiernan (0-1); F Flanagan, M McKeever, J McLoughlin; J Brady (0-1), E Keating (0-5), B Fitzpatrick.

Subs: T Corr for R Maloney-Derham (HT), N McDermott (1-1, 0-1f) for B Fitzpatrick (HT), N Smith for F Flanagan (37), K Tierney for M McKeever (56), R Galligan for J Brady (67).

Donegal: P Durcan, P McGrath, N McGee (0-1), F McGlynn (0-1), L McLoone (0-2), K Lacey, A Thompson, R Kavanagh (0-3), N Gallagher (0-1), Declan Walsh, M McHugh (0-2), R Bradley, P McBrearty, C McFadden (1-6, 1 penalty, 0-5f), David Walsh.

Subs: M O’Reilly for R Bradley (24), M McElhinney for D Walsh (67). D Molloy for N Gallagher (69).

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).

Related:
– Cavan v Donegal Gallery