Sport

A late show from Gowna

Points in injury time from Terry Harten and Dermot McCabe helped Gowna capture the Cavan football title for the fifth time in…

Mon Sept 20 1999 - 01:00

Points in injury time from Terry Harten and Dermot McCabe helped Gowna capture the Cavan football title for the fifth time in the club's history at the expense of Kingscourt at Breffni Park yesterday.

A draw looked a real possibility as Kingscourt drew level in the closing stages, with a Thomas Malone point, but then came a final push by Gowna and those vital winning scores. It turned out to be a most disappointing final, with few highlights to entertain the large attendance. Gowna went into the game as strong favourites through the experience of their county players Dermot McCabe and Bernard Morris. However, they struggled to find some kind of pattern and by halftime their 0-5 to 0-4 lead was due more to the inexperience of Kingscourt than to any real creativity from Gowna. Current Derry team manager Eamonn Coleman, who is also coach to Gowna, must have felt their title chances were slipping away. However, they stepped up the pace in the second half and with 10 minutes left, held a 0-9 to 0-5 lead.

The game badly needed a goal and it duly arrived with nine minutes left. Kingscourt launched an attack and when Shane Russell got possession on the wing, he raced goalwards to score with a spectacular shot to leave one point separating the teams. Thomas Malone levelled the scores four minutes later and with the game in its closing stages, a draw looked the likely outcome. However, Gowna battled back and got those crucial late scores.

Gowna now face All Ireland champions, Crossmaglen Rangers, in the first round of the Ulster competition on Sunday week.

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GOWNA: D O'Reilly; G Hartin, B Sorohan, T Harten (0-1); C Madden, C Brady, A Owens; F Hartin, Dermot McCabe (0-4); Declan McCabe, S Pierson (0-1), B Morris; G Pierson (0-5), D Madden, D Fitzpatrick. Subs: P Brady for D O'Reilly, L Brady for D Fitzpatrick, D Brady for Declan McCabe.

KINGSCOURT: B McCormack; P Crosby, B Corcoran, T Wakely; K Martin, M Kelly, G McCormack; G Patterson, G Sheenan (0-1); C Murtagh, P Smith, S Russell (1-0); J McCarthy, T Malone (0- 1), R Cunningham (0-5). Sub: J Dillon for G Patterson.

Referee: B Crowe (Cavan Gaels).