Cavan - 5-13 Roscommon - 3-12: Cavan powered their way to a first league final since 1960 with a tremendous display of football against the pre-match favourites at Cusack Park, Mullingar yesterday.
Cavan followers in the capacity 13,000 semi-final attendance could not have asked for more as their side set about demolishing their opponents from the off. The manner of defeat will have done little to boost Roscommon confidence before their championship meeting with All-Ireland champions Galway next month.
The porous defence, which up to yesterday had conceded more than their forwards had scored in their roller-coaster league campaign, was once again found wanting.
Full back John Whyte was hauled ashore after 20 minutes by which time Cavan had twice found the net. His replacement, Fergal Carroll, could do little to stem the blue tide as Cavan continued to tear apart the Connacht champions' last line of defence.
Cavan had a virtual stranglehold on midfield, where Cathal Collins was outstanding, and Roscommon manager John Tobin first brought in Fergal O'Donnell for young Seamus O'Neill and later replaced David Casey with Don Connellan.
Their was no mistaking the ferocious appetite of Mattie Kerrigan's players yesterday. The game was barely 30 seconds old when full forward Jason Reilly scored their first goal when he gathered a pass from Larry Reilly before wrong-footing his marker and blasting to the net.
Roscommon replied within a minute with their first goal when full forward Jonathan Dunning jinked his way through the defence after grabbing a high ball from Francie Grehan. They led briefly when Dunning and Stephen Lohan pointed, but Cavan regained the initiative when Peter Reilly goaled from the penalty spot after Mickey Graham was fouled when put through by Pierce McKenna.
The Ulster side continued to dominate a pulsating first half and their third goal on the 29th minute, a great solo effort from Graham, put them 3-6 to 2-3 in front after Nigel Dineen had fisted home Roscommon's second goal a minute earlier.
Cavan led 3-8 to 2-5 at the break and another Roscommon goal from Dunning two minutes after the restart opened up the prospect of an intriguing contest.
However, Roscommon's defence was once found out when Peter Reilly got through for Cavan's fourth goal and they led 5-11 to 3-7 when Graham scored their last goal midway through the half to open up a 10-point gap.
Roscommon chipped away at the deficit in the closing stages but any chance of getting through for the goal they so badly needed was snuffed out by Cavan goalkeeper Aaron Donohoe who made a brilliant save from Dunning.
Cavan were brilliant throughout the field and their followers left relishing the prospect of their first league final in 42 years, against Tyrone in an all-Ulster decider.
Roscommon manager Tobin was somewhat philosophical in defeat, admitting his side had a lot of work to do before the championship kicks off. Only centre half back Francie Graham and to a lesser extent substitute Fergal O'Donnell left Cusack Park with their reputations intact.
CAVAN: A Donohoe; P Kermath, T Prior, C Hannon; M Brides, A Forde, J Doonan; P McKenna (0-1), C Collins; P Galligan (0-2), P Reilly (2-2), F O'Reilly (0-2, fs); L Reilly (0-3), J Reilly (1-2), M Graham (2-1). Subs: B McCrudden for Galligan, G Pierson for L Reilly.
ROSCOMMON: D Thompson; D Gavin, J Whyte, I Daly; R Cox (0-1), F Graham, P Noone; S O'Neill, D Casey; J Egan (0-1), S Lohan (0-4, 0-3 fs), G Cox; M Dineen (1-4, 0-4 fs), J Dunning (2-1), J Hanley. Subs: F O'Donnell for O'Neill, F Carroll for Whyte, D Connellan (0-1) for Casey, E Kenny for Hanley. Referee: M Barrett (Cork)
