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Cavan send champions down

Ulster MFC Preliminary round/Cavan 1-16 Down 1-13: A Cavan goal just before half-time was the difference in yesterday's cracking…

Mon May 08 2006 - 01:00

Ulster MFC Preliminary round/Cavan 1-16 Down 1-13: A Cavan goal just before half-time was the difference in yesterday's cracking Ulster minor football battle at Casement Park.

It helped the Breffni boys to toss All-Ireland champions Down out of the race after a sizzling game that produced some exciting football. However, the three-point margin at the end doesn't do justice to Cavan, who were superior throughout.

Lanky Ray Cullivan and Rory Dunne dominated midfield for the winners and sent their attack on dazzling runs. At the back, a strong Cavan defence cut out a number of dangerous Mourne raids that looked promising.

The teams were level four times over the opening 17 minutes, but then three strikes by Paul McCumiskey edged Down into a 0-7 to 0-5 lead after 21 minutes.

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Cavan then switched on the power-play with a pointed free by Colm Smith and then the dramatic goal that eventually won the game. It started with a clearance by goalkeeper James McEvoy and the ball travelled via Watters, Dunne, Colm Smith and Niall O'Reilly to Enda McHugh who shook the roof of the net with a rocket.

Leading by 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval, Cavan hit three early points after the restart as Down missed a chance after Cavan goalkeeper McEvoy dashed out to block Kelly, and Maginn blazed the ball wide.

The winners continued to dominate the play and led by 1-15 to 0-11, before Down put in a storming finish to the game.

From a close-in free they worked a goal by McCumiskey with a minute to go and the same player added a point to narrow the gap to 1-16 to 1-13, but Cavan deservedly held out.

CAVAN: J McEvoy; N O'Reilly, T Smith, D O'Reilly; J McEnroe (0-1), D O'Dowd, B Watters; R Dune, R Cullivan (0-2); Colm Smith (0-3, one 45), P Brady (0-1), E Keating (0-3); E McHugh (1-1), Conor Smith (0-1), E Gaffney (0-1). Subs: K Sheridan (0-2) for McEnroe (48); M Dunne (0-1) for Gaffney (55).

DOWN: G Joyce; M Digney, A Sloan, C O'Hagan; G McCartan, C Murney, F Doyle (0-1); P Fitzpatrick (0-2), L Toner; J O'Reilly, N Mulholland (0-1), S Grant (0-1); C Maginn (0-1), S Kelly (0-1), P McComiskey (1-6). Subs: T Hanna for McCartan (21 mins); M McCartan for Digney, C Killen for King (both 35); S Murdock for Mulholland (45), M McGee for Fitzpatrick (57).

Referee: S McNamee (Tyrone).