DIVISION 1B/Mayo ... 2-14 Cavan ... 2-12: A quintessential match of two halves. Cavan manager Mattie Kerrigan refused to criticise his players after watching them produce a poor parody of their first-half display as Mayo wrested control at Ballinrobe yesterday.
"If I knew what happened to them we would be able to sort out the problems," said Kerrigan.
His counterpart Pat Holmes had no doubts about how his team turned this match on his head: "We didn't match Cavan's first-half commitment, the players worked it for themselves during half-time. We got a few early scores after the break and that gave the side the impetus they badly needed."
The league holders were fortunate to be only three points behind at halftime (2-6 to 1-6) having been outplayed in many sectors. The four Reillys were in their element up front, carving huge gaps in the unsettled Mayo rearguard that started with Ken Mortimer in for Alan Roche - Mortimer was replaced by Roche at half-time. Cavan also had the edge at midfield through Barry McCrudden and Pierce McKenna.
Larry Reilly, placed in turn by James Doonan and Jason Reilly, had Cavan leading by 1-1 to 0-0 inside two minutes. The bombardment of the Mayo posts continued and Cavan should have been celebrating another early goal when Cormac Nelligan and Jason Reilly collaborated spectacularly only for Reilly's hand flick to go wide.
Mayo goalkeeper Peter Burke then came to his team's rescue when getting down to save a fine effort by Larry Reilly.
It was nightmare start for Mayo but they got a major break after 13 minutes when Cavan's primary weakness, playing the ball out of defence with short passing, cost them dearly. James Nallen intercepted and sent Conor Mortimer away on the burst to send a seering shot into the roof of Aaron Donohoe's net.
Equally inevitable was the mix-up in the Mayo defence that followed. Finbar Reilly floated a 50 metres free towards the Mayo crossbar, the calls went wrong on the goalline, and when the ball was dropped Jason Reilly lashed it home.
But the best was yet to come for Mayo. Midfielder Shane Fitzmaurice gave an early indication of the great second half he was to produce by going forward for a point only seconds after the resumption. James Gill followed up with another inspiring point and substitute Trevor Mortimer added to yet another Gill point to level the scores by the eighth minute.
Stephen Carolan weighed in with a fine point after a solo and then sent a Conor Mortimer free to the net.
Cavan refused to give in and Kerrigan claimed that his team should have been awarded a penalty in a late incident that saw Pierce McKenna go to ground while in possession.
Mayo's Trevor Mortimer was sent off for a second bookable offence 26 minutes into the second half.
MAYO: P Burke; K Mortimer, P Coyne, G Ruane; D Heaney, J Nallen, N Connelly (0-3); S Trench, S Fitzmaurice (0-1); J Gill (0-2), D McDonagh, S Carolan (1-1); M McNicholas, J Horan, C Mortimer (1-6, three frees). Subs: T Mortimer (0-1) for McDonagh (30 mins), A Roche for K Mortimer (half-time), D Brady for Trench (48 mins), M Moyles for McNicholas (65 mins).
CAVAN: A Donohoe; E Reilly, T Prior, C Hannon; M Brides, A Forde, J Doonan; B McCrudden, P McKenna; C Nelligan (0-1), P Reilly (0-2, one free), F Reilly (0-3, frees); L Reilly (1-4) J Reilly (1-0), G Pierson (0-1). Subs: M Graham (0-1) for Pierson (50 mins), B Corrigan for Nelligan (50 mins), P Kermath for Doonan (66 mins), P Galligan for F Reilly (66 mins).
Referee: P Russell (Tipperary).
