REFEREE Adrian Walsh, who is a Dublin based Garda, could hardly expect to find himself as busy jotting down offenders' names during any given hour in his professional career as he did in this game. battle to avoid relegation at Clones yesterday was fought out in a poisonous atmosphere that charged the 9,712 crowd and resulted in three players - two from Tyrone and one from Cavan - receiving marching orders.

Walsh also booked eight players, and warned others.

Surprisingly, perhaps, he had the approval of many of the players for a job well done. Veteran Cavan midfielder Stephen King, who had a fine game, said: "It may have been unfortunate for some in the tough going out there, but the referee had to assert his authority, if I was to remain in control."

Five bookings were issued in the first 17 minutes alone. The quality of football suffered as players became obsessed, mainly in the first half, by the aim of stopping the man in possession by hook or by crook. High tackles were commonplace.

First to qualify for the early showers were Tyrone's Pascal Canavan and Cavan full back Ciaran Brady. Given that there had been three flare ups earlier on, it was remarkable that the first half had entered injury time before anyone was sent off. Tyrone were reduced to 13 players 16 minutes into the second half when their full back, Paul O'Neill was dismissed.

To add to Tyrone's woes at that stage, Cavan substitute Larry Reilly banged over a huge point from way out on the left wing the moment play resumed. Reilly, from the moment he replaced the badly injured Fintan Cahill, proved that he should never have been on the bench in the first place.

The second of his two points stretched Cavan's advantage to seven points, 2-7 to 0-6.

"It was a dismal display by us," said Tyrone goalkeeper Finbar McConnell, who was beaten by two slick first half goals by Cavan's man of the match, Dermot McConnell could hardly be blamed for either of these carbon" copy scores. The first came in 11 minutes, when McCabe rose to a well placed Peter Reilly lobbed free to flick the ball out of the reach of an acrobatic McConnell from just outside the small square.

The second goal, six minutes later, and again off a Peter Reilly lob, was again fisted home. McConnell got his outstretched hand to this effort. "I just failed to get it around the post," said the giant Tyrone goalkeeper.

Tyrone's composure was upset by the switch of wing back Sean McLaughlin to right half forward to replace the injured Gerard Cavlan, and by Rory McGarrity being slotted in at left half back and it worsened following the McCabe hammer blows.

"It may have looked like the goals were rehearsed, but this is not the case. We did, however, talk about the possibility of such goals," said a smiling McCabe.

Two great saves by McConnell subsequently, from Peter Reilly and substitute Jason Reilly, reflected the degrees of pressure, the Tyrone defence was subjected to by an adventurous Cavan attack. The manner in which the Cavan defence almost arrogantly overplayed the ball was often nerve wracking for their followers.

Tyrone's Peter Canavan had no luck whatsoever. He cracked one goal worthy shot off the bar moments into the second half. Shortly afterwards, Raymond Cunningham added a point from a free to Cavan's half time lead of 2-4 to 0-5.

Peter Canavan seemed disillusioned well before the end and indicated he had accepted the inevitable by tapping over the third of his pointed frees when his side trailed by seven points in the closing minutes.

"Our two goals were decisive, and it's understandable if Tyrone lost heart after them," said Cavan manager Martin McHugh. He felt Cavan had shown up weaknesses which the Tyrone manager, Danny Ball, may have to address.

Danny will have to look at the situation, remembering that Meath got through for goals as well against them.

"It was as good as any championship match," added McHugh.

McHugh said that his first priority had always been "to stay up in Division One".

Tyrone became disorganised during the last quarter. Some of their attempts to improve their position were quite bizarre, and derisive cheers rang in the ears of Noel Donnelly, Sean McLaughlin and Vincent Owens especially for poor attempts at trying to secure consolation scores.

The sides have a rematch on Sunday in the Doctor McKenna Cup semi final in Omagh.