National Football League Division Two Semi-finals: Roscommon 2-13, Cavan 0-14Two first-half goals gave Roscommon the platform to go on and defeat Cavan at Croke Park on Saturday. The quality of Roscommon's football was in stark contrast to Cavan's somewhat patchy performance.
It was a disappointing outcome for the Cavan supporters who had waited 10 years since the senior team's last appearance at GAA headquarters.
Roscommon dictated the pace for the most part and their well-executed moves deserved a lot more scores particularly in the first half at the end of which they led by 2-6 to 0-6.
Although Cavan scored first through Seán Johnston, the Roscommon attack went into top gear when Ger Heneghan shot to the net in the fifth minute after Enda Kenny's effort had come back off an upright.
Roscommon were in complete control at that stage helped by a top-class midfield pairing of Séamus O'Neill and Michael Finneran.
The Connacht side led by 1-2 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter, a lead that was due reward for their skill and fast running off the ball. Two converted frees by Rory Gallagher kept Cavan in contention but Roscommon's threat in attack looked to be paying dividends when they led by 1-6 to 0-4 after 27 minutes.
A second goal for Roscommon looked inevitable given the amount of pressure which the Cavan defence had to endure and it came from Cathal Cregg in the 31st minute to stretch their lead to six points by half-time.
Cavan made a determined effort in the opening minutes of the second half and reduced Roscommon's lead to four points through Michael Brennan and Dermot McCabe. That was as good as it got for them as Heneghan and Kenny restored Roscommon's six-point lead within five minutes.
Cavan fell deeper in trouble when they were reduced to 14 players in the 52nd minute after Brennan had received a second yellow card.
By then Roscommon's grip on the game had become even more pronounced and, despite a late rally by the Cavan men with a point each from Johnston and Larry Reilly, Roscommon were comfortably through to the final.
ROSCOMMON:G Claffey; S McDermott, A McDermott, R Kelly; S Daly, J Nolan, R Dooner; S O'Neill, M Finneran; D Hoey (0-2), G Cox (0-3), C Cregg (1-0); K Mannion (0-1), E Kenny (0-2), G Heneghan (1-4). Subs: J Tiernan (0-1) for G Heneghan (blood sub 54 mins), Heneghan for C Cregg (59 mins), D Keenan for D Hoey (65 mins), R O'Connor for S O'Neill (inj, 69 mins).
CAVAN:J Reilly; M Cahill (0-1), A Forde (0-1), M Hannon; P Brady, E O'Reilly, K Fannin; D McCabe (0-1), M Brennan (0-1); R Flanagan (0-1), M McKeever, R Cullivan (0-1); S Johnston (0-3), R Gallagher (0-3), J Reilly. Subs: G Pearson for J Reilly (27 mins), J Crowe for E O'Reilly (42 mins), M Lyng for R Gallagher (43 mins), L Reilly (0-2) for K Fannin (55 mins), C Galligan for P Brady (70 mins).
Referee:T Quigley (Dublin).
