Cavan 4-22 Donegal 0-20
Cavan returned to senior ranks with an emphatic victory over Donegal at Gaelic Park that was accentuated by four goals, four two pointers and dominance by midfielders Gareth Mannion and Jack McKenna. However Donegal had the better start and hit three points in the first three minutes, Sam McCabe had the first and Peter McNiff followed with a brace.
At the other end Frank 0’Reilly pointed a free and Jack McKenna sent over from long range. Donegal were still dictating matters as by midway in the period they led by 0-9 to 0-3. McNiff. Donegal’s best player was accurate from frees and play and Marc Lennon sandwiched in a brace. Frank O’Reilly got momentum going for the Breffni Boys with a two-pointer from a free. Then a powerful shot from Adam Mulligan was deflected over by keeper Conor Tinney, who had a busy afternoon. McNiff hit over another free before Cavan hit a goal or golden streak. A strong run by Shay McElligott and a deflected shot set the scene for the first goal by McKenna. The second resulted from good combination work by midfielders Mannion and McKenna , with the latter firing to the net. Cavan looked to be on target for a third major but the shot was brilliantly saved by keeper Tinney and deflected over for a point. Late points from Tiarnan McLoughlin and sharp-shooter McNiff left a point between the sides at the break, 2-7 to 0-12
The second half was a very different affair, with almost total dominance by the Breffni Blues as they squelched the Donegal challenge. Cavan pillaged 2-15 while limiting Donegal to just eight points. The rout began with a two-pointer from the big man Argue. Accounting for most of the scores was O’Reilly with a goal and a half dozen points and Mannion and McArdle banged in goals. Jack McKenna consolidated his man of the match performance with some fine scores but also being the springboard for others. McNiff remained Donegal’s chief marksman, but Marc Lennon and Kevin Loane also hit the target. Keeper Conor Tinney had a busy afternoon coming to the rescue on several occasions.
Cavan: Cormac Fagan, Liam McGrath, Donall Flanagan, Fintan Lennon, Keith Kelly, Kieran Slavin, Adam Mulligan, Gareth Mannion, Jack McKenna, Mark Galligan, Frank O’Reilly, James Coyle, Shay McElligott, Michael Argue, Cian McArdle. Subs Gareth Boylan, Martin Walsh.
Donegal: Conor Tinney, Kevin McDonnell, Stephen O’Quigley, Declan Hughes, Kaelan Walsh, Ruairi Slane, Peter McNiff, Marc Lennon, Peter McNeilis, Emmet Loughran, Sean Conroy, Kevin Loane, Tiarnan McLoughlin, Lochlain Byrne, Sam McCabe. Sub Patrick McColgan. Man of Match Jack McKenna, Referee Enda Henry.
Barnabas edge close encounter
St. Barnabas 2-20 Cork 4-12
This was a keenly contested affair between the Bronx Boys and the Rebels, with Mikey Brosnan scoring spree helping to propel his team to victory. The young Brosie accounted for half his team’s score and of course with good help from the trio of Rafferty and Mathers brothers along with Jack Gleason. James Donovan and company. From the throw-in Gearoid Kennedy went straight through for the opening score.
At the other end a pointed free by Coilin O’Connor replied for Cork, who would proceed to have a very productive afternoon. Barnabas jumped ahead on the back of a fine long range effort that gained a two. However, it was soon back to parity as O’Connor hit a brace before Mikey Brosnan registered his first score. On a counter attack a strong run by Lorcan Kennedy forced a good save from Jack Dennis.
However the keeper was not so fortunate on the next attack. O’Connor delivered a long ball into the square which was fumbled on the goal line, thus leaving veteran Ger McCullagh to usher it into the net. Barnabas responded well to the mishap as cornerman Gleason replied with a peach of a point. O’Connor’s frees kept punishing Barnabas to leave them trailing by 1-4 to 0-5 midway in the period. Barnabas stepped up their performance and put three unanswered points on the board courtesy of the Brosnan brothers and Jack Gleason to go ahead . The tit for tat nature of the game continued as a good run by Aaron Traynor set the scene for veteran Conor Hunter to score. Sharp-shooter and speedster O’Connor got Cork’s last score of the period while Mikey Brosnan did likewise for his team to have the sides level at the break,0-9 to1-6.
Barnabas hit their stride quickly after the break as Conor Mathers hit over a point and Mikey Brosnan followed with a two pointer. At the other end Jack Dennis did well to deny Lorcan Kennedy a goal, but a long range effort from Matt Queenan did find its way to the net. Cork regained the lead with another O’Connor point, but it didn’t last long as young Brosie hit three in quick fashion midway. At the other end Ger McCullagh was proving to be a handful but the keeper deflected his goal-bound shot over for a point. Then a four player movement end with a well struck goal by Matt Queenan. This gave Cork a three point lead with ten minutes left on the clock. Once again Barnabas responded well with some fine fielding and deliveries by James Donovan. Gearoid Kennedy pointed before the two Brosnans combined, Shane and Mikey for the latter to goal. Cornerman Gleason drew a free leaving Mikey the task of chipping it over. Kennedy enhanced his scoring stats with another long range effort to gain two. Ger McCullagh got a point back before Barnabas were awarded a penalty for a foot block which Kennedy planted in the net to go five points up with five minutes left on the clock. Both sides traded points, Gleason for Barnabas and O’Connor for Cork. However Cork were not about to throw in the towel. Ger McCullagh maneuvered his way to release the ball to the inrushing Philip O’Shea to plant it in the net, reducing the deficit to two points. Then the hooter sounded much to the relief of the Barnabas management.
St. Barnabas: Jack Dennis, James Boyle, Dylan Curran, Paidi Mathers, Shane Brosnan, Kevin Rafferty, Liam Rafferty, James Donovan, Conor Rafferty, Conor Mathers, Gearoid Kennedy, Conor Kelly, Mikey Brosnan, Tiarnan Mathers, Jack Gleason. Subs Padraig Stuttard, Timmy Fitzmaurice, Nolan Kelly.
Cork: James Kyne, Cormac Reidy, Sean Wilson, Aaron Traynor, Rory Duggan, Matt Queenan, John Conefrey, Andrew Burke, Alan O’Donoghue, Bryan Twomey, Conor Hunter, Coilin O’Connor, Lorcan Kennedy, Ger. McCullagh, Philip O’Shea. Subs Louis Boyd, Calum Fallon. Man of Match Mikey Brosnan, Referee Mike Burke.
Brooklyn do enough in bruising battle
Brooklyn 1-16 Sligo 0-16
This was a rather robust physical encounter where the physicality was a bit too much for comfort and the players didn’t shirk the exchanges. There were also some contentious issues, especially at the end. Brooklyn had a great start with a goal on the first attack by Liam Kerr. Niall Toner got Sligo on the board with a point and Liam Stafford looked destined to rattle the net but Ryan Corrigan saves the shot brilliantly. Failure to hand the ball back after a foul set the scene for a handy free and a point for Brooklyn.
Toner pointed another free before keeper Corrigan earned two from outside the arc. Brooklyn were having the better of the exchanges, assisted by ground gained by not having the requisite players in their respective halves. This was contentious for much of the game. Daire O’Boyle kicked a point but Brooklyn responded with three, courtesy of a brace from Robert Carr and a “45” from Corrigan. A fine two-pointer by Liam Stafford kept Sligo on Brooklyn’s tail. Both sides finished the period with a brace, corner men O’Boyle and Cox for Sligo, while Liam Kerr had Brooklyn’s to have them leading by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break.
On resumption Sligo stepped up their performance markedly. In the third quarter they hit over nine points while holding Brooklyn to one. The scoring spree started with O’Boyle punishing a poor kickout. Jordan Ajani hit over a single before Darragh McConnon struck a two pointer. Everything seemed to be sailing swimmingly for Sligo as keeper Cadden sailed over a difficult two-pointed, plus Stafford had a brace and O’Boyle a single before Cadden struck his second two-pointer to lead by six with just a little over ten minutes left. T
hen the game took an ugly turn over a contentious sideline ball. As the late Michael O’Hehir would say a schemozzle broke out, water bottles, punches and insults flying as players and sideline personnel grappled with each other. Once calm was restored it was downhill for Sligo. They gifted a wayward pass for a score plus they were short a player due to a black card. Rob Wharton scored from distance and Robert Carr struck a duo. Corner man Kerr finished with a brace to get a one point lead as time ebbed away.
Then on the last attack Sligo drew a foul as the hooter sounder. Up stepped Cadden attempting a two-pointer for the win, but the ball dropped short and was cleared to safety, either over the end line or sideline. It was ruled a sideline ball, thus finishing the game. If it were deemed to be over the endline, a “45” would have resulted, as Sligo folks adamantly claimed.
