Ulster Football Championship Quarter-final
Antrim 0-10-1-20 Cavan
Kevin Herron reports from Corrigan Park
Antrim departed the Ulster football Championship at the quarter-final stage after they were outclassed and outscored 1-13-0-03 in the second half of their 1-20-0-10 defeat by Cavan at Corrigan Park this afternoon.
Despite making a slow start to proceedings the hosts found their scoring boots and trailed 0-07-0-06 at the break, but the second half was far from a closely fought contest.
Cavan were simply relentless with debutant Paddy Lynch adding to three first-half points and Gearoid McKiernan’s goal putting the icing on the cake before the hour-mark.
Mick McCann was given his matching orders to add to the Saffrons woes as they tamely exited the Ulster equation and must now wait for the newly formed Tailteann Cup to commence.
Conditions were perfect at a sun-soaked Corrigan Park for the Saffrons first Ulster Championship encounter on home soil since 2013.
Cavan edged ahead in the early stages after Gerard Smith picked out the run of Cormac O’Reilly to open the afternoons scoring.
O’Reilly almost had the first goal on eight minutes after a good run and spin from danger by Killian Clarke in the build-up, but Mick Byrne made an impressive near-post block.
The visitors increased their advantage after Cian Madden picked out James Smith to swing over and a straight-forward free from Gearoid McKiernan gave the Division Four league champions a 0-03-0-00 advantage with almost twenty minutes on the clock.
Ryan Murray was having a frustrating afternoon up until he finally found range on the 24th minute.
Although Paddy Lynch would respond with a free, Antrim were finding a foothold. Dermot McAleese played a one-two with Marc Jordan and coolly shot over, Lynch kicked a second free- though Conor Stewart combined with Ryan Murray and popped over.
Things could have got much better 60-seconds later when Murray combined with Tomas McCann to slip in Mick McCann in front of the posts, Raymond Galligan applied enough pressure and McCann opted for a point on the turn to narrow the margin to a single point (0-05-0-04).
Cavan twice restored their two-point lead through scores from O’Reilly and Lynch (advanced mark), but Antrim came up with a response on both occasions through Paddy McAleer and Ryan Murray to ensure that Cavan would take a narrow 0-07-0-06 lead in at the midway point.
Antrim drew level within two minutes of the restart, Ryan Murray earned the free and brother Conor converted.
But the Saffrons failed to kick on and Cavan regained the lead through a converted Gerard Smith free.
Paddy Lynch followed up with another quickly after before Smith swung a terrific near post shot high over the bar to give the Breffni Blues a 0-10-0-07 lead.
Lynch brought his afternoons tally to 0-05 with his fourth free of the contest to make it four-points on the spin, but Kevin Small shot over in reply to keep Antrim within touch.
Any hopes of a further Antrim fightback suffered a huge blow when midfielder Mick McCann was shown a second yellow-card for catching Paddy Lynch with a high challenge.
A further three unanswered scores for Cavan saw them open up a six-point advantage with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Goalkeeper Raymond Galligan got his name on the scoresheet from a placed ball, Lynch added another to his personal tally and Geariod McKiernan added to his first half point from play.
First-half substitute Jamie Gribbon shot over the hosts- who were desperately trying to cling on.
Lynch converted his sixth free in the immediate aftermath and it was game, set and match with little over ten minutes remaining.
Talisman Lynch played the providers role and shifted the ball to Gearoid McKiernan to rifle into the corner of the net and give the 2020 Ulster Champions a comfortable 1-15-0-09 cushion.
Ryan Murray dropped over his sides final score of the afternoon, but Cavan were far from finished and tagged on a further five scores.
Paddy Lynch conjured up his eighth point of the afternoon before departing to rapturous applause from the visiting faithful.
Substitute Martin Reilly came off the bench to contribute two-points to the cause and in-between those two, there were points from Padraig Faulkner and Jason McLoughlin to see their side run out comfortable 1-20-0-10 winners at the conclusion and make it into the last four of the Ulster Championship.
Antrim: M Byrne, E McCabe, P Healy, C Stewart (0-01), P McAleer (0-01), J Laverty, D McAleese (0-01), K Small (0-01), M McCann (0-01), R Murray (0-03), M Jordan, R McCann, O Eastwood, C Murray (0-01f), T McCann. Subs: J Gribbon (0-01) for R McCann (13), P McBride for O Eastwood (HT), D Lynch for T McCann (HT), P McCormick for E McCabe (64), B McCormick for J Laverty (64).
Cavan: R Galligan (0-01f), J McLoughlin (0-01), P Faulkner (0-01), K Brady, L Fortune, K Clarke, C Brady, T Galligan, J Smith (0-01), G Smith (0-03), G McKiernan (1-02, 0-01f), C Moynagh, C O’Reilly (0-01), P Lynch (0-08 ,0-06f, 0-01m), C Madden. Subs: C Conroy for K Brady (55), M Reilly (0-02) for Cormac O’Reilly (57), Caoimhin O’Reilly for C Madden (65), Ciaran Brady for Conor Brady (67).
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
