GROUP ONE OF the All-Ireland SFC made a strong bid to take over the title of ‘Group of Death’ this afternoon, and it’s Mayo that are on life support after Cavan surged past them in the second half of a remarkable encounter.
Three points was the final margin but Mayo hit 1-2 in stoppage time, including Aidan O’Shea’s goal with the very last kick, and had referee Paul Faloon blown his final whistle before that late salvo, the home side could have had little argument with the eight-point margin.
In perfect conditions, and in the new era of attacking football, Cavan simply put the Mayo attack on lockdown, conceding a mere one point from play to the starting six forwards until that O’Shea goal, Leading the way was corner-back Niall Carolan, who restricted Ryan O’Donoghue to little or no influence outside of his four converted dead balls. One early goal chance, flashed narrowly wide of the left hand post, was the Belmullet man’s other significant play.
Ironically the one Mayo point from a forward came from a defensive mistake, with Pádraig Faulkner overhitting a pass in the lead up to Darren McHale’s score. The veteran defender more than made up for it from then on however with a series of significant interventions, including three turnovers and one block.
Outside of that, Cavan were the better side, and with half an hour played, the score was 0-4 each with Mayo having had the use of the breeze. Cavan’s modus operandi was to try and inject pace from the top of the arc and attack Mayo down central channels and while a lot of that tactic ended in turnovers, particularly with Paul Faloon adopting a ‘let them at it’ approach to oversight, it offered far more than Mayo, who lacked imagination, and offered little or no two-point threat.
Ryan O'Donoghue in action. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
It was only once Davitt Neary was black-carded that Mayo opened out, scoring three stoppage time points to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time.
Within a minute of the restart, that lead was gone. A quick tap-and-go free from Ciarán Brady opened up the defence and Gerard Smith’s finish inside the near post was precise and decisive.
The next four points were shared but Cavan never trailed again. The kickout battle wasn’t dominated by one side or another but instead lead to a lot of heavily-contested rucks, and once the ball emerged, the Ulster county had far more energy and zest in the way they carried the ball forward.
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Madden, Faulkner and Oisín Kiernan were all on target while Mayo were leaning heavily on Stephen Coen for scores, four points coming from the right boot of the powerful midfielder.
In the space of 60 seconds midway through the half, Cormac O’Reilly split the posts and Oisín Kiernan followed up with a splendid two-pointer, and Cavan kicked for home. Mayo looked lethargic and uninspired, with one score after another raining over Colm Reape’s crossbar.
With a trip to Omagh next up, Mayo could only take solace from their late kick. For Cavan, and for everyone else, the visit of Donegal to Kingspan Breffni suddenly got a lot more interesting. The new Group of Death looks very lively indeed.
Cavan Selector Stephen O`Neill and Ciaran Brady at full time. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-5 (3 frees, 1 2pt free), Stephen Coen 0-4, Aidan O’Shea 1-0, Matthew Ruane 0-2, Darren McHale 0-1, Dylan Thornton 0-1, Fergal Boland 0-1
Scorers for Cavan: Oisín Kiernan 0-4 (1 2pt score), Cormac O’Reilly 0-4, Gerard Smith 1-0, Cian Madden 0-3, (1 free), Ciarán Brady 0-1, Pádraig Faulkner 0-1, Dara McVeety 0-1, Cian Reilly 0-1, Brian O’Connell 0-1, Paddy Lynch 0-1.
Mayo
1. Colm Reape (Knockmore)
2. Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis), 3. Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), 5. Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites)
7. Enda Hession (Garrymore), 6. David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen), 20. Dylan Thornton (Ballina Stephenites)
8. Stephen Coen (Hollymount Carramore), 9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
10. Davitt Neary (Breaffy), 11. Jack Carney (Kilmeena), 12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)
13. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), 14. Darren McHale (Knockmore), 15. Ryan O’Donoghue (Béal an Mhuirthead)
Subs
21. Fenton Kelly (Davitts) for Carney (56)
26. Paul Towey (Charlestown) for Neary (58)
25. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels) for Hession (59)
22. Fergal Boland (Aghamore) for Flynn (68)
23. Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites) for McHale (70)
15. Cian Madden (Gowna) for Donnelly (15)
25. Oisín Brady (Killygarry) for McEvoy (27-FT, temp)
26. Paddy Lynch (Crosserlough) for Donohoe (56)
17. Luke Fortune (Cavan Gaels) for C Brady (68)
23. Ryan O’Neill (Kildallan) for O’Reilly (68)
20. Luke Molloy (Cavan Gaels) for Crowe (70+3)
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Cavan stun Mayo in Castlebar to blow All-Ireland SFC group wide open
Mayo 1-14
Cavan 1-17
Kevin Egan reports from MacHale Park
GROUP ONE OF the All-Ireland SFC made a strong bid to take over the title of ‘Group of Death’ this afternoon, and it’s Mayo that are on life support after Cavan surged past them in the second half of a remarkable encounter.
Three points was the final margin but Mayo hit 1-2 in stoppage time, including Aidan O’Shea’s goal with the very last kick, and had referee Paul Faloon blown his final whistle before that late salvo, the home side could have had little argument with the eight-point margin.
In perfect conditions, and in the new era of attacking football, Cavan simply put the Mayo attack on lockdown, conceding a mere one point from play to the starting six forwards until that O’Shea goal, Leading the way was corner-back Niall Carolan, who restricted Ryan O’Donoghue to little or no influence outside of his four converted dead balls. One early goal chance, flashed narrowly wide of the left hand post, was the Belmullet man’s other significant play.
Ironically the one Mayo point from a forward came from a defensive mistake, with Pádraig Faulkner overhitting a pass in the lead up to Darren McHale’s score. The veteran defender more than made up for it from then on however with a series of significant interventions, including three turnovers and one block.
Outside of that, Cavan were the better side, and with half an hour played, the score was 0-4 each with Mayo having had the use of the breeze. Cavan’s modus operandi was to try and inject pace from the top of the arc and attack Mayo down central channels and while a lot of that tactic ended in turnovers, particularly with Paul Faloon adopting a ‘let them at it’ approach to oversight, it offered far more than Mayo, who lacked imagination, and offered little or no two-point threat.
It was only once Davitt Neary was black-carded that Mayo opened out, scoring three stoppage time points to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time.
Within a minute of the restart, that lead was gone. A quick tap-and-go free from Ciarán Brady opened up the defence and Gerard Smith’s finish inside the near post was precise and decisive.
The next four points were shared but Cavan never trailed again. The kickout battle wasn’t dominated by one side or another but instead lead to a lot of heavily-contested rucks, and once the ball emerged, the Ulster county had far more energy and zest in the way they carried the ball forward.
Madden, Faulkner and Oisín Kiernan were all on target while Mayo were leaning heavily on Stephen Coen for scores, four points coming from the right boot of the powerful midfielder.
In the space of 60 seconds midway through the half, Cormac O’Reilly split the posts and Oisín Kiernan followed up with a splendid two-pointer, and Cavan kicked for home. Mayo looked lethargic and uninspired, with one score after another raining over Colm Reape’s crossbar.
With a trip to Omagh next up, Mayo could only take solace from their late kick. For Cavan, and for everyone else, the visit of Donegal to Kingspan Breffni suddenly got a lot more interesting. The new Group of Death looks very lively indeed.
Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-5 (3 frees, 1 2pt free), Stephen Coen 0-4, Aidan O’Shea 1-0, Matthew Ruane 0-2, Darren McHale 0-1, Dylan Thornton 0-1, Fergal Boland 0-1
Scorers for Cavan: Oisín Kiernan 0-4 (1 2pt score), Cormac O’Reilly 0-4, Gerard Smith 1-0, Cian Madden 0-3, (1 free), Ciarán Brady 0-1, Pádraig Faulkner 0-1, Dara McVeety 0-1, Cian Reilly 0-1, Brian O’Connell 0-1, Paddy Lynch 0-1.
Mayo
1. Colm Reape (Knockmore)
2. Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis), 3. Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), 5. Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites)
7. Enda Hession (Garrymore), 6. David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen), 20. Dylan Thornton (Ballina Stephenites)
8. Stephen Coen (Hollymount Carramore), 9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
10. Davitt Neary (Breaffy), 11. Jack Carney (Kilmeena), 12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)
13. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), 14. Darren McHale (Knockmore), 15. Ryan O’Donoghue (Béal an Mhuirthead)
Subs
Cavan
16. Liam Brady (Ramor United)
4. Niall Carolan (Cuchullains), 7. Pádraig Faulkner (Kingscourt Stars), 18. Killian Brady (Cavan Gaels)
3. Brian O’Connell (Ramor United), 6. Ciarán Brady (Arva), 2. Cian Reilly (Killygarry)
10. Gerard Smith (Lavey), 9. Evan Crowe (Ballyhaise)
14. Ryan Donohoe (Gowna), 11. Dara McVeety (Crosserlough), 12. Oisín Kiernan (Castlerahan)
19. Barry Donnelly (Arva), 13. Cormac O’Reilly (Mullahoran), 24. Seán McEvoy (Ramor United)
Subs
15. Cian Madden (Gowna) for Donnelly (15)
25. Oisín Brady (Killygarry) for McEvoy (27-FT, temp)
26. Paddy Lynch (Crosserlough) for Donohoe (56)
17. Luke Fortune (Cavan Gaels) for C Brady (68)
23. Ryan O’Neill (Kildallan) for O’Reilly (68)
20. Luke Molloy (Cavan Gaels) for Crowe (70+3)
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
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All-Ireland SFC big win breffni boost Cavan Mayo Shock