1. Cavan’s strong finish
The Breffni county were crowned Division 3 Allianz football league champions yesterday after a much-improved second-half display against Fermanagh.
Mickey Graham’s men trailed 1-3 to 0-5 at the break, but propelled to a second consecutive league crown in Croke Park after outscoring their neighbours 0-11 to 0-4 in the second period.
They brought renewed energy, intensity and hunger on the restart, rattling off five unanswered points to assume control, and the same amount on the spin from the 62nd minute onwards to seal the deal.
The margin could have been greater but for spurned goal chances, including an outstanding Fermanagh triple-stop in the 50th minute.
More silverware in Cavan’s cabinet and Division 2 status will have them primed for a big summer. The county’s hurlers also enjoyed Division 3B success yesterday.
2. Breffni experience and impact
That goalkeeper Raymond Galligan was the game’s top-scorer speaks volumes.
The captain finished with 0-4, which was split evenly between long-range free-kicks and ’45s. The Lacken dead ball specialist really stepped up and showed leadership when needed.
While Gearóid McKiernan had a quieter day at the office, Padraig Faulkner — on his 100th senior inter-county appearance — and Ciarán Brady were among those to put their hands up with impressive individual displays.
@PadraigFaulkner from @StarsGAA1890 makes his 100th appearance in a Cavan Jersey today in Croke Park in the Allianz League Final.
— Official Cavan GAA (@CavanCoBoardGaa) April 1, 2023
Thank you for your service.#AllianzLeagues #RiseAgain pic.twitter.com/WdyKWmobRP
Cavan’s bench power was key, along with their Croke Park experience. Graham’s big calls paid off, with all five substitutes making their respective impacts felt. Conor Smith and Conor Madden both raised white flags down the home straight, while Jason McLoughlin has a superb second-half showing. He contributed greatly to their 22 turnovers won.
3. Fermanagh focus
Kieran Donnelly’s Fermanagh won the dress rehearsal last week, but they couldn’t go one step further.
The Ernesiders didn’t score until the 21st minute, their shooting repeatedly letting them down. Conditions certainly didn’t help, but Ryan Lyons and Darragh McGurn both missed straightforward first-half free-kicks. McGurn’s excellent 26th-minute goal powered them into the contest, but after Cavan moved into the ascendency in the third quarter, one point was as close as they got.
Three points in-a-row from Ryan Jones, Sean Quigley and Lyons (free) indicated a comeback was on the cards — 0-11 to 1-7 on the hour-mark — but they didn’t score thereafter.
Goalkeeper Seán McNally was one shining light, the Teemore youngster keeping a clean sheet after some crucial saves and nailing an excellent long-range free-kick. Their spinal kick-out formation brought mixed results, but appears a good platform to build off.
4. Silverware boost for Sligo
Two big GAA clichés were applicable in the first final of yesterday’s double-header: A game of two halves, and goals win games.
Wicklow started brightest with 0-4 in the opening eight minutes of the Division 3 decider, Sligo didn’t get on the sheet until the 16th minute. Niall Murphy scored Sligo’s entire 1-3 first-half haul, the goal coming when the Yeatsmen were down to 14 after losing Eddie McGuinness to a black card.
Wicklow led by two at the interval, but there was a real feeling that this match was in the balance and could go either way. Sligo’s second goal, from Paul Kilcoyne in the 42nd minute, was the real turning point. They took the lead for the first time — 2-5 to 0-9 — and kept their opponents at arm’s length for the remainder of the game.
Silverware is a boost for Tony McEntee’s men, and sets them up nicely for next weekend’s Connacht opener away to London.
5. McEntee outfoxes McConville in Battle of Cross
A fascinating managerial battle dominated the build-up as old Crossmaglen colleagues were divided at Croke Park.
“We’re involved in a WhatsApp group in Crossmaglen. There’d be a bit of banter,” John McEntee, twin brother of Tony and clubmate of Oisin, told The42 earlier this week.
The fun and games was parked for 70 minutes at HQ yesterday, but McEntee holds the bragging rights going forward.
The pair shared a warm embrace at the final whistle, and McEntee addressed it afterwards.
“For myself and Oisin, it’s a great honour to have two different clubmen representing on the sideline for a national title,” the successful boss told Off The Ball.
6. Remembering Red Óg Murphy
Above all else, yesterday was the first anniversary of the death of Sligo footballer Red Óg Murphy. It made for an emotional and poignant evening at HQ.
Niall Murphy spoke brilliantly after the Yeats county’s win. Firstly in his player-of-the-match interview with TG4:
“Days like that were made for Red Óg. We miss him dearly, a lot of the lads there were very, very close to him in Curry GAA, DCU and here. Red Óg’s legacy will live on. For such a young man, he’s a legend of Sligo football.”
And then after climbing the steps of the Hogan to lift the silverware as captain. “We lost a very special person last year in Red Óg Murphy,” he finished his acceptance speech. “Left a huge legacy in Sligo football, we all miss him dearly. A lot of the lads down there do as well.
“This one’s for Red.”
Cavan captain Galligan paid tribute to another late GAA figure, Liam Kearns, after accepting the Division 3 crown. “Firstly, I would like to pay our sincere condolences to the Kearns family and friends on what I can only imagine being a very difficult last number of weeks — on behalf of all the people of Cavan,” he began.
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