Cavan 3-16
Tyrone 1-23
(after extra-time)
TYRONE NEEDED EXTRA-time to edge out Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park — and set-up an Ulster senior football championship showdown against Donegal next week. The result means that Cavan’s 41-year winless streak against Tyrone continues, but Raymond Galligan’s side didn’t go down quietly.
Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher’s side led by eight points shortly after the 50-minute mark, but their hosts staged a remarkable comeback to level matters at 3-14 to 1-20 by the end of normal time.
The Red Hand won by a single point after the additional period. Cavan could not find an equaliser to force penalties; the final whistle sounding with Galligan’s outfit in possession.
Tyrone now face Donegal in next Sunday’s semi-final. Armagh and Down do battle in the other last four battle, while Cavan regroup for the All-Ireland series.
The electric Darragh Canavan top-scored with 0-7 (3f) for Tyrone, while Darren McCurry and Michael McKernan were also prominent before the posts.
Liam Gray bagged their goal, while Cian Madden, Padraig Faulkner and Niall Carolan were on target with Cavan’s. Paddy Lynch was well marshalled, but finished with 0-4 (0-2 from play), while Oisin Brady clipped three points.
The Breffni struck their first goal in the 10th minute; Madden making it 1-1 to 0-2 after a lively opening in which Mattie Donnelly and Luke Fortune produced crucial blocks.
Tyrone responded well, raising a green flag of their own through championship debutant Gray eight minutes later.
The scoreline was 1-5 to 1-1 at that point, and the Red Hand led 1-10 to 1-4 by the break.
A six-point gap remained when Padraig Hampsey was shown a black card in the 49th minute after an altercation with Paddy Lynch. Lynch, meanwhile, saw yellow. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Tyrone soon moved into a 1-16 to 1-8 lead, but Cavan reined them back in.
Faulkner, their hero against Monaghan, and Carolan scored two goals in five minutes, and the margin was one when Hampsey returned to the field.
Brady brought Cavan level in the 62nd minute, 3-10 to 1-16.
Tyrone did carve out a two-point cushion twice, but Cavan notched the all-important equaliser through Brian O’Connell in the 74th minute. That made it 3-14 to 1-20.
Perhaps, there was a goal on from a tight angle, but the corner back opted to fist over.
Extra-time beckoned after Tyrone missed at the other end.
Cavan had the momentum, but the visitors’ experience shone through thereafter.
They were one up — 3-15 to 1-22 — at the break, while Tiernan Quinn and Lynch traded frees in the dying minutes. Cavan had their chances, but Tyrone progress.
