[ad_1]
On a day of contrasting emotions in a very cold Kingspan Breffni, Roscommon collected the league trophy and the old foes Cavan were sentenced to relegation.
The Rossies entered the game without the services of eight of the starting team from last weekend’s impressive victory over Armagh, while five others from the panel, and manager Anthony Cunningham, isolated themselves after a Covid scare at camp.
However, they took losses lightly and deserved victory against a wasteful Cavan team that kicked 16 widths in a performance that was long on sweat and short on inspiration.
The Blues all too often relied on shots as they struggled to take down a Roscommon defense, who, incidentally, secured a sixth clean sheet in a row.
When the first water break came, the sides were stuck at 0-03 each.
The Rossies opened the scoring in the fifth minute, through Donie Smith’s sweet 45, which was the first of their five points in the first half.
Diarmuid Murtagh and Smith (free) were also right in this quarter, with Cavan, despite playing in a strong wind, struggling to knock down the visitors and reduced to long-range shots.
They converted three points from over 40 meters through Martin Reilly, Chris Conroy and Cormac O’Reilly, but the second quarter was dominated by Connacht’s men, who built up a useful 0-07 lead to 0-04 at halftime. .
After a great run by Cian McKeon, Fintan Cregg came up close and two well-taken free kicks by Smith in shape made it 0-06 to 0-03 in 26 minutes.
Rookie Cormac O’Reilly, son of the great Damien de Breffni, kicked a wonderful point from the right wing, but a punch from Donie Smith, who was also denied a goal by a tremendous save by Ray Galligan, saw Roscommon come into the break. three to good.
They extended that lead to four on the restart with a quick point from Ciarain Murtagh and although Cavan responded through Gearoid McKiernan, Murtagh and Cathal Cregg registered to double score, 0-10 to 0-05.
Sub Oisin Pierson hit a free kick and then Cavan chained his best play of the game, with Luke Fortune finishing it with one point to leave three between them.
But Roscommon’s response was immediate, as they exploited a confusion in Cavan’s midfield and advanced, with Enda Smith arriving late to the palm of the net.
With backup Thomas Galligan making the difference on kicks, Cavan improved his game and got three good points, two from Ciaran Brady and one from Oisin Kiernan.
But Roscommon always seemed to be able to find room at the other end and the excellent Donie Smith snuggled into a beautiful sheet music to get them working again.
Ray Galligan and Pierson added releases for Cavan, but Smith achieved another high-quality score. Cavan pushed hard, but Roscommon didn’t seem to wobble, with a half-decent scoring opportunity falling to Stephen Smith, but produced nothing.
All Cavan could muster was one point from James Smith, with a succession of bad shots and weak execution of skills that cost them dearly in the final stages.
They dig: Raymond Galligan (0-1f), Jason McLoughlin, Killian Brady, Killian Clarke, Gerard Smith, Chris Conroy (0-1), Ciaran Brady (0-2), Gearoid McKiernan (0-1), Padraig Faulkner, Oisin Kiernan ( 0-1), Martin Reilly (0-1), Cormac O’Reilly (0-2), James Smith (0-1), Conor Madden, Niall Murray
Subs: Oisin Pierson (0-2f) by Murray (29 minutes), Luke Fortune (0-1) by K Brady (ht), Stephen Smith by Conroy (42), Thomas Galligan by Madden (47), Oisin Brady by CO ‘Reilly (60)
Roscommon: Colm Lavin, Fergal Lennon, Sean Mullooly, David Neary, Padraig Scott, Cathal Cregg (0-1), Conor Devaney, Enda Smith (1-0), Tadhg O’Rourke, Niall Kilroy, Cian McKeon, Finbar Cregg (0- 1), Donie Smith (0-7, 3f, 45), Diarmuid Murtagh (0-1), Ciarain Murtagh (0-2, 1f)
Subs: Hubert Darcy for F Cregg (45 minutes), Ultan Harney for McKeon (47), Henry Walsh for Devaney (47), Andrew Glennon for D Murtagh (60), Jack Casey for C Cregg (68)
[ad_2]