In a hard-fought GAA match at Kingspan Breffni Park, Dublin secured a 1-24 to 0-16 victory over Cavan. Despite a slow start and a raucous home crowd, Dublin found their rhythm in the second half. Manager Ger Brennan, back from suspension, hinted at a preference for a Parnell Park venue in the next round. Key moments included Cormac Costello's early scoring before injury, Cavan's initial lead, and Dublin's unanswered points capitalizing on Cavan's goalkeeper errors.
Declan Bogue Reports from Kingspan Breffni Park Dublin 1-24 Cavan 0-16 DUBLIN MAY NOT win the All-Ireland this season. But they are taking the steps needed to becoming a side that might just have a say in where it goes all the same.
In his post-match comments, the reinstated Dublin manager Ger Brennan, having served his 12-week suspension after an incident with a Galway backroom member in the last league game, suggested that should Dublin get a home draw tomorrow morning for Round 3, they would like to have it in Parnell Park. Now wouldn’t that be something. At half-time here in Breffni Park, they looked to be bogged in the same old quagmire that has affected them this season.
Brennan’s return wasn’t appearing to have a bounce effect. With a bumper crowd in Breffni Park, Cavan were as up for it as anyone can remember over the last few seasons. 14,486 came through the gates and Hill 16 on tour arrived and stationed itself on the town end. It wasn’t until the second half until they opened their vocal cords with a rendition of ‘Come On You Boys In Blue. ’ By then, the writing was on the wall.
But the first half felt a lot different. Cormac Costello opened the scoring and later added a free before he had to be withdrawn through injury on 20 minutes for Colm Basquel. Cavan warmed to their task and went 0-3 to 0-1 up through Paddy Lynch, Gerry Smith and Emmanuel Shehu. This prompted Dublin into clipping over four unanswered points with Cavan goalkeeper Liam Brady struggling to find his targets, going wide on more than a few occasions.
One particularly poor effort was drilled straight at Con O’Callaghan who should have had a goal only to try to dish off, Niall Scully settling for a point. That indecision was matched however by his opposite number Evan Comerford, who bizarrely did not elect to hit Dublin’s man-mountain Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne with any kickout in the first half. Cormac Costello tackled by Emmanuel Shehu.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO Cavan’s comeback was inspired by two consecutive two-pointers from Conor Brady and Paddy Lynch to go two points up, only for O’Callaghan to level up with the third two-pointer in a row. Cavan stuck to their task however and found themselves two up, only for Dublin to reel them back and go in at the break 0-13 to 0-12 ahead as Dermot McCabe kept his side back in the dressing rooms and leave Dublin stewing on the pitch for the restart.
If one were to be cruel, you might suggest that Cavan never really came out of the dressing rooms for the second half. Three minutes in, Dublin had a goal chance when Niall Scully drilled in a ball that Brian Howard caught but goalkeeper Brady was equal to. The resolve that Cavan brought in the first half however, wilted.
Midway through the second half, they chalked up their tenth wide soon after Ross McGarry elected to go for a Dublin point rather than a goal. They kept forcing turnovers and the workrate among the teams’ leaders was high. But they had no discernible plan for kicking scores or working the ball to shooting positions. Dress up all the statistics you want but Cavan scored 0-4 in the second half.
Dublin opened the scoring, Cavan got a point back. Dublin hit back with two, Cavan answered. Dublin hit another two, Cavan responded. At that point, it was Dublin 0-18, Cavan 0-15.
There were 15 minutes left. It was at this point that Cavan’s challenge slipped out the backdoor. Con O'Callaghan kicks a score. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO Belief, energy, you’d never get to the bottom of it really.
Cavan just kept making mistake after mistake. Liam Brady’s kickouts kept finding light blue jerseys instead of royal blue and he was punished accordingly. Dublin kept picking out the right man. Cavan substitutions had the effect of making them more ragged rather than providing energy.
The Dublin score on 58 minutes was a neat example. Cavan’s Niall Carolan was turned over deep in his own half as they struggled to get out of the Dublin press. Con O’Callaghan flashed a pass to Ross McGarry who had a drive for a shot, pushed over the crossbar. That was the start of a 1-6 to 0-1 sequence for the last 12 minutes.
Advertisement Dublin’s goal came when full-back Brian O’Connell tripped Colm Basquel. O’Callaghan stepped up to blast a shot into the roof of the net. Game over. Scorers for Dublin: Con O’Callaghan 1-9 , Paddy Small 0-3, Ross McGarry 0-3, Lee Gannon, Colm Basquel 0-2 each, Cormac Costello 0-2 , Charlie McMorrow, Niall Scully, Sean Guiden 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cavan: Paddy Lynch 0-5 , Emmanuel Shehu 0-3, Gerry Smith 0-3, Tiernan Madden 0-2 , Conor Brady 0-2 , Darragh Lovett 0-1. Dublin 1. Evan Comerford 2. Greg McEneaney 3.
Nathan Doran 4. David Byrne 5. Seán MacMahon 6. Charlie McMorrow 19.
Lee Gannon 8. Theo Clancy 9. Brian Howard 24. Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne 11.
Con O’Callaghan 12. Niall Scully 13. Paddy Small 14. Ciarán Kilkenny 15.
Cormac Costello Subs: 25. Colm Basquel for Costello 23. Ross McGarry for McEneaney 7. Eoin Kennedy for Howard 21.
Sean Guiden for Small 26. Tim Deering for Gannon Cavan 1. Liam Brady 2. Paddy Meade 3.
Brian O’Connell 4. Jensen Tynan 5. Garry Smith 6. Ciarán Brady 19.
Jason McLoughlin 8. Conor Brady 9. Ryan Donohoe 10. Tiarnan Madden 18.
Niall Carolan 12. Emmanuel Shehu 13. Barry Donnelly 14. Paddy Lynch 20.
Darragh Lovett Subs: 23. Oisin Brady for Donnelly 11. Dara McVeety for Donohoe 17. Cormac Brady for Tynan 26.
Cian Madden for Lovett 7. Ryan Tobin for McLoughlpin Referee: Liam Devenney Check out the latest episode of The 42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
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