Cavan 0-18 Derry 1-17
Derry made it a hat-trick of competitive wins over Cavan this year and, in the process, booked themselves a place in the last 12 of the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers after a cracking match at Kingspan Breffni Park.
The Oak Leafers timed their run to the finishing post to perfection with top scorer Mark Lynch leading the way with a magnificent seven.
In the hot, humid conditions, Derry turned on the burners from the get-go but, ominously, flattered to deceive in their attempts at converting hard-won possession into the hard coinage of scores.
Despite having the lion’s share of possession early on – albeit while playing into the face of a stiffening breeze – it wasn’t until James Kielty pointed in the 6th minute that the visitors opened the scoring.
Wind-aided Cavan gradually found their mojo and three quick-fire points, including a gem from Dara McVeety (7), left it all square until Emmet McGuckin leaped like a salmon to fist home a ninth minute goal for the Oak Leafers.
Scores proceeded to be notched in machine-gun like fashion by Cavan and they punished poor Derry marking by hitting six unanswered points between the 11th and 24th minutes to march into a 0-9 to 1-2 lead.
In an otherwise sporting first half, a black card (24) for Derry’s Kielt and a straight red card (34) for Cavan defender Feargal Flanagan left things on the boil as Cavan went in at the break ahead by 0-11 to 1-4.
Points were exchanged with gay abandon as the game opened up but it wasn’t until the 63rd minute that Derry gained parity (0-15 to 1-12) when Niall Loughlin split the posts.
Derry continued to be the better team in the run into the final whistle with subs Niall Toner notching his third point and Lynch sealing the deal in injury time.
Cavan: R Galligan (0-3, 3f); K Brady, R Dunne, P Faulkner; F Flanagan, C Moynagh (0-1), M Reilly (0-2); T Corr, M Argue (0-1); D McVeety (0-3), G McKiernan (0-4, 3f), K Clarke; C Mackey (0-1), J Brady (0-1), S Johnston (0-1, 1f).
Subs; N Murray for M Argue (half-time); C Brady for P Faulkner (45); J McLoughlin for K Brady (53); T Hayes for S Johnston (58); G Smith (0-1) for T Corr (67).
Derry: T Mallon; G McKinless, C McKaigue, K McKaigue; C McFaul, B Rogers, C Mullan; C McAtamney (0-1), N Holly; D Heavron (0-1), C Bradley (0-1), E Brown; J Kielt (0-1), E McGuckin (1-0), M Lynch (0-7, 4f).
Subs; E Lynn (0-1) for J Kielt (B.C, 24); N Loughlin (0-1, ‘45) for E Brown (30); N Toner (0-3) for C Bradley (47); E Bradley for McAtamney (49); L McGoldrick for B Rogers (60).
Ref; E Kinsella (Laois)
