Brendan Delaney is prevented from scoring a first half goal Picture: Willie Donnellan
Leitrim’s hopes of gaining an automatic spot in the Allianz NHL Division 3B Final were ended on Sunday in Kingspan Breffni Park after an uncharacteristically lacklustre display from the county hurlers saw them fall to their first defeat of the campaign.
Truth be told, the four point margin at the end flattered Leitrim who were second best in nearly all areas of the field until the final quarter when a late rally almost threatened the serene progress of the Cavan men to the top spot in the Division and a place in the Division 3B Final.
Without a game in four weeks, Leitrim never got to the pace of the game as the home side was just too sharp in front of the posts and much too clinical and composed on the ball against a Leitrim side who contributed a lot to their own downfall.
Handling errors, misplaced passes and poor options compounded Leitrim’s difficulties as a sharper and more aggressive Cavan forced turnover after turnover and it was only a first half goal from Stephen Goldrick that kept the Green & Gold within touching distance.
Matters went from bad to worse when Conor Beirne received a second yellow card after 53 minutes with Cavan nine points ahead but losing the man seemed to light a fire under Olcan Conway’s troops as they produced their best hurling in the final ten minutes, even threatening at one stage to complete a remarkable recovery.
Indeed, were it not for a missed penalty eight minutes from time and three more wides from frees, Leitrim might have rescued an improbable victory!
Yet, it would have been a robbery as Cavan were clearly the better side and the late fightback can only have increased the frustration in the Leitrim camp that they simply didn’t show up for the opening 60 minutes of this contest.
Leitrim and Longford now face a bizarre situation in their final game next Saturday where they both already know they cannot overhaul Cavan, who have beaten both teams, at the top of the table and they will meet in the competition’s semi-final a week later!
The only prize on offer is home advantage for the semi-final which would take place a week later but even a Lancashire win won’t affect the standings as the Exiles lost to both Leitrim and Longford. A draw would favour Longford who have the better scoring difference.
Leitrim's Tadhg Brannigan deflects a goal bound Cavan shot out for a 65 Picture: Willie Donnellan
Canice Maher gave a taste of the problems that were to bedevil Leitrim when Paul Lenehan was caught in possession, the sliothar turned over as the Cavan man fired over after a minute. Diarmuid Carney scored from a tight angle for the home side before a Michael Dervan free opened Leitrim’s account five minutes in.
But Cavan were clearly moving better and two Maher frees and a monster point from his own half from Liam Og Cooke put Cavan 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after just ten minutes.
Leitrim nearly got back into the game in dramatic fashion when Cavan keeper Darren Sheridan failed to gather a long shot with Brendan Delaney rushing in and almost forcing the ball to the net only for two defenders to prevent the shot from crossing the line.
Leitrim’s luck was not holding as Stephen Goldrick saw a long range shot from out on the wing rebound off the crossbar but good work from Goldrick and Sean Markham set up Delaney for the Green & Gold’s second point after 13 minutes.
Cavan pounced on a poor Leitrim clearance, setting up Sean Keating for a brilliant point from the sideline while Delaney shot wide across goal. Cavan were definitely dominating with Tadhg Brannigan deflecting a Colin Gargan shot away from goal either side of two Maher points.
Dervan did well to rob the ball from a Cavan player before setting up David McGovern for a long range score and suddenly Leitrim were back in it a minute later, Brendan Delaney making a superb catch out on the 65 and charging in towards goal before feeding Stephen Goldrick who side-stepped the keeper to fire the ball to the net.
Cavan captain Matthew Hynes was yellow carded for a clash with Goldrick in the aftermath of the goal and Leitrim drew within a point when Dervan converted a free after a foul on Goldrick who went on to score but saw the score ruled out for the free.
With just a point between the teams, Cavan replied in impressive fashion - Liam Og Cooke fired over from distance while Maher added three from frees and one from play in a four minute spell.
Diarmuid Carney stretched the lead to seven points with Dervan replying from a free after a foul on Goldrick but Leitrim should have got a close-in free when Delaney battled his way in before being taken down. Delaney showed his frustration by throwing away a Cavan defender’s hurl which saw him booked by referee Peter Owens of Down.
Cillian Sheanon gave Cavan a 0-15 to 1-5 halftime lead as he soloed through to score in added time and the home side went nine points clear early in the second half after points from Rian Delaney and Keating.
A Dervan free on 41 minutes cut the gap before Conor Beirne and Keating were both yellow carded in a clash off the ball. Clement Cunniffe put a long range free wide before Carney and Dervan (free) swapped points.
Leitrim’s cause appeared hopeless when Conor Beirne was booked for a second time on 52 minutes, Maher converting the free. Gavin O’Hagan responded immediately from distance for Leitrim as both sides starting to introduce subs, Enda Moreton and Michael O’Brien coming on for Leitrim.
Sean O Riordan tries to break through the Cavan defence Picture: Willie Donnellan
Wides from Goldrick and Dervan only served to underline Leitrim’s problems but Leitrim were playing with more intent, Jerome Fitzgibbons intercepting a Cavan puc-out to fire over on 62 minutes.
From the next puc-out, David McGovern won the ball and charged in along the endline before passing inside to Brendan Delaney who was taken down by three Cavan defenders with referee Owens signalling a penalty. Unfortunately, Michael Dervan’s penalty was well off target as Cavan sighed a breath of relief.
Yet there was no doubt Leitrim were playing better and sub Enda Moreton soloed half the length of the field before finding Delaney for an excellent point from the half. But misses continued to plague Leitrim with Dervan putting a close range effort wide on the near side.
Dervan did add a free on 67 minutes while David McGovern was wide as he tried to battle his way through the massed Cavan defence. Delaney also had a wide when he intercepted the Cavan keeper’s puc-out and Cavan sub Anthony Sheridan got his team’s last score in added time.
Leitrim kept coming for the scores they needed, Martin Feeney winning a 21 yard free but Gavin O’Hagan’s low free was saved by the keeper. Leitrim did get a second goal when pressure on Nicholas Kenny saw the Cavan man lose the ball in front of his own goal and sub Peter Poniard poke the ball to the Cavan net.
LEITRIM
Scorers: Michael Dervan 0-6, 6f; Stephen Goldrick & Peter Poniard 1-0 each; Brendan Delaney 0-2; David McGovern, Jerome Fitzgibbon & Gavin O’Hagan 0-1 each
Team: Clement Cunniffe, Paul Lenehan, Tadhg Brannigan, Kevin Clerkin, David McGovern, Jerome Fitzgibbon, Martin Feeney, Conor Hackett, Gavin O’Hagan, Sean O’Riordan, Michael Dervan, Sean Markham, Stephen Goldrick, Brendan Delaney, Conor Beirne. Subs: Cian Mallon for Clerkin (HT); Enda Moreton & Michael O’Brien for O’Riordan & Markham (58); Brian Goldrick for Hackett (66); Peter Poniard for Dervan (67)
CAVAN
Scorers: Canice Maher 0-10, 7f, 1 ‘65; Diarmuid Carney 0-3; Liam Og Cooke & Sean Keating 0-2 each; Cillian Sheanon, Nicholas Kenny, Rian Delaney & Anthony Sheridan 0-1 each
Team: Darren Sheridan, Matthew Hynes, Dominic Crudden, Shane Briody, Jack Barry, Cillian Sheanon, Philip McCabe, Nicholas Kenny, Liam Og Cooke, Rian Delaney, Canice Maher, Colin Gargan, Diarmuid Carney, Sean Keating, Thomas Leonard. Subs: Fiachra Hughes for Leonard (55); Anthony Sheridan for Gargan (57); James Smith for Carney (61); Gavin Fitzpatrick & Conor Bannon for Keating & Cooke (69)
Referee: Peter Owens (Down)
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