Cavan prove too strong for U-21 footballers

23.01.10 | Cavan 0-13 Longford 0-2 | By Liam Cosgrove

Longford's hopes of progressing to the Hastings Cup U-21 Football Final were dashed by a clinical Cavan outfit at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday last.

A combination of poor finishing and more incisive play from their Ulster counterparts proved to be the midlanders undoing in what turned out to be a fairly tepid second round encounter.

That was largely due to the fact a thick cloud of dense fog had descended on Breffni Park's brand new 3G pitch where the game was scheduled to be played.

After a brief lull match officials decided to proceed and it was Cavan who got off to the better start. Four minutes in, Niall Smith slipped Longford defender Colm Smith before fisting over.

In truth however Longford could and probably should have taken the lead when Shane Powell managed to find Ronan McGoldrick in acres of space. However, with only Martin Smith in the Cavan goal to beat, McGoldrick somehow managed to drag his shot wide.

Cavan, who accounted for Leitrim by a massive 18 points seven days earlier, were unlike their near neighbours brimming with confidence.

The added bonus of being able to field a number of players with senior panel experience such as the likes of Rory Dunne, Gearoid McKiernan and David Givney certainly made the task facing Longford all the more stiffer.

Having spent months on the sidelines with a career threatening knee injury, McKiernan was clearly eager to impress. In the 9th minute he stroked his side ahead before Paul McKeon replied with a free for Longford 25 yards out.

Yet with McKiernan in such imperious form at midfield, Longford had little by way of answers. Indeed, McKeon's free turned out to be Longford's only score of the opening half hour as Cavan ran riot.

Scores from Adrian Cole, Brendan Fitzpatrick and two delightful efforts from McKiernan's namesake, Declan saw Cavan establish a six point lead at the break.

Declan McKiernan stretched the margin to 0-8 to 0-1 five minutes into the second half while substitute Packie Leddy rounded off a fine Cavan move to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Staring at a morale sapping defeat, Longford needed goals and had it not been for the excellence of Cavan goalkeeper Martin Smith, they may well have got them.

First Smith parried a JJ Matthews drive close in and then William Crawford saw his goal-bound effort turned around the posts for a 45'. But the Cavan netminder saved his best until last when denying Ronan McGoldrick with a fantastic stop from point blank range.

Matthews did manage a brief flutter of applause from Longford fans when fisting over after skipping past a couple of tackles ten minutes from time.

By this stage however the game was over as a contest and further points from man of the match Gearoid McKiernan and Brendan Fitzpatrick only served to add further gloss to what was a most polished performance from the Breffni Blues.

CAVAN: Martin Smith; Dara Tighe, Rory Dunne, Paddy Carroll; Kevin Meehan, James McEnroe, Joshua Hayes; David Givney, Gearoid McKiernan (0-3); Declan Meehan (0-1), Declan McKiernan (0-3, two frees), Niall Smith (0-2); Brendan Fitzpatrick (0-2), Adrian Cole (0-1), Shane Tierney.

SUBS USED:- Shane Grey for D Tighe (21 mins); Danny Graham for K Meehan (33 mins); Packie Leddy (0-1) for A Cole (39 mins); Robert Maloney-Durham for N Smith (42 mins); Johnny Klushe for D McKiernan (46 mins); Michael Reilly for D Givney (54 mins).

LONGFORD: Mikie McGuinness (Clonguish); Rory Barrins (Longford Slashers), Michael Morrissey (Longford Slashers), Anthony Watters (Clonguish); Colm P Smith (Abbeylara), David Faughnan (Clonguish), John Sheridan (Dromard); John Keegan (Mullinalaghta St. Columba's), Martin Brady (Sean Connolly's); Brian Farrell (Mostrim), Paul McKeon (Colmcille, 0-1, free), Shane Powell (Ardagh St. Patrick's); William Crawford (Abbeylara), Ronan McGoldrick (Killoe Young Emmets), Bernard Sheridan (Dromard).

SUBS USED:- Kevin Diffley (Ballymahon) for J Keegan (half-time); JJ Matthews (Mullinalaghta St. Columba's, 0-1) for B Farrell (half-time), Fergal Battrim (Abbeylara) for J Sheridan (half-time); Fergal Reilly (Fr. Manning Gaels) for B Sheridan (46 mins).

REFEREE: Ray McBrien (Leitrim).

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