Cavan snatched a crucial late win to keep their survival hopes very much alive when they edged out Offaly in a thrilling Allianz Football League Division 2 shootout in Tullamore on Sunday.
A point for Cavan in Derry next Sunday will keep them up while they will also survive if Kildare fail to beat Louth in Newbridge.
The defeat puts Offaly down and they were unlucky not to keep their hopes alive after a really spirited, honest second half display against the wind.
Offaly led by 3-15 to 2-17 heading into the final minute but Cavan struck for the last three points for the win.
Their crucial 69th minute two pointer from the outstanding Ryan Donohue was controversial as it looked to have tailed off wide but the umpires flagged it and the referee confirmed it after talking to a linesman.
Emmanuel Shehu added a last gasp point for good measure and it was a very relieved Cavan who headed for the dressing rooms.
They laid the ground work when only trailing by two points while playing against the wind in the first half but Offaly were much improved in the second half.
The home side would have won but for two disastrously soft goals, one in each half with Oisin Brady's and Ryan Donohue’s shots dipping in over the head of the unfortunate Conor Melia.
Cavan put themselves in a very strong position with a very solid display against the strong wind in the first half.
They trailed by 1-09 to 1-07 and would have taken that position every day of the week before hand as it looked at least a five point win, possibly more.
A fortunate goal from the lively Oisin Brady got them going in the seventh minute. Brady was going for his point but Offaly goalkeeper Conor Melia got caught off his line and Cavan led by 1-02 to 0-02.
Offaly hit back three minutes later with a punched Aaron Leavy goal, when he got his fist to a Dylan Hyland shot.
Hyland got his second two pointer, this time from play, in the 12th minute and for a few minutes, it looked like Offaly would take advantage of the wind.
A Hyland '45’, Darragh Flynn two pointer and point and a Ciaran Murphy point had them 1-09 to 1-03 up after 21 minutes but they badly lost their way in the second quarter. Offaly didn’t score again and that was a cardinal sin against the wind.
Cavan completely controlled the flow of play and points from Gearoid McKiernan, Tiarnan Madden, Oisin Brady and Peter Corrigan left them two points behind at the break and red hot favourites for the win.
It looked like Cavan would saunter to the win when Dara McVeety kicked a quick two pointer on the resumption but Offaly finally showed the right fighting spirit after this.
Jordan Hayes and Dylan Hyland got points and a super goal from the outstanding Diarmuid Egan gave them a 2-11 to 1-09 lead after 42 minutes.
It was 2-12 to 1-10 after 50 minutes and Cavan were in bother but Ryan Donohue’s very lucky 53rd minute goal gave them a lifeline. Tiarnan Madden quickly levelled up with a two pointer and Ciaran Brady put them ahead in the 55th minute.
Offaly rallied with impressive sub Shane Tierney’s drive deflected onto the post in the 57th minute before Keith O’Neill equalised.
Patrick Lynch and O’Neill exchanged points before Ryan Donohue’s first two pointer gave Cavan a 2-16 to 2-14 lead with five minutes left.
In a frantic closing five minutes, Jack McEvoy scrambled home a goal to give Offaly the lead, Eoin Clarke levelled it up and Jordan Hayes put the home side back in front with less than two minutes left.
Offaly’s supporters were praying for the final whistle but they couldn’t hold on as Cavan found a way to win late on.
CAVAN: Liam Brady; Brian O’Connell, Cormac Brady, Jason McLoughlin; Ciaran Brady (0-02), Dara McVeety, Tiarnan Madden (0-03, 1 2p); Gerard Smith, Ryan Donohue (1-05, 2 x 2p); Conor Brady, Oisin Brady (1-03), Peter Corrigan (0-01); Ryan Tobin, Gearoid McKiernan (0-01), Patrick Lynch (0-03, 1 2p).
Subs: Emmanuel Shehu (0-01) for Corrigan (47m), Eoin Clarke (0-01) for Tobin (48m), Cian Shekleton for Oisin Brady (54m), Ciaran Brady (Corofin) for Smith (60m),
OFFALY: Conor Melia; Shane O’Toole-Greene, David Dempsey, Conor Dunican; Cormac Egan, Diarmuid Egan (1-00), Daire McDaid; Jack McEvoy (1-00), Aaron Leavy (1-00); Rory Egan, Jordan Hayes (0-02), Keith O’Neill (0-02); Dylan Hyland (0-07, 1 2pf, 1 2p, 1 ‘45’), Ciaran Murphy (0-01), Darragh Flynn (0-03, 1 2p).
Subs: Shane Tierney for Murphy (HT), Marcas Dalton for Rory Egan (HT), Niall Furlong for Dunican (45m), Harry Plunkett for Flynn (56m),
Referee: Anthony Nolan
