Cavan 1-16 Galway 1-12
Cavan will return to Division 1 in 2017 for the first time in 15 years after they ground out a deserved win over Galway in a pulsating winner-takes-all clash at Kingspan Breffni Park.
Before one of the largest crowds for a NFL match in over a decade, Cavan started sluggishly but turned on the style in the second quarter to go in at the break 1-08 to 1-05 in front.
With David Givney showing well at full-forward and captain Gearoid McKiernan in sensational form ‘on the 40’, Cavan kicked six points in succession in the lead-up to half-time.
Jack Brady, who replaced the injured Seanie Johnston, opened the scoring with a free but Galway drew level and then edged in front through David Wynne and Danny Cummins.
In the ninth minute, Cavan grabbed the lead again when a long punt from Killian Brady went all the way to Givney, who side-footed to the net.
But within three minutes Galway were in command again with a point from Damien Comer and a Gary Sice free, before Comer reacted quickest after the ball rebounded off the upright to rifle home.
That goal made it 1-04 to 1-01 to the Tribesmen but after Killian Clarke and Sice – with a brilliant free from the sideline – traded points, Cavan upped a gear and three magical points from McKiernan along with two 45s from goalkeeper Ray Galligan and a long-range effort from Dara McVeety left three between the sides at half-time.
Such was Cavan’s dominance that they kicked nine wides in the opening half, with Galway registering none and mustering six scores from as many chances.
Galway started the second half well, the lively Walsh driving over a point after 20 seconds but Cavan moved four clear in the next two minutes as Jack Brady, with a free, and Givney pointed.
Eamon Brannigan was next on the mark for the visitors and although this was cancelled out by another from man of the match McKiernan, Cavan’s play became riddled with errors as they panicked a little with the finishing line in sight.
Another Sice free and a Brannigan score made it a two-point game again and with Shane Walsh looking more dangerous by the minute, it appeared as if Galway might just spoil the party.
But Cavan came up with an important point from rookie midfielder Liam Buchanan and another from sub Eugene Keating to put four between them again with 10 minutes on the clock.
Galway were now the team kicking wides as Cavan lived on their nerves, with Walsh sending over two super points.
The Tribesmen pushed for a goal and almost got it but Padraig Faulkner cleared Comer’s shot off the line, and in the four minutes of added on time, the Blues kicked on, Keating, McKiernan and sub Niall Murray tacking on the scores that sealed the victory.
Cavan: R Galligan (0-2, 2 45s), P Faulkner, K Clarke, J McLoughlin, C Brady, C Moynagh, K Brady, T Corr, L Buchanan (0-1), D McVeety (0-1), G McKiernan (0-5), M Reilly, D Givney (1-1), M Argue, J Brady (0-2f)
Subs: N Murray (0-1) for Argue (51 mins), E Keating (0-2) for J Brady (55 mins), C Mackey for M Reilly (60 mins), R Dunne for Buchanan (BC, 63 mins), C Conroy for Corr (70 mins)
Galway: M Breathnach, D Wynne (0-1), D Kyne, C Sweeney, L Silke, G O’Donnell, G Bradshaw, E Brannigan (0-2), P Conroy, T Flynn, P Sweeney, G Sice (0-3f), S Walsh (0-4, 1f, 45), D Cummins (0-1), D Comer (1-1)
Subs: J Heaney for Cummins (48 mins), A Varley for P Sweeney (53 mins), S Denvir for Sice (62 mins), E Hoare for Brannigan (70 mins)
