Clare 1-12 Cavan 2-09
Bryan Magee scored a late free to earn a draw for Cavan against Clare as they kicked off their Allianz Football League Division 2 campaign in Ennis.
Cavan finished second from bottom in the top tier last season and after relegation they looked likely to lose when Keelan Sexton put the Banner in front in the 71st minute, but Magee secured a draw.
The last time these sides met in the NFL it was a 1-12 to 0-07 win for Cavan at Miltown Malbay in 2002, and the Ulster men made a stunning start with Caoimhin O’Reilly early goal.
Eimhim Courtney hit back and Clare held a 1-07 to 1-02 half-time lead. Dara McVeety goaled in the second half for Cavan, and the Banner had Gary Brennan shown a black card as they had to settle for the draw.
Clare had a strong breeze at their backs in the first-half and looked to build up a big lead by half-time, but disaster struck inside the opening minute.
Conor Madden came into the Cavan starting 15 instead of Adrian Cole late on, and he provided the pass to McVeety who in turn put O’Reilly through before he finished to the roof of Killian Roche’s net.
The hosts were rattled but they retained their composure and scored the next three points, as Conor Finnucane, birthday boy Eoin Cleary and Sexton all hit the target to tie the game up in the seventh minute.
Then Bryan Magee tapped over a free for Cavan before Clare’s goal arrived in the 12th minute. Cavan goalkeeper Raymond Galligan attempted to clear his lines with a hand pass, but that was blocked down by Sexton, and Courtney scored into the empty net.
Cleary added another point to give Clare a 1-04 to 1-01 advantage before the sides went score for score, but Clare were the dominant team in the first-half.
Finnucane score his second point to give them a five-point lead before half-time and they held a 1-07 to 1-02 interval lead.
Former All Star nominee Cian Mackey entered the fray for Cavan on the resumption and he kicked two inspirational points, but Brennan, Gearoid O’Brien and Cathal O’Connor scored for Clare to give them a 1-10 to 1-04 advantage by the 44th minute.
But the game turned dramatically when Cavan scored 1-2 in a minute. Mackey was involved in the goal again when his shot was saved by Roche and McVeety fisted to the net.
Ciaran Brady and Cole added further points before Brennan received a black card for an off-the-ball incident in the 58th minute.
Cavan had the breeze and all of the momentum behind them and points from McVeety and Oisin Kiernan gave the Breffni men a 2-08 to 1-10 lead entering injury-time.
Cleary levelled things up and Sexton gave Clare a momentary lead but Magee sealed a draw.
Clare: Killian Roche; Cian O'Dea, Cillian Brennan, Gordon Kelly; Jamie Malone, Ciaran Russell, Pearse Lillis; Gary Brennan (0-01, 0-01f), Cathal O'Connor (0-1); Alan Sweeney, Eoin Cleary (0-04, 0-02f), Gearoid O'Brien (0-02); Conor Finnucane (0-02), Keelan Sexton (0-02), Eimhin Courtney (1-00).
Subs used: Darragh Bohannon for Brennan (58, black card), Kieran Malone for Sweeney (59), Sean O’Donoghue for Courtney (65).
Cavan: Raymond Galligan; Donal Monahan, Padraig Faulkner, David Phillips; Darragh Kennedy, Ciaran Brady (0-01), Oisin Kiernan (0-01); Killian Clarke, Jack Wharton; Enda Flanagan, Dara McVeety (1-01), David Brady; Caoimhin O'Reilly (1-01, 0-01f), Conor Madden, Bryan Magee (0-02, 0-02f).
Subs used: Conor Moynagh for Wharton (24), Niall McKiernan for Madden (half-time), Cian Mackey (0-02) for Kennedy (half-time), Adrian Cole (0-01) for D Brady (42), Ryan Connolly for O’Reilly (63), Conor Brady for McKiernan (69).
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).
