There were joyous scenes at Kingspan Breffni as Cavan secured promotion back to Division 1 at the first time of asking after a dramatic final round clash with Tipperary.
A superb 75th minute point from sub Conor Madden proved to be the winner as Mattie McGleenan’s side stole it on the line in a thrilling finale.
On his last visit to this ground, Conor Sweeney had bagged a crucial penalty as Tipp defeated the home side in last year’s All-Ireland qualifiers and he needed just 13 minutes to repeat the trick here.
That helped the away side into a 1-1 to 0-2 lead and they held Cavan at arm’s length for the remainder of the first half to maintain that two-point advantage at the break, 1-5 to 0-6.
Tipp opened the scoring through midfielder Liam Casey three minutes in, the score coming off the Cavan kick-out which was a feature of the first half. Liam Kearns’s side dominated for long spells in that key battleground.
Cavan levelled through a Bryan Magee free and edged in front with another score form the lively Caoimhin O’Reilly but then came the penalty – a high, hopeful ball aimed at Michael Quinlivan was batted down and Jimmy Feehan latched on to the break and was fouled.
Sweeney tucked it away stylishly and although Cavan pulled back another free from veteran Cian Mackey, the visitors were pressing the Cavan kick-out and hovering up the breaks when Blues goalkeeper Ray Galligan went long.
A neat score from Liam McGrath made it 1-3 to 0-3 on 18 minutes before defender Ciaran Brady hit back with an inspirational point from play for Cavan, who were by now enjoying more success on Even Comerford’s restarts but struggling to make it count on the scoreboard.
A huge effort from McGrath restored the three-point gap but Cavan had the final say of the first half when youngster O’Reilly, who made his senior debut against the same opposition last July, fisted over his team’s sixth of the afternoon.
The Premier opened the second half scoring through Josh Keane but Cavan landed two-in-a-row from Magee (free) and a brilliant effort from McVeety, now sited close to goal.
And then came a huge talking point as Tipperary’s Casey was dismissed on a straight red card after tangling with Ciaran Brady. With the numerical advantage, Cavan slowly pushed on and by the 48th minute, points from Conor Bradley and McVeety had them level.
Tipp sub Liam Boland and Cavan goalkeeper Ray Galligan – with a 50-metre free – traded scores but the away side put some daylight between the teams when they conjured a sweeping move which McGrath finished by palming to the net.
And when Sweeney added another, they were four up and had one foot in the top flight.
However, with the industrious Martin Reilly to the fore, the Breffni men kept plugging away and they would win the final 20 minutes – including injury time – by five points to seal a memorable victory.
Bradley, McKiernan (two frees) and Mackey all pointed as, at the other end, Tipperary spurned a couple of glorious chances.
With time almost up, Sweeney nailed a free to nudge his team in front by 2-10 to 0-15 but Cavan dug deep to convert a McKiernan free and a late, late long range winner from sub Madden, which sealed their return to Division 1 in a dramatic finish.
Cavan: Raymond Galligan (0-1f), Jason McLoughlin, Padraig Faulkner, Enda Flanagan, Martin Reilly, Ciaran Brady (0-1), Conor Moynagh, Gearoid McKiernan (0-3, 2f), Killian Clarke, Dara McVeety (0-2), Bryan Magee (0-2f), Oisin Kiernan, Caoimhin O’Reilly (0-3, 2f), Cian Mackey (0-2, 1f), Conor Bradley (0-2)
Subs: Adrian Cole for O’Reilly (45 mins), Sean Johnston for Flanagan (55), Stephen Murray for Moynagh (56), Niall Clerkin for Bradley (67), Conor Madden (0-1) for Magee (69)
Tipperary: Ciaran Kenrick, Alan Campbell, Emmet Moloney, John Meagher, Bill Maher, Robbie Kiely, Jimmy Feehan, Steven O’Brien (0-1), Liam Casey (0-2), Josh Keane (0-1), Jack Kenedy, Brian Fox, Conor Sweeney (1-1, 1-0 pen, 1f), Michael Quinlivan, Liam McGrath (1-4, 2f)
Subs: Kevin Fahey for Maher (27 mins), Liam Boland (0-1) for Fahey (46), Kevin O’Halloran for Kennedy (65)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
