Senior Footballers record victory over Cavan in All-Ireland SFC Round 2B

DUBLIN 1-24 

CAVAN 0-16

Dublin delivered a dominant second-half display as they eventually eased past Cavan by eleven points in their All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 2B encounter at a sun-kissed Kingspan Breffni on Sunday afternoon. 

Dublin entered half-time leading by 0-13 to 0-12, with captain Con O’Callaghan leading the way with a personal tally of 0-7 after a first-half in which they survived off scraps in terms of possession at midfield. 

A series of poor wides for the hosts undermined their challenge after the break as Dublin’s bench made a positive impact in terms of scores with O’Callaghan settling the issue as he blasted home a penalty with five minutes remaining. 

While Cormac Costello opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, the Dubs were on the back foot initially as points by Patrick Lynch and Gerard Smith saw the hosts take the lead two minutes later. 

An Emmanuel Shehu score doubled that advantage soon after before Dublin enjoyed a period of possession that culminated in points in quick succession by Charlie McMorrow and Paddy Small. 

Cavan were wasteful with a couple of chances that came their way as the half evolved with a more economical Dublin side regaining their lead as McMorrow found Con O’Callaghan for a facile score. 

A Costello free saw Dublin extend their lead and they should have netted in the 17th minute as O’Callaghan burst through on goal but his untypical hesitancy saw the chance lost with the Dubs gaining some consolation as Scully fisted over. 

Back came the hosts through points from Shehu and Smith before we were treated to a glut of two-pointers as Conor Brady and Lynch raised orange flags for Cavan with O’Callaghan repeating the trick at the opposite end.

Cavan enjoyed a greater degree of control around centrefield with Tiernan Madden and Lynch adding to their tally but Dublin finished the half strongly with O’Callaghan’s brace preceding a Lee Gannon effort as they entered the break leading by the bare minimum.    

Brian Howard could have given Dublin some much-needed breathing room within three minutes of the restart but his low shot was blocked by the legs of Cavan netminder Liam Brady.  

A second Gannon score and a reply from Lynch saw Dublin retain their marginal lead and they gained some impact from their bench as substitutes Colm Basquel and Ross McGarry combined for the latter to point in the 47th minute.  

McGarry doubled his tally as he blazed over from close range and his Ballyboden St Enda’sclubmate kicked a fine score as Dublin looked to avail of fatigue evident in the home challenge. 

That manifested itself in another goal chance for McGarry in the 58th minute as O’Callaghan placed him clear but Liam Brady raced quickly off his line to deflect his shot over the crossbar. 

The chances continued to flow as Basquel, Small and Seán Guiden stretched that buffer and O’Callaghan made certain of Dublin’s place in tomorrow morning’s draw as he fired home after a foul on Basquel. 

Scorers – Dublin: C O’Callaghan 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-2f, 1 P2); P Small, R McGarry 0-3 each; L Gannon, C Costello (1f), C Basquel 0-2 each; C McMorrow, N Scully, S Guiden 0-1 apiece.Cavan: P Lynch 0-5 (1P2); E Shehu, G Smith 0-3 each; T Madden (1f), C Brady (P2) 0- each; D Lovett 0-1. 

Dublin: E Comerford; D Byrne, N Doran, T Clancy; S MacMahon, C McMorrow, L Gannon; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, B Howard; G McEneaney, C O’Callaghan, C Kilkenny; P Small, N Scully, C Costello. Subs: C Basquel for Costello (20), R McGarry for McEneaney (40), E Kennedy for Howard (48), S Guiden for Small (63), T Deering for Gannon (67). 

Cavan: L Brady; P Meade, B O’Connell, N Carolan; G Smith, Ciarán Brady, J Tynan; ConorBrady, R Donohoe; T Madden, J McLoughlin, E Shehu; B Donnelly, P Lynch, D Lovett. Subs: O Brady for Donnelly (43), D McVeety for Donohoe (52), Cormac Brady for Tynan (61), C Madden for Lovett (64), R Tobin for McLoughlin (65).  

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).