The wide open spaces of Croke Park.
And Cavan are renowned for their defensive football. Mattie McGleenan’s men did their very best to put those impressions to bed on Sunday afternoon in GAA HQ.
Within 8 minutes, the Ulster men had the Roscommon men rattled twice. Lively corner forward Conor Bradley ghosted through for an early nerve-settler, and that was soon followed up by one of the coolest penalties your likely to see from the stone cold left boot of Martin Reilly.
You know it's a good penalty when the white flag goes flying #GAA https://t.co/R70GdQfRBa
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 1, 2018
Then, for the next fifteen minutes, Cavan conceded 8 points in a row without reply to trail the Rossies by two points. Cavan struck back for another three pointer when captain Dara McVeety netted a beautiful curling effort from the 21.
In this strange, strange game where both defences were a little open, Roscommon went into the interval with a one point lead. The men in blue kicked their first point from play of the half in the 36th minute of that first period.
Both sides made a couple of half-time substitutes each but the pattern of the game didn’t change too much.
Cavan began to settle into it, registering a few points from play after the break, but when Roscommon joined in on the goal fest through Niall Kilroy after 43 minutes, they wouldn’t take a backward step again.
Eventual man-of-the-match Conor Devaney led from the front from half forward as the Connacht men kicked on. Just two minutes later, their corner back David Murray fired to the net after getting on the end of a sweeping attacking move.
David Murray beats the Cavan defence, what a cracker! Goal! pic.twitter.com/L25a7Pl0VT
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 1, 2018
Cavan’s corner back Enda Flanagan then ghosted up the other end to blast one to the roof of the net on the half volley. Very unbecoming of the number on his back. Some finish to be fair to him.
Enda Flanagan finds the back of the net for Cavan! pic.twitter.com/9ScW3K5Emd
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 1, 2018
That was as good as it got for them.
Cathal Cregg got through for two more goals to seal the deal.
Roscommon are Division Two Champions.
4-16 to 4-12 it ended.
