Sport

Cavan come good in the end

Cavan 0-12 Louth 1-8: Cavan's expected victory over Louth at Breffni Park yesterday has ensured their clash with Meath in Navan…

Mon Mar 28 2005 - 01:00

Cavan 0-12 Louth 1-8: Cavan's expected victory over Louth at Breffni Park yesterday has ensured their clash with Meath in Navan next week will decide the promotion prospects of both teams.

Louth looked confident in the opening minutes and at one stage led by 0-4 to 0-1 through Gerald Pierson, Jason Reilly, Peter Reilly and Dermot McCabe.

Louth fought back though and were level at half-time at 0-5 apiece, thanks to points from Mark Stanfield, Darren Larke and Niall Sharkey.

The expected siege by Cavan failed to materialise early in the second half and it was Louth who looked the more productive as they took a two-point lead, 0-7 to 0-5, after four minutes.

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It took Cavan 11 minutes to level after two Pierson frees and he put Cavan in front, 0-9 to 0-7, with 15 minutes left.

Louth looked down and out, but then a 45 from Niall Sharkey caught the defence napping and the ball ended up in the net to give them a 1-7 to 0-9 lead.

Finbar Reilly levelled the scores from a free in the 58th minute and two points from Dermot McCabe frees gave Cavan more breathing space.

Louth applied the pressure in the closing stages and a point from Peter McGinnity left one point separating the teams as the game moved into injury-time.

CAVAN: J Reilly; M Hannon, D Rabbitte, K Fannin; K Crotty, A Gaynor, P Reilly (0-1); D McCabe (0-3), S Maguire; M Cahill, G Pierson (0-6), F O'Reilly (0-1); J Reilly, J Tierney, M Graham. Subs: P Brady for M Graham (injured, 6 mins), M McKeever for P Brady (38 mins), C Galligan for M Cahill (50 mins), N Walsh for J Reilly (71 mins).

LOUTH: S Connor; B Reilly, C Goss, S Gerrard; P McGinnity (0-1), A Hoey, C Sheridan; P Keenan, J Kermath; C Malone, N McDonnell, D Clarke (0-1); M Stanfield (0-2), R Kelly, N Sharkey (1-4). Subs: T O'Brien for C Malone (45 mins), D Shefflin for B Reilly (yellow card 45 mins),J Neary for C Goss (injured, 51 mins), P Matthews for R Kelly (54 mins), R Carroll for P Keenan (56 mins), C Kearney for J Kermath (62 mins).

YELLOW CARDS: Louth: B Reilly (45 mins), J Kermath (62 mins).

Referee: G McCarron (Monaghan).