Donegal triumph over Cavan to put championship aspirations back on track

All-Ireland SFC: Donegal 3-26 Cavan 1-13

Order restored. Donegal got back on track with a comfortable 19-point victory in a contest that petered out long before the final whistle at Breffni Park.

It was all in stark contrast to the closing stages of a cantankerous first half in which six yellow cards were flashed – including one to Jim McGuinness and another to a member of the Cavan backroom team.

It threatened to boil over in those dying moments of the first half with grappling matches breaking out across the pitch. McGuinness even raced up the line and went nose to nose with his opposite number, Raymond Galligan.

For the neutrals it was all very entertaining but for Donegal fans among the 12,509 in attendance it merely underlined the stakes at play in relation to their All-Ireland aspirations.

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Having lost to Tyrone last weekend, leaving Cavan with their tails between their legs wasn’t really an option for Donegal. They needed to show their mettle and in truth they won this All-Ireland SFC Group 1 clash in those frantic moments just before half-time, hitting 1-1.

There were three points between the sides when it all got hot and heavy on the sideline. Cavan, having pulled off a shock victory over Mayo two weeks ago, were poking another bear. Only this time the bear roared back.

Donegal's Michael Murphy tackles Cavan's Niall Carolan. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

First, Patrick McBrearty tapped over a free in the final minute of the half but there was still time for the Cavan kickout. The home side, playing against the wind in the opening half, won possession and after the hooter sounded they opted to keep the ball alive and try force a score. However, Ryan Donohoe was turned over and Donegal immediately smelt blood.

In a rapid counterattack the move ended with Michael Murphy offloading to McBrearty who put the ball across the face of the goal to the incoming Finbarr Roarty, who finished neatly to give his side a seven-point advantage at the turnaround, 1-12 to 1-5.

“I think, realistically, the goal just before half-time really knocked us,” said Galligan afterwards. “We were excellent for what, 32 minutes. We ticked a lot of boxes in the sense of what we were looking for in the first half.

“But just in three minutes we lost our composure, we lost possession. And at this level you’re going to get hurt. And I think that probably was a sucker blow because we’d done so much right.”

Cavan had the benefit of the wind in the second half but a comeback never seemed likely. They did narrow the gap to five points at one stage but Donegal dominated the second period, outscoring the home side 2-14 to 0-8 after the break. The sting had been taken out of the game.

Donegal’s Caolan McColgan celebrates scoring the final point of the game. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

The first-half incident from which McGuinness was booked appeared to have been sparked after referee Fergal Kelly halted a breakaway Donegal attack because of a head injury to Cavan’s Dara McVeety.

“Listen, we were frustrated with some of the calls, we were trying to talk to the officials. We weren’t getting very far,” said McGuinness.

“There were a couple of instances where we were on the transition and those transitional moments were pulled.

“There were two or three things like that there at crucial moments almost in the game at that moment in time. So that was very frustrating.”

The fire and brimstone of the first half was replaced by Donegal wrapping players in cotton wool and eyeing up the bigger picture. Murphy was brought ashore midway through the second half. He had been immense during his time on the pitch, scoring from a range of angles and leading the line well despite the close attention of Killian Brady.

The kickout battle proved a productive feeding ground for Donegal where Michael Langan and Hugh McFadden was effective though there were periods when both sides struggled at retaining their own restarts.

The absence of Shaun Patton due to an ankle injury (McGuinness indicated afterwards he should be available for the Mayo game) meant Gavin Mulreany started between the posts for Donegal.

Mulreany will probably feel he could have done better to deny Brian O’Connell a goal in the 16th minute, but overall Cavan just didn’t carry enough of a scoring threat.

Donegal had 12 different scorers, including Oisín Gallen and Jamie Brennan off the bench. Conor and Shane O’Donnell both caused Cavan problems.

Conor O’Donnell scores a goal for Donegal. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho

Donegal’s hard-running game against the wind in the second half was impressive and Cavan visibly tired as they attempted to curtail the incessant yellow and green wave after wave of attack.

The Ulster champions face Mayo next while Cavan tackle Tyrone again.

Scoring difference might yet become a factor in sorting out this group and so nearing the finish Donegal refused to ease down through the gears here, even though victory had been long secured.

In fact they finished the second half the same way they finished the first – with a goal. After the hooter sounded, Donegal worked the ball through a jaded Cavan defensive screen and Caolan McColgan netted.

“I don’t know if it (scoring difference) will become a thing or not, but listen, there were a lot of people in Ballybofey last week,” said McGuinness.

“You need to go in there, you need to deliver a performance. There are no guarantees in football but go in and deliver a performance that shows who you are and your identity.

“And we didn’t do that and we were very disappointed about that. So, we’re delighted that we were able to do that today and get points on the board. And now there are four teams and two points so anything can happen, really.”

DONEGAL: G Mulreany; F Roarty (1-0-0), B McCole, P Mogan (0-0-1); R McHugh (0-0-1), E Bán Gallagher, C McColgan (1-0-1); H McFadden, M Langan; S O’Donnell (0-0-3), C Thompson (0-0-3, 2f), C Moore (0-0-1); P McBrearty (0-0-1, 1f), M Murphy (0-1-5, 2′45, 2f), C O’Donnell (1-0-4).

Subs: O Gallen (0-0-3) for McBrearty (ht); D Ó Baoill for Murphy (54 mins); S McMenamin for Roarty (57); J Brennan (0-0-1) for Mogan (62); A Doherty for Gallagher (65).

CAVAN: L Brady (0-0-1, 1′45); C Reilly, K Brady, N Carolan; P Faulkner, B O’Connell (1-0-0), C Brady; E Crowe, O Kiernan; G Smith (0-0-1), D McVeety (0-1-2), C Madden (0-0-4, 2f), S McEvoy, R Donohoe, C O’Reilly (0-0-1).

Subs: J Smith (0-0-1) for McEvoy, P Lynch for Donohoe (both ht); O Brady for O’Reilly (50 mins); K Clarke (0-0-1) for Madden (52); L Fortune for K Brady (57).

Referee: F Kelly (Longford).