Sport

Johnston inspires comeback

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS ROUND ONE Cavan 0-15 Wicklow 2-8: SUPERSUB SEÁN Johnston inspired a brilliant comeback for Cavan …

Mon Jun 28 2010 - 01:00

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS ROUND ONE Cavan 0-15 Wicklow 2-8:SUPERSUB SEÁN Johnston inspired a brilliant comeback for Cavan at Kingspan-Breffni Park.

Johnston notched six points in a real tour de force for the Breffni blues who played with 13 men for the final 35 minutes.

Mick O’Dwyer declined to comment on his future as manager of the Garden County, but was generous in his praise of match-winner Johnston.

“Johnston made the difference, no question. We controlled him last year in the qualifiers, but not this time around.”

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Cavan trailed by 0-4 to 2-5 when they lost full back Thomas Corr to a second yellow card after he clashed with Seán Furlong.

Wicklow were full value for their 2-6 to 0-5 interval lead, helped by goals from Leighton Glynn (a penalty) after 10 minutes and Furlong after 25 minutes.

Then Cavan lost Lorcan Mulvey to a straight red card two minutes into the second half after a sideline altercation with Glynn.

However Johnston’s introduction changed the tide with the Cavan Gaels man’s point from along the byline surely one of the finest ever seen at the ground.

Wicklow put both Ciarán Hyland and Dara Ó Hannaidh on Johnston, but to no avail.

Tony Hannon stemmed the tide with a point in the 45th minute, but Wicklow failed to score again until Hannon converted a free 18 minutes later. Cavan poured forward and Mark McKeever then squared the issue, 2-7 to 0-13 after 61 minutes. Hannon responded with a free, but Gareth Smith split the posts with a 45 before Johnston fittingly hit a point two minutes from time to seal a memorable win.

CAVAN: F Reilly; D Sheridan, T Corr, M Hannon; M Brides, J McCutcheon, A Clarke (0-1); C Galligan, L Mulvey; R Flanagan (0-2), G Smith (0-4, one 45, two frees), E McGuigan (0-1); C Mackey, M Brennan, M Reilly. Subs: S Johnston (0-6, two frees) for C Mackey (41 mins); M Cahill for M Reilly (45); M McKeever (0-1) for E McGuigan (58); D O'Dowd for C Galligan (65); C Mackey for R Flanagan (70).

WICKLOW: J Flynn; S Kelly, D Ó Hannaidh, A Byrne; C Hyland, B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, JP Dalton; L Glynn (1-0, pen), T Hannon (0-5, four frees), N Mernagh (0-1); P Cunningham (0-2), S Furlong (1-0), P Earls. Subs; S Canavan for N Mernagh (ht); P Dalton for B McGrath (42).

Referee: C Reilly(Meath)