February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Cavan could ill afford to lose any ground in a jammed playoff race with Clare, Donegal, and Leitrim all vying for position behind table toppers Kerry.
Bingo O’Driscoll limped off the pitch the last time Kerry took the field so it was somewhat surprising that Kerry would risk Bingo’s health in what was essentially a meaningless game for them. But there was Bingo, on hand to drive over Kerry’s opening point from a close in free.
Cavan notched the next two scores, a Brian Newman point, and a Michael Ling point from a free as the Breffni men took the lead. This Cavan side had a different look about it as Jamie Shaw went to midfield from his usual spot in the half-back line and Barry Annette lined out next to Alan Carolan. Annette has spent most of his time recently at midfield after playing well at wingback for Cavan last year. Carolan has enjoyed most of his success as a roving corner forward and neither player seemed suited to his new assignment on Sunday.
Kerry slowly strengthened their grip on this match after Lyng’s point. Points from Ray Keane and Dave McCarthy got Kerry going although the real impetus came from their dominant midfield pairing of Don Murphy and John Golden.
Murphy and Golden repeatedly soared above their Cavan counterparts to send the vaunted Kerry attack on its way and they hit pay dirt when Golden and Bingo combined to place Stephen Flynn behind the Cavan defense. Flynn chipped Paul O’Dowd in a great bit of skill as the Cavan keeper advanced on him and Kerry raced to the half and a 1-7 to 0-3 lead.
Cavan came out full of vim and vigor on the restart and after Bingo opened with a long free, Cavan took over. Michael Lyng led the charge with four points in the third quarter. Still Cavan trailed 1-9 to 0-7 and that’s a big hill to climb against a team as good as this Kerry team is.
Bingo ended Cavan’s run with a fabulous left-footed point. Pa Murphy followed with one of his own and you could almost see Cavan concede. A D.J. Fleming point preceded Stephen Flynn’s second goal and that was all she wrote.
Kerry emptied the bench and what a bench it is. Dave McSweeney, Willie O’Donnelly, and Paul Dillon joined Paddy O’Connor, who came in when full back Derek Riney picked up a knock.
It may seem like an embarrassment of riches but it is the rest of the SFA division that has been embarrassed so far this season as Kerry has steam rolled all in their path to a 6-0 record.
Man of the Match: Stephen Flynn
Kerry
Finbarr Flood, Paudie Mulvihill, Derek Riney, Adrian Finn, Collie Fearon, Eanna Kavanagh, Don Murphy, John Golden, Ray Keane (0-1), Pa Murphy (0-1), Dave McCarthy (0-2), Steven Flynn (2-1), Bingo O’Driscoll (0-5, 4 frees), D.J. Fleming (0-4, 2 frees) Subs: Paddy O’Connor, Dave McSweeney, Willie O’Donnell, Paul Dillon
Cavan
Paul O’Dowd, James McEntire, Colm Hannon, Eugene O’Hagen, Francie Sheridan, John Lyng, Nobby Smith, Jamie Shaw, Owen O’Carroll, Shane McAnerney (0-1), Colm Fitzpatrick, Michael Lyng (0-6, 3 frees), Brian Newman (0-1), Alan Carolan, Barry Annette Subs: Sean Lordan, Shane Russell, Gary McDermott