Tyrone footballers knock Cavan from playoff hunt

Tyrone 3-11

Cavan 0-16

By Peter Nolan

Cavan’s Senior Football A playoff hopes were struck to a deathblow by a proud Tyrone team that were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago. Cavan went into last Sunday’s match a Gaelic Park with their playoff hopes on the critical list and after 60 minutes of football provided no miracle cures.

A tentative start from both teams resulted in only two Cavan points, both J.P. Smith frees, in the opening 10 minutes. Tyrone finally troubled the umpires with a 13th-minute point from an Oliver Gaughan free.

After the Breffni men reestablished their 2-point lead through a Sean McGuire point, Tyrone struck back with an excellent goal. Full forward Damien Patten rifled home a great goal after being perfectly placed by Tommy McGuigan, nephew of the great Tyrone and New York star Frank McGuigan. Gaughan drove over a second free and Tyrone led by 0-2.

With their season on the line, Cavan were never likely to give up and of course, they didn’t. Paddy Sloan and McGuire knocked over consecutive points to draw level, but Tyrone were quick to reply.

Midfielder Gavin Wylie edged Tyrone back in front and then hooked up with Gaughan on a second Tyrone goal. Tyrone then got an additional boost when a late-arriving Colin Parkinson was introduced into the fray. The lively Laois county star wasted no time in making his presence known, pointing twice within minutes of stepping onto the pitch. Parkinson’s two points left Cavan trailing by 0-6 as the first-half buzzer loomed. But Cavan pulled back two points from the deficit through J.P. Smith and veteran Joe Cassidy.

Trailing by 0-4 with 30 minutes to go, Cavan needed a quick start, but it was not to be. Tyrone’s Collie Fearon walloped over the opening point of the second half from almost 60 yards out and Gaughan followed to put Cavan back in a 6-point hole. Cavan responded with their best stretch of the match, reeling off 0-6 without reply, to pull level with 12 minutes to play.

J.P. Smith, the stylish young center forward, led the Cavan revival with half of the 0-6. Ciran Fern, sent to midfield from his starting spot at full forward reveled in his new role, winning lots of possessions and also contributing a great long-range point.

Cavan also benefited from a late arrival of their own, when Francie Sheridan took to the field and immediately got stuck in. Paddy Smith’s equalizer brought the Cavan partisans in yet another sparse crowd to their feet, but Tyrone weren’t long about sitting them back down on Gaelic Park’s scorching aluminum bleachers.

An excellent Parkinson point was quickly followed by two fine efforts from McGuigan and when Wylie drove over another at the 25-minute mark, Cavan seemed finished.

J.P. Smith, unerring as always with his free taking, brought Cavan to within a goal, but Tyrone drew a foul and when referee David Reynolds pointed to the penalty spot, Cavan’s tenuous playoff hopes looked hopeless.

Sure enough, Gaughan hammered home a superb spot kick and despite two late points, Tyrone secured the victory and snuffed out Cavan’s playoff dreams.

Man of the Match: Gavin Wylie.

Tyrone: Anthony McCann, Martin McMahon, Ciaran Boyle, Phil Sloan, Collie Fearon (0-1), Fergus Daly, Liam Briody, Kieran Doyle, Gavin Wylie (0-2), Oliver Gaughan (2-3, 1 peno, 2 frees), Martin O’Rourke, Paul Carey, Tommy McGuigan (0-2), Damien Patten (1-0), Darren Flanagan. Sub: Colm Parkinson (0-3).

Cavan: James Carollan, Gene Reilly, Eugene O’Hagan, Dave Rooney, John Clarke, Joe Cassidy (0-1), Barry Caufield (0-2), Sean McGuire (0-2), Shane Russell, Paddy Sloan (0-1), J.P. Smith (0-8, 4 frees), Declan Martin (0-1), Paddy Smith, Ciaran Fern (0-1), Paul Galligan. Sub: Francie Sheridan.