McCabe pulls the strings for Cavan

Meath 1-06 Cavan 1-08

Cavan’s victory was fashioned around a brilliantly engineered and executed goal after 22 minutes.

Leading by a point, Cavan were enjoying almost total supremacy at midfield, where Dermot McCabe was fielding magnificently and putting the Meath defence under pressure with high balls into the goalmouth.

One such ball brought the goal. A free by McCabe dropped dangerously 14 metres out, Meath full-back Kevin Reilly lost his footing and Cavan full-forward Jason O’Reilly beat goalkeeper David Gallagher.

The goal separated the sides at half time ­ 1-4 to 0-4 ­ but if Meath supporters where expecting their side to come out with all guns blazing they were to be disappointed. Within 30 seconds McCabe snapped up a pass from Peter Reilly and ran all of 40 metres to punch the ball over the bar. When Seanie Johnston added another point two minutes later it was going to take a typical Meath fightback to salvage something.

When the fightback came ordinary time had all but elapsed, and Cavan were still leading by four points. Graham Geraghty won a tussle for possession to the right of the goalmouth and sent the ball across the square and, as Joe Sheridan moved to collect it, he was upended by Cavan substitute, Micheal Lyng.

Geraghty scored brilliantly from the ensuing penalty and suddenly just one point separated the sides.

James Reilly, whose lengthy kick-outs were a feature of the game, delivered another that dropped well inside the Meath 45 metre line where a Cavan player had his jersey pulled and Finbarr O’Reilly stepped up to land his second free of the afternoon. The Meath attack that followed resulted in a 45 but Niall Kelly’s effort dropped short and was cleared.

It was a forgettable game, punctuated by mistakes, faulty shooting and some needless fouling. There was always the hope that it would spring to life, that Geraghty might reproduce some the magic he had shown earlier in the campaign, but he got few opportunities and looked frustrated as he went deep into the Cavan half hunting for possession, ending up with one point from play.

McCabe kept Meath under pressure with some spectacular fielding in the first half when he was able to hold the ball until his forwards ran into position. The Cavan half-back line was superb in both halves, with Peter Reilly in particular outstanding on the left wing from where he launched several attacks on the Meath goal.

The Meath full-back line had problems under the high ball and it was only when Darren Fay was recalled to his familiar full-back position that they looked confident. Then the Cavan forwards were forced to shoot from outfield and paid the price in the form of nine second-half wides.

Sean Boylan, plagued by injury problems all season, played the full deck in the second half when the appearance of Ollie Murphy brought fans to their feet but even the Carnaross legend found the going difficult.

Scorers for Cavan: Jason O’Reilly 1-0; S. Johnston 0-3, Dermot McCabe and Finbarr O’Reilly (frees) 0-2 (frees) and L. Reilly 0-1.

Meath: G. Geraghty 1-1 (1-0 penalty), J. Sheridan 0-3, P. Byrne and R. Magee 0-1.

CAVAN: J. Reilly; M. Hannon, D. Rabbitt, P. O’Reilly; M. Cahill, A. Forde, P. Reilly; D. McCabe, P. McKenna; M. McKeever, N. Walsh, F. O’Reilly; S. Johnston, J. O’Reilly, L. Reilly. Subs: M. Lyng for N. Walsh (48 mins), C. Collins for D. Rabbitt (51 mins), P. Brady for P. McKenna (59 mins), C. Mackey for S. Johnston (61 mins).

MEATH: D. Gallagher; N. McKeigue, K. Reilly, C. King; T. O’Connor, D. Fay, M. O’Reilly; N. Crawford, A. Moyles; J. Sheridan, D. Crimmins, P. Byrne; G. Geraghty, R. Magee, S. Bray. Subs: M. Burke for D. Crimmins (45 mins), O. Murphy for S. Bray (47 mins), N. Kelly for P. Byrne (51 mins), B. Farrell for R. Magee (57 mins).

Referee: Gearoid Ó Conamha (Galway).

Attendance: 18,143.