Evans hails rise of Roscommon
Said characteristic was etched across Roscommon’s second-half showing — in which they outscored Cavan by 0-12 to 0-9 — on Saturday night, it was again evident at the final whistle, but none more so than during Evans’ post-match assessment.
Fists tightly clinched, arms waving, the Killorglin native possesses an almost unhealthy grá for the game, an unstinting desire that fuels the 526km round trip to Roscommon for training three evenings a week.
“This is the rise of Roscommon,” he said of their Division 3 final victory. “They are beginning to rise up, they are beginning to play football. It is wonderful to be in a football county where there is so much passion.
“It is 35 years since Roscommon have won. We came here quietly and we will go home quietly. It is the euphoria and the whole momentum. You have to feed that, nurture it and bring it along.”
Much of the attention out west these days has centred on the county’s U21s and their respective push for All-Ireland glory. This league win, Roscommon’s first since 1979, was proof positive according to Evans that those standing further down the assembly line can also swing capably the O’Neill’s leather.
“The young lads were nearly beginning to stand up on their high haunches and tell us what to do,” he quipped.
“The U21s are going very well, but your senior team is your flagship. Your senior team is what holds it together. If you don’t have your senior team fighting, clawing and scratching, and showing that they can dig themselves out of a hole, then your U21s will never do it.
“The only criteria I set for staying with them is that they keep improving.”
Roscommon had two points to spare after an excellent second-half effort, coming back as they did from what looked a perilous situation early in the game.
Donie Shine and Senan Kilbride kept the scoreboard ticking over at a time when Cavan floundered in front of goal. Funny how the winners kicked 10 first-half wides and yet ultimately it was their greater accuracy that saw them home.
The attendance of 8,654 didn’t lend itself to much of an atmosphere and with a winter pang lingering in the evening cold, summer didn’t feel as if it was just around the corner. Still, the fare served up had much to endorse it.
Early on, it looked as if Cavan would overwhelm Roscommon. They began in the spirit that had sustained them en-route to last August’s All-Ireland quarter-final.
Midfielder Gearóid McKiernan kicked two monstrous scores to bookend a terrific opening period for Hyland’s charges, 0-7 to 0-2 they led after 17 minutes. Niall McDermott also sniped a pair of points and but for a Martin Dunne missed penalty — Roscommon keeper Darren O’Malley getting down smartly to turn possession around the post — they could have been out of sight.
Not that Roscommon were aiding their own cause, seven wides chalked inside 20 minutes — Cathal Cregg, Donie and Cathal Shine the chief offenders.
Roscommon looked in trouble, we thought. But at nine points to five down, they got their first break. Half-back David Keenan gathered possession around the middle, dancing a merry jig en route to the Cavan 21-yard line, where the most audacious of flicks sailed clear from the reach of keeper Conor Gilsenan. Goal Roscommon.
The sides were level three times early in the second period, but a brace of Donie Shine converted frees edged Roscommon 1-12 to 0-13 clear. Back came Cavan through Martin Reilly, Eugene Keating and Cian Mackey. Stalemate again, the entertainment barometer all the time rising.
Crucially, Cavan would kick four successive wides in the ensuing passages of play, not that the angles were particularly troublesome, and Roscommon kicked for home when Kilbride split the posts on 62 minutes.
Niall Daly, Kevin Higgins and substitutes Colin Compton and Finbarr Cregg added further scores to seal victory for the westerners.
Now to carry said passion into the championship. Food for thought on that 526km round trip.
Scorers for Roscommon: D Shine (0-6, 4fs, 1 45), S Kilbride (0-5, 3fs), D Keenan (1-0), N Daly (0-2), K Higgins, C Cregg, C Compton, F Cregg (0-1 each).
Scorers for Cavan: N McDermott (0-4), M Reilly (1 45), M Dunne (0-3 each), G McKiernan, E Keating (f), C Mackey (0-2 each), J McEnroe, F Flanagan (0-1 each).
Roscommon: D O’Malley; S McDermott, N Carty, N Collins; D Keenan, N Daly, C Cafferky; C Shine, K Higgins; D O’Gara, D Shine, D Donnelly; S Kilbride, C Cregg, C Murtagh. Subs for Roscommon: R Stack for Donnelly (32), C Compton for Murtagh (58), M Finneran for O’Gara (59) F Cregg for Shine (64), C Burns for Higgins (70), D Flynn for C Cregg (70).
Cavan: C Gilsenan; J Hayes, R Dunne, F Flanagan; J McEnroe, A Clarke, D O’Reilly; G McKiernan, K Brady; C Mackey, N McDermott, M Reilly; J Brady, M Dunne, E Keating. Subs for Cavan: K Clarke for K Brady (26), M Argue for McEnroe (51), M Lyng for J Brady (54), R Maloney-Derham for A Clarke (64), D Givey for Lyng (67), K Tierney for Keating (68).
Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).
Having fallen behind early in the second-half Cavan levelled matters at 1-12 to 0-15 on 54 minutes. The Breffni men dominated the ensuing exchanges, but four consecutive wides frustrated their endeavours. On 62 minutes Roscommon re-established their advantage and were not caught before the finish.
Roscommon’s first national league title since their Division 1 win of 1979, a 35-year gap bridged – at long, long last.
Roscommon players shunning the media following their win. Not one player wished to speak to the press. Strange.
Donie Shine gets the nod for his second-half accuracy and distribution of possession. Senan Kilbride also featured prominently in both departments. Niall McDermott represented Cavan’s most threatening figure, but kicked some poor wides upon the change of ends.
None issued, but Cavan wing-back James McEnroe, after pulling down Cathal Cregg early in the second-half, should have been shown black instead of yellow.
John Evans’ substitutions had the desired affect with Colin Compton and Fintan Cregg raising white flags late on.
Seán Hurson was far too inconsistent in his officiating. A couple of strange calls went against Roscommon but nothing that defined the outcome. Penalty call early on the correct one.
Roscommon meet Leitrim in the Connacht quarter-final on May 18, with Cavan springing into action against Armagh in the Ulster quarter-final on June 8.
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