Gearóid McKiernan guides Cavan to Division Four summit

Gearóid McKiernan hit seven points for Cavan in their Allianz FL Division 4 win over Carlow this afternoon

Allianz FL Division 4

Cavan 0-19 

Carlow 1-12 

Cavan eased their way to the top of the NFL Division Four table at Kingspan Breffni after overcoming a gutsy Carlow challenge.

The hosts led from the 7th minute but never-say-die Carlow goaled late on to make for a nervy finish for the Ulstermen.

Backed by a strong wind, Carlow gave as good as they got in an all-action first half but their hosts were much more clinical in building a 0-11 to 0-9 interval lead.

Jordan Morrissey’s neat finish (12) had cut Carlow’s deficit to the minimum (0-5 to 0-6) but a brace of Gearóid McKiernan frees gave Cavan a cushioned lead, albeit a fragile one.

The second half was a much more fractious fair with Jamie Clarke (Carlow) and Conor Moynagh (Cavan) being black-carded in the 40th and 46th minutes respectively.

Cavan midfielder James Smith split the posts (57) to make it 0-16 to 0-10 but Cavan failed to push on. Intead, Carlow upped their game down the stretch and Jordan Morrisey’s cracking goal in the 58th minute and Colm Hulton’s point four minutes later left only two points separating the sides.

The subsequent red carding of Thomas Galligan (Cavan) in the 63rd minute raised the ante further but Cavan hung on though and man-of-the-match McKiernan popped with a late insurance score.

CAVAN: R Galligan (0-1, 45); E Finnegan, P Faulkner (0-1), K Brady; C Conroy, C Moynagh, O Kiernan (0-1); J Smith (0-1), T Galligan (0-2, 1f); G Smith, G McKiernan (0-7 4f), Cian Madden; C O’Reilly (0-1), P Lynch (0-4, 3f), M Argue.

Subs: O Brady for G Smith (38); Conor Madden for C O’Reilly (51); Caoimhin O’Reilly (0-1) for M Argue (54); S Smith for Cian Madden (54);L Fortune for E Finnegan (72).

CARLOW: C Cunningham; L Roberts, S Buggy, D Curran; J Morrissey (1-2), D O’Brien (0-1), C Doyle; M Ware, S Bambrick; S Clarke, J Clarke (0-2), J Moore; C Crowley, D Foley (0-5, 3f), C Hulton (0-2).

Subs: M Bambrick for S Clarke (h-t); L Brennan for S Bambrick (51); N Hickey for M Ware (51); E Ruth for L Brennan (inj, 65).

Referee: S Laverty (Antrim)