Galligan hails supporters as Cavan stun Monaghan in testing conditions
Cavan's Ciaran Brady celebrates at the final whistle. Pic: INPHO/John McVitty
Cavan stormed to a last eight date with Tyrone thanks to a dramatic victory over Monaghan on Sunday in Clones.
The Breffni blues punished Monaghan’s turnovers with their second-half energy that sparked the game into life.
Raymond Galligan was the hero four years ago with his monster winning free at the end of normal time.
This was a different set of emotions as the former skipper steered the Breffni Blues to victory in his first championship game as manager.
It was Gerard Smith’s 76th-minute goal that shot an energetic Cavan side into a 2-11 to 1-12 lead they never lost.
Paddy Lynch was the shooting star for Cavan with his stoppage-time goal capping off a 1-9 tally that included a 100% success rate from frees despite the conditions.
Aside from Rory Beggan’s inclusion in the Farney starting line-up for the first time this season, the vast rows of empty seats was the other pre-game talking point.
Cavan manager Raymond Galligan admitted to not being surprised at the paltry attendance for a derby fixture.
“It is not easy on supporters,” he said, pointing to the stormy conditions and the game being televised live.
“We have had a long league and the championship has come around fairly quickly.
“Cavan have great supporters and always have had so I hope they come out in great numbers the last day.”
With the wind at their backs, Monaghan were off the mark in the fourth minute with a routine Conor McManus free.
It was tit for tat with Paddy Lynch - who kicked all of Cavan’s first half scores - on target at the other end.
The sides were level four times in the first half with goal chances at either end.
The first fell to the home side when Kevin Loughran was denied by Gary O’Rourke who also got a leg to Jack McCarron’s rebound.
Within seconds - and from a short kick-out - Cavan had a chance at the other end only for Paddy Lynch to be brilliantly denied by a full-length Beggan save.
Cavan were dropping off Beggan on kick-outs to protect the ball over the top.
With both Oisin Kiernans tucking back, it allowed Karl O’Connell to have a say. He glided over a fine point and won a free Beggan stroked over.
With half time approaching, trailing by just a point and being against the wind, Cavan would’ve been content enough at first glance. Dig deeper and they can point to other chances left behind They were turned over by Darren Hughes (twice) and Gary Mohan. There were wayward shots and Monaghan made them pay with points from McManus and McCarron.
Cavan did manage a score before the break, a difficult Lynch free from close to the sideline but Monaghan were 0-7 to 0-5 ahead.
The sides were level within five minutes with scores from Oisin Brady and Gerard Smith as Cavan pounced on Monaghan turnovers.
There was a lengthy stoppage after a wholehearted clash of bodies forced Darren Hughes off the field of play.
Within seconds Conor McManus had the ball over from a free before James Smith was forced off injured.
The game took a turn with 10 minutes to go when Cian Reilly popped a ball to Padraig Faulkner who blasted to the net for a 1-9 to 0-10.
Cavan had another chance minutes later when Monaghan turned over the ball. After a swift breakaway, Brian O’Connell slotted over after the sniff of goal was gone.
They had a further chance when the Monaghan defence was at sea but Oisin Brady’s lob was wide.
The dram was only starting. When Conor McCarthy had his shot saved by Gary O’Rourke, Michael Hamill blasted to the net to level the score at 1-10 each after 67 minutes.
Joel Wilson and Beggan notched Monaghan ahead before the final turning point.
It was all about Gerard Smith after playing to Cormac O’Reilly he took the return before shooting to the net.
“Every score was huge,” Galligan said of the key moment. “Gerry was immense today and a goal in a game like today was a huge score.
“He worked himself into the ground and to cap it off with a goal like that, you couldn’t have asked for more.”
Monaghan had chances to save the game but it was Ciarán Brady’s pass that played in Paddy Lynch with the clinching goal.
: P Lynch 1-9 (7f, 1 45), G Smith 1-1, P Faulkner 1-0, B O’Connell and O Brady 0-1 each
: R Beggan 0-3 (1f, 1 45), C McManus 0-3 (2f), M Hamill 1-0, J McCarron 0-2 (1f), J Wilson (m), S Jones (m), D Garland and K O’Connell 0-1 each
: G O'Rourke; C Reilly, K Brady, B O'Connell; P Faulkner, N Carolan, Conor Brady; J Smith, O Kiernan (Castlerahan); Ciarán Brady, G Smith, O Kiernan (Denn); Cian Madden, P Lynch, O Brady Subs: L Fortune for J Smith (INJ 51), T Madden for O Kiernan (Denn) (55), Cormac O’Reilly for C Madden (65), R Donohoe for O Brady (77), C Rehill for O Kiernan (Castlerahan) (70)
Yellow cards: O Kiernan (Denn) (4), P Lynch (61), Conor Brady (66), K Brady (72)
: R Beggan; R Wylie, K Duffy, R O'Toole; K O'Connell, K Lavelle, K Loughran; G Mohan, D Hughes; D Garland; C McNulty, C McCarthy, J Irwin, J McCarron, C McManus Subs: M Hamill for J Irwin (HT), J Wilson for D Hughes (INJ 50), S Jones for D Garland (52), M Bannigan for J McCarron (65), S Mooney for C McNulty (77) Yellow cards: J Irwin (16), K Lavelle (61)
: 8, 342
B Cawley (Kildare)
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