Goals key as Roscommon edge thriller with Cavan to seal progression

GOAL TRAIL: Enda Smith in action against Padraig Faulkner of Cavan. Pic: Daire Brennan, Sportsfile

All-Ireland SFC: Roscommon 3-20 Cavan 1-20

Roscommon won their first championship game in over a year after they overcame Cavan in a championship shootout in Longford.

With both sides rooted to the bottom of the table, any notions of a cagey affair to eke out the win to prolong both sides’ season were emphatically dismissed as a tsunami of scores was served up at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in front of a crowd of 3,962.

In the end, goals proved crucial and the hat-trick of green flags provided by Diarmuid Murtagh, Brian Stack and Enda Smith swung the pendulum in Roscommon’s favour.

Dara McVeety’s goal at the three-quarter stage left just a point between the teams, but Roscommon held their nerve to reach the last 12.

The sides were level at 0-4 apiece after 13 minutes. Diarmuid Murtagh (two), Conor Cox (free) and Enda Smith were on target for Davy Burke’s men, while Cormac O’Reilly, Gerard Smith, Oisín Kiernan and James Smith split the posts for Cavan.

Rapid-fire scores from Diarmuid Murtagh, Shane Cunnane and Daire Cregg pushed Roscommon back in front before Ryan O’Neill pared back the margin to just two points.

The crucial score of the half arrived in the 21st minute when Diarmuid Murtagh’s effort for a point crept in under the head of Cavan goalkeeper, Gary O’Rourke, and into the net.

The sides continued to trade scores, with Ultan Harney, Daire Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh, an audacious free with the outside of his left foot, and Donie Smith finding the target for the Primrose and Blue.

But Cavan remained in touch with points from O’Rourke, a ’45 after Roscommon goalkeeper Conor Carroll denied Jason McLoughlin, Cian Madden, Oisín Brady (free) and a brace by the excellent Smith to trail by 1-11 to 0-10 at the break.

Roscommon's Diarmuid Murtagh after the game. Pic: Daire Brennan, Sportsfile

Roscommon missed a few chances at the start of the second half to leave Cavan in the game. 

But Enda Smith took on the responsibility to puncture a huge hole through the opposition’s defence and square possession for Brian Stack to palm into the net to give the Rossies a 2-11 to 0-12 lead after 40 minutes.

Both sides were in the mood to kick points for fun, but Cavan were right back in it when substitute Dara McVeety fastened himself to Luke Fortune’s crossfield pass to direct the ball beyond Carroll.

But the Cavan rebellion was quashed quickly as Enda Smith bundled the ball over the line at the second attempt to regain control for the Connacht side.

Ciarán Lennon and Andrew Glennon kicked points for Roscommon after being introduced, while Diarmuid Murtagh brought his tally to 1-6 for the evening as the Rossies cemented their place in next weekend’s All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.

Scorers for Roscommon: D Murtagh 1-6 (0-2f), E Smith 1-1, D Cregg 0-4 (0-1m), C Cox 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1m), B Stack 1-0, S Cunnane 0-1, U Harney 0-1, D Smith 0-1, C Lennon 0-1, A Glennon 0-1. 

Scorers for Cavan: G Smith 0-5, C O’Reilly 0-4, O Brady 0-3 (0-3f), D McVeety 1-0, D Lovett 0-2, G O’Rourke 0-1 (0-1 ’45), O Kiernan 0-1, R O’Neill 0-1, C Madden 0-1, J Smith 0-1, C Madden 0-1.

ROSCOMMON: C Carroll; N Higgins, R Fallon, R Dolan; D Murray, B Stack, E McCormack; D Ruane, S Cunnane; D Cregg, D Murtagh, E Smith; C Cox, U Harney, D Smith.

Subs: R Daly for Ruane (40), C Lennon for Harney (45), A Glennon for D Smith (53), N Daly for Dolan (62), A McDermott for D Murtagh (65).

CAVAN: G O’Rourke; L Fortune, B O’Connell, J McLoughlin; P Faulkner, N Carolan, O Kiernan; C Brady, R Donohoe; R O’Neill, C Madden, G Smith; O Brady, J Smith, C O’Reilly.

Subs: T Madden for Donohoe (23), D Lovett for O’Neill (half-time), D McVeety for Kiernan (49), Conor Madden for Cian Madden (53), O Kiernan for Faulkner (55).

Referee: D Gough (Meath).