Tactical tweaks help Cavan to victory over Kildare

Cavan manager Dermot McCabe asked his team to "do better under the breaking ball, kill the ball every time they took a shot and just to come out on the right side of every battle that they went into to get onto the ball".

The half-time introduction of Gearóid McKiernan was one the catalysts for Cavan in their victory over Kildare. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

National Football League Division 2: Cavan 0-16 Kildare 0-13 

Cavan's survival hopes received a timely shot in the arm with his battling win over Kildare at a wet, wild and wintry Breffni Park.

With Louth upsetting Tyrone in the earlier game, Cavan were very much under pressure. The sides were level at 0-5 apiece at half-time and when James Harris and Ben Loakman raised white and orange flags respectively in the opening exchanges of the second half to send the Lilywhites into a three-point lead, Cavan were in bother.

From there, though, the Blues, spurred on by sub Gearoid McKiernan (soon to turn 36), summoned an impressive fightback to over-haul Brian Flanagan’s men and, in the end, the home side ran out deserving winners.

Top scorer Paddy Lynch’s classy two-pointer from play helped Dermot McCabe’s men into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead but as an untidy first half wore on, the sides cancelled each other out. A tricky cross-field gust and incessant rain left conditions difficult and both sides missed several straightforward chances.

Cavan led thanks to Gerry Smith but a superb pass from Ben Loakman found Colm Moran, who tied the game right on the half-time hooter.

And when Brian Flanagan’s men – who were without the injured Kevin Feely and suspended Alex Beirne – opened with intent in the second half, they were looking much the likelier winners.

But Cavan made some changes and they paid off.

McKiernan, who came on for the injured Niall Carolan, gave them an option on kick-outs as well as chipping in with a valuable score too as Cavan drew level through the excellent Oisin Brady and then pushed on, Dara McVeety clipping two crucial points and his clubmate Paddy Lynch again displaying his range of ball-striking to see them home.

“We tweaked a few things tactically in the second half but basically we asked the lads to do better under the breaking ball, kill the ball every time they took a shot and just to come out on the right side of every battle that they went into to get onto the ball,” manager Dermot McCabe said.

CAVAN: L Brady, J McLoughlin, P Meade, B O’Connell, O Brady (0-2), N Carolan, G Smith (0-1), E Clarke, C Brady, C Brady (Arva), T Madden (0-1f), P Corrigan, C Shekleton, P Lynch (0-9, 2pt, 2ptf, 3f), D McVeety (0-2) 

Subs: G McKiernan (0-1) for N Carolan (35), R Brady for C Shekleton (50), C McGovern for T Madden (56) 

KILDARE: C Burke, H O’Neill, P Spillane, R Burke, J Harris (0-2), E Lawlor, B Byrne, D Swords, B Gibbons, B McLoughlin (0-1), C Bolton (0-1), C Moran (0-2), B Loakman (0-5, 2ptf), D Kirwan (0-2), E Cully 

Subs: T Gill for D Swords (half-time), N Flynn for E Cully (46), J McKevitt for C Moran (56), S Doran for J McGrath (62)

Referee: J Judge (Mayo)