Gaelic Games

Slaughtneil withstand Cavan Gaels’ second-half comeback

Slaughtneill’s Christopher Bradley holds on to the ball under pressure from Cavan Gaels’ Michael Lyng. Photo: Russell Pritchard/Inpo
Slaughtneill’s Christopher Bradley holds on to the ball under pressure from Cavan Gaels’ Michael Lyng. Photo: Russell Pritchard/Inpo
Orla Bannon
Sun Nov 09 2014 - 20:55

Slaughtneil 0-11 Cavan Gaels 0-9

Derry champions Slaughtneil survived a second-half comeback from Cavan Gaels, with a little help from Seanie Johnston, who missed a 35 metre free which might have taken the game to extra time.

Slaughtneil led 0-9 to 0-4 at the break but Cavan Gaels were a team transformed in the second half and clawed their way back to within a point as the game entered injury time.

Johnston, who had kicked five frees from five attempts, was faced with a testing kick from the wrong side for a right-footed kicker, and his shot trailed wide of the near post. Gerald Bradley broke down the field and kicked the insurance point for Slaughtneil, who only managed two points in the second half and were hanging on at the death.

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Slaughtneil bossed the first half. Patsy Bradley and Paudie McGuigan dominated midfield, and the influential Chrissy McKaigue got the better of his battle with Michael Lyng. Cavan Gaels struggled to get out beyond their own ‘45’ for long spells.

The Derry champions reeled off four points in a row to open up a 0-9 to 0-3 lead, Christopher Bradley, Paul Bradley and Ronan Bradley all scoring from play. Gaels boss Peter Canavan made a triple substitution at half time, with Cavan forward Martin Dunne joining Seánie Johnston up front.

Niall Murray and Paul Graham points, followed by a Johnston free, left them trailing by just 0-10 to 0-9 after 53 minutes but they failed to get the equaliser and Gerald Bradley punished them with his last-gasp score.

SLAUGHTNEIL: A McMullan; P Kearney, C McKaigue, K McKaigue; F McEldowney, B McGuigan, C Cassidy; Patsy Bradley, P McGuigan; P Kelly, C Bradley (0-3), R Bradley (0-1); G Bradley (0-1), Paul Bradley (0-5, three frees), S McGuigan (0-1) Subs: C O'Doherty for S McGuigan (35), P Cassidy for R Bradley (44), M McGrath for C Cassidy (55)

CAVAN GAELS: M Cassidy; N Gurhy, J Fortune, N Murray (0-1); B Fortune, E Reilly, L Murphy; D Reilly, R Maloney Derham; D Meehan (0-1, free), M Lyng, D Graham; S Johnston (0-6, 5f), V Coyle, C McClary. Subs: M Dunne for Coyle (ht), P Graham (0-1) for D Graham (ht), N Smith for McClary (ht), A Graham for Meehan (48)

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)