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Details

Date Time Competition Season
19 June 2022 1:45 pm Tailteann Cup 2022

Match Report

Tailteann Cup- Cavan secure final berth

Clinical Cavan progress to the inaugural Tailteann Cup Final in a few weeks' time after an entertaining three-point victory over Sligo in Croke Park this afternoon.

This contest was an excellent display of Gaelic Football which showcased the competitiveness and success of the Tailteann Cup in its first appearance on the GAA calendar.

Sligo will rue a heap of missed scoring opportunities right from the off as their opponents proved to be very calm in front of goal from all areas of the field, especially in the opening stages.

Incredibly, the 15 scores in the opening half of the match were scored by 15 different players.

It was Cavan that got the scoring underway in the opening minutes of the game. Martin Reilly popped over a point from close range which was shortly followed by James Smith emulating his forward’s action a couple of seconds later. 

Both teams had early possession but Sligo would not capitalise on early chances, tallying a couple of wides. Cavan continued to be better in front of the goal with Thomas Galligan added to the points scoring for the Breffini county on 5 minutes to pull his team's lead out to three points. 

Oisin Kiernan added a fourth white flag score for Cavan at the 10 minutes mark of the first half. At this point, Sligo were 0 from 6 from scoring attempts, which is surprising from a team that were so clinical in front of goal in their previous matches in the tournament so far. 

Two more Cavan scores in a couple of minutes from Conor Brady and Paddy Lynch widened the lead for the Breffini men. Their opening six points coming from six different players. 

It took 16 minutes of play for Sligo to get on the board. Pat Spillane coming forward from midfield kicked over the bar into the Hill end to stem the scoring and give Sligo a well-needed boost. 

The momentum shift came on 20 minutes. Luke Towey opened up the Cavan defence and was taken down through on goal, the referee left with no choice but to award a spot-kick. Patrick O’Connor stepped up and coolly slotted into the bottom left corner sending the keeper the wrong way. Sligo were back in this after a slow start. 

The penalty opened up the game as Killian Brady and Pat Hughes exchanged points with a lot more opportunities being created by both sides' forwards. 

Darragh Cummins pointed for Sligo off of a quick free-kick routine which caught the Cavan defence napping to bring the Yeats men within a point. Cavan will be very disappointed that their early control of this match slipped away from them as the half progressed. 

Cavan regained control of the match before the break. Smith, McKiernan, Galligan and first-half sub Cian Madden all raised white flags within 4 minutes of the break for the Breffni men. 

Both teams had goal chances late in the half which could’ve turned it on it’s head but some superb goalkeeping from both keepers and Oisin Kiernan in the Cavan defence prevented the scoring. 

The halftime score in HQ saw Cavan lead by 5 points. Cavan 0-11 Sligo 1-3. 

Halftime substitute Niall Muphy opened the scoring after the interval for Sligo. The former Aussie Rules Ireland international became the 16th different scorer in the game.

Murphy was the first to add a second score to a solo tally in the game raising another white flag on 40 minutes. A much-needed fast start to the half for the Yeats men. 

Sligo goalkeeper Devaney was forced into two saves from Gearoid McKiernan early in the half. Devaney prevented two right-footed attempts which would've put Cavan out of sight. 

The opening stages of the second half were free-flowing. Both teams went back and forth on a number of scores. No team ever going more than two points without their opponents' reply. 

Coming into the final quarter of the match Sligo had drawn the deficit back to just two points with Patrick O’Connor and Niall Murphy keeping the Yeats men in touch. 

Arguably the best players for either team on the day, Gearoid McKiernan with his third and Niall Murphy with his fourth continued the scoring exchange with just under 10 minutes left to play in the game. 

McKiernan added his fourth score of the game within 5 minutes to go to keep Sligo at bay. 

Thomas Galligan had an opportunity to put the game to bed with a goal chance but once again, it is not taken as he rattled the side netting. 

Gerard Smith came into the game late on and his score into the first of six additional minutes almost certainly put Cavan through. 

Alan Reilly and Sean Carrabine capitalised off of the Cavan kick-out to score late on but it was Gerard Smith once more, in the 76th minute who would finish the scoring on the day.

Cavan win out by three points with 17 of their scores coming from play.

Sligo gave it their all but the Ulster side proved a step too far but they will come away happy with their efforts in the tournament this year. 

Cavan

1Raymond Galligan Goalkeeper 32'
2Jason McLoughlin Defender
3Padraig Faulkner Defender
4Killian Brady 18 Defender 21'
5Ciaran Brady Defender 66'
6Killian Clarke 21 Defender 45'
7Conor Brady Defender 14'
8Thomas Galligan Midfielder 6'
9James Smith Midfielder 3', 47'
10Oisin Kiernan Forward 10'
11Gearoid McKiernan Forward 35', 43', 57', 65'
12Gerard Smith Forward 34', 51', 70+2', 70+6'
13Martin Reilly 15 Forward 2'
14Paddy Lynch 17 Forward 13'
23Stephen Smith 22 Forward 49'
16Liam Brady Goalkeeper
17Chris Conroy 14 Defender
18Luke Fortune 4 Defender
19Niall Carolan
20Michael Argue Midfielder
21Conor Moynagh 6 Forward
22Oisin Brady 23 Forward
15Cian Madden 13 Forward 35'
24Ryan O’Neill Forward
25Thomas Edward Donohue
26Cormac O’Reilly
Gary O’Rourke

Sligo

1Aidan Devaney Goalkeeper
2Nathan Mullen Defender
3Evan Lyons Defender
4Paul McNamara Defender
5Luke Towey Defender
6Darragh Cummins 22 Defender 26'
7Paul Kilcoyne Defender
8Peter Laffey 24 Defender
9Pat Spillane 21 Midfielder 15', 42'
10Mikey Gordon Forward
11Alan Reilly Forward 74'
12Keelan Cawley 19 Forward
13Sean Carrabine Forward 47', 51', 75'
14Pat Hughes 17 Forward 22'
15Patrick O’Connor Forward 20'
43', 52'
62'
16Eamonn Kilgannon Goalkeeper
17Niall Murphy 14 Forward 36', 39', 54', 63'
18Nathan Rooney Forward
19Mark Walsh 12 Defender
20Gavin Gorman Midfielder
21Donal Conlon 9 Forward
22David Quinn 6 Forward
23David Philips
24Conor Griffin 8 Forward
25Conan Marren
26Brian Egan
  • 76'

    Game Over in Croker! Cavan defeat a valiant Sligo to advance to the inaugural Tailteann Cup final.

  • 72'

    Gerard Smith extends the Breffni lead to 4 with 4 to play.

  • 70'

    6 minutes added time at the end of the game.

  • 62'

    Sligo rattle the woodwork for the fourth time this afternoon. They have been very unlucky. Fine margins in a Championship semi-final.

  • 58'

    Sligo are only three points behind heading into the final quarter of the match. Niall Murphy and Gearoid McKiernan exchange points.

  • 52'

    Patrick O'Connor replies almost instantly from a mark.

  • 52'

    Cavan push the lead out to four points. Gerard and Stephen Smith score either side of a Sean Carrabine effort for the Yeats men.

  • 48'

    Both teams exchange 3 points each within a few minutes. Cavan lead is at 3.

  • 41'

    Niall Murphy, half-time substitute, becomes the first player to add a second score to their individual tally.

  • 38'

    Niall Murphy makes an impact off the bench.

  • 37'

    Thomas Galligan has the first chance of the half as his attempted goal is well prevented by Devaney in the Sligo net.

  • 35'

    Sligo make a change at the break. Niall Murphy is on in place of Pat Hughes.

  • 35'

    Second half is underway in Croker.

  • 38'

    Halftime in Croke Park, Cavan 0-11 1-03 Sligo.

  • 35'

    3 minutes added on at the end of the half.

  • 35'

    Cavan extend their lead out to 5 points. 11 points from 11 different scorers incredibly.

  • 35'

    Oisin Kiernan blocks the ball on the line for Cavan to prevent another Sligo goal chance.

  • 33'

    Cian Madden, originally named to start for Cavan, has replaced Martin Reilly.

  • 32'

    Raymond Galligan comes forward from his net to point for Cavan from a dead ball.

  • 29'

    Patrick O'Connor rattles the bar for Sligo, another chance goes missing.

  • 27'

    Darragh Cummins brings Sligo within a point.

  • 22'

    The penalty was exactly what this game needed. Both teams add points in quick succession as the game has opened up with the crowd now well involved!

  • 20'

    GOAL! Patrick O'Connor rolls it into the bottom left corner after sending the keeper the wrong way.

  • 19'

    PENALTY! Towey is taken down in front of goal right at the edge of the square. Sligo have a chance to bring themselves into the game here.

  • 16'

    Pat Spillane gets Sligo on the board.

  • 15'

    Paddy Lynch and Conor Brady add to the scoring for the Breffini men.

  • 11'

    Oisin Kiernan extends the Cavan lead from distance.

  • 7'

    Thomas Galligan continues Cavans' good start. Both teams have had attacks but Cavan have been clinical so far. Sligo with a couple early wides.

  • 3'

    Martin Reilly opens the scoring this afternoon, James Smith doubles the scoring shortly after.

  • 1'

    Underway in Croke Park, Sligo will kick towards the Hill 16 end of the ground in the first half.

  • The teams have graced the green grass of Croke Park and are ready for throw-in.

  • When these two teams met in Division 4 earlier in the Spring in Markiewicz park, Cavan took the haul winning out by 6 points.

  • Cavan make one change with Stephen Smith coming in at corner forward to replace Cian Madden. Sligo are unchanged.

  • Cavan will come into this game confident having beaten their opposition well so far, Sligo have had a dramatic route to the final and if today is half as good as their previous two fixtures, we will be in for a cracker today.

  • Good afternoon all, the inaugural Tailteann Cup Semi-Final sees Sligo and Cavan travel to Croke Park to face off with both looking to book their ticket to come back to HQ in 3 weeks' time and win the first Tailteann Cup Final

Past Meetings

(Round 3)
0-10 1-13
NFL Division 4
Markievicz Park

Ground

Croke Park
Croke Park, Jones's Road, Dublin, D01 WY49, Ireland

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