Murphy shoots Donegal to glory

Donegal 2-08
Cavan 0-07



Young Footballer of the Year Michael Murphy was the star of the show as Donegal comfortably saw off Cavan tonight in Enniskillen to secure the Cadbury's Ulster Under 21 Football Championship title.

The full-forward was Donegal's trump card on the night and his vital goal just before the half-time interval put his side into a healthy 1-4 to 0-2 lead.

Cavan, to their credit, came back at their opponents after the restart and narrowed the deficit down to three-points. However, that was as good as it got for Terry Hyland's troops as they never looked like breaking down a packed and determined Donegal defence.

Donegal bagged a late goal through Dermot Molloy to all but kill off the Breffni challenge and get their hands on some provincial silverware for the first time in this grade since 1995.

From the throw-in, Donegal's whole game plan revolved around Murphy and he lashed over an early point and then won a free for Molloy to send over their second.

Cavan settled down after that and clawed level after Brendan Fitzpatrick's point after a mazy run was followed up by a super effort from corner-back Paddy Carroll.

Donegal took over for the rest of the half though, with Murphy to the forefront as he banged over a superb score from the right wing before gathering a ball in front of goal, shrugging off his marker and rounding Martin Smith to tuck the ball to the back of the Cavan net and his team in five up at the break.

Cavan were revitalized after the break and significantly improved their performance. Quick, direct ball into the full-forward line saw them outscore their opponents by 0-4 to 0-1, as Barry Reilly began to find some room to create inside.

Donegal held their nerve though and Murpy delivered a much needed point at a crucial point in the game and Molloy then slotted home a fortuitous goal to all but end Cavan's hopes of a comeback.

Donegal: P Boyle; E Doherty, C Boyle, P McGrath; D Walsh, T McKinley, C Classon; K Mulhern, D Curran; M McHugh, L McLoone, D Molloy (1-2, 1f); J Caroll, M Murphy (1-5, 2f), D McLaughlin.
Subs: A McFadden (0-1) for Caroll (43mins), P McNeillis for McLaughlin, S O'Kennedy for McKinley (both 48), D Murphy for Curran (58)

Cavan: M Smith; P Carroll (0-1), R Dunne, D Tighe; D Graham, J McEnroe, T Reilly; G McKiernan, D Givney; N Smith, N McDermott, B Reilly (0-4, 2f); B Fitzpatrick (0-2), D McKiernan, C McClarey

Subs: O Minagh for Reilly, R Maloney Derham for McClarey (both 40 mins), B Murray for Carroll (46).

Cavan footballers lack fight

One Saturday night. Two Cavan performances. What a contrast.

While boxer Andrew Murray successfully defended his Irish lightweight belt with a powerful and commanding performance, the Cavan footballers once again left the Breffni faithful bitterly disappointed.

Morale was pretty low as the home supporters trundled out of HQ (many before the final whistle), bewildered once again. The limp performance was painful to watch as Tommy Carr’s troops allowed Antrim to march through them in the second half with little or no resistance.

Fast-forward an hour though and what was seen live on RTE from Cavan’s leading boxer was the complete opposite. Absolute chalk and cheese.

Murray showed everything we all wanted to see in Breffni Park. He was brave, clever, commanding, skilful and passionate as he saw off the threat of Oisin Fagan in the fifth round of his bout.

Despite being up against a fighter that went about his business in a completely different style, Murray had his homework done, devised his own game-plan and stuck too it. He identified his own strengths and worked them to his advantage.

Cavan on the other hand, looked lost and never got going as a unit. After a comfortable and morale-boosting victory over Roscommon in the opening NFL fixture, supporters wondered if Cavan had finally turned a corner. It appeared Carr’s troops had finally found some badly needed self-belief but after two league games it seems like a classic case of ‘one step forward and two steps back’.

On Saturday night Cavan gave the impression that they had learned very little since the last time they met the Saffron army in Clones last summer. Maybe it was just the pressure of being at home and the expectancy to win under the bright lights got to them, who knows? But all the swagger they showed in Dr. Hyde Park the week previous seemed to have evaporated into thin-air.

Now, both Murray and Cavan find themselves at a crossroads.

Behind Murray is the Irish road, one which he has already conquered and navigated successfully. Ahead though, is a much more glamorous route that will provide sterner challenges. Bright lights run along it, which look set to guide the popular local fighter to a European title shot sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Tommy Carr’s charges lie at a different junction, on a road that seems to be bringing them nowhere anytime soon. And until they manage to find some consistency - they look like they will be stuck there. Belief and hard-work are the only things now that can get the Breffni boys heading back towards their target - which should simply be gradual improvement.

Are the current crop of Cavan footballers nine points worse off than Antrim? Despite our flaws and limitations in areas, I think not.

As a proud footballing county we need to stop letting what we can’t do affect what we can do and make the most of what is in our possession. Because at the end of the day, like it or not, it’s all we have…