Ger Brennan's return produces formidable Dublin win over Cavan

Declan Bogue Reports from Kingspan Breffni Park

Dublin 1-24

Cavan 0-16

DUBLIN MAY NOT win the All-Ireland this season.

But they are taking the steps needed to becoming a side that might just have a say in where it goes all the same.

In his post-match comments, the reinstated Dublin manager Ger Brennan, having served his 12-week suspension after an incident with a Galway backroom member in the last league game, suggested that should Dublin get a home draw tomorrow morning for Round 3, they would like to have it in Parnell Park.

Now wouldn’t that be something.

At half-time here in Breffni Park, they looked to be bogged in the same old quagmire that has affected them this season. Brennan’s return wasn’t appearing to have a bounce effect.

With a bumper crowd in Breffni Park, Cavan were as up for it as anyone can remember over the last few seasons. 14,486 came through the gates and Hill 16 on tour arrived and stationed itself on the town end.

It wasn’t until the second half until they opened their vocal cords with a rendition of ‘Come On You Boys In Blue.’

By then, the writing was on the wall. But the first half felt a lot different.

Cormac Costello opened the scoring and later added a free before he had to be withdrawn through injury on 20 minutes for Colm Basquel.

Cavan warmed to their task and went 0-3 to 0-1 up through Paddy Lynch, Gerry Smith and Emmanuel Shehu. This prompted Dublin into clipping over four unanswered points with Cavan goalkeeper Liam Brady struggling to find his targets, going wide on more than a few occasions.

One particularly poor effort was drilled straight at Con O’Callaghan who should have had a goal only to try to dish off, Niall Scully settling for a point.

That indecision was matched however by his opposite number Evan Comerford, who bizarrely did not elect to hit Dublin’s man-mountain Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne with any kickout in the first half.

Cavan’s comeback was inspired by two consecutive two-pointers from Conor Brady and Paddy Lynch to go two points up, only for O’Callaghan to level up with the third two-pointer in a row.

Cavan stuck to their task however and found themselves two up, only for Dublin to reel them back and go in at the break 0-13 to 0-12 ahead as Dermot McCabe kept his side back in the dressing rooms and leave Dublin stewing on the pitch for the restart.

If one were to be cruel, you might suggest that Cavan never really came out of the dressing rooms for the second half.

Three minutes in, Dublin had a goal chance when Niall Scully drilled in a ball that Brian Howard caught but goalkeeper Brady was equal to.

The resolve that Cavan brought in the first half however, wilted. Midway through the second half, they chalked up their tenth wide soon after Ross McGarry elected to go for a Dublin point rather than a goal.

They kept forcing turnovers and the workrate among the teams’ leaders was high. But they had no discernible plan for kicking scores or working the ball to shooting positions.

Dress up all the statistics you want but Cavan scored 0-4 in the second half.

Dublin opened the scoring, Cavan got a point back.

Dublin hit back with two, Cavan answered.

Dublin hit another two, Cavan responded.

At that point, it was Dublin 0-18, Cavan 0-15. There were 15 minutes left. It was at this point that Cavan’s challenge slipped out the backdoor.

Belief, energy, you’d never get to the bottom of it really. Cavan just kept making mistake after mistake. Liam Brady’s kickouts kept finding light blue jerseys instead of royal blue and he was punished accordingly.

Dublin kept picking out the right man. Cavan substitutions had the effect of making them more ragged rather than providing energy.

The Dublin score on 58 minutes was a neat example. Cavan’s Niall Carolan was turned over deep in his own half as they struggled to get out of the Dublin press. Con O’Callaghan flashed a pass to Ross McGarry who had a drive for a shot, pushed over the crossbar.

That was the start of a 1-6 to 0-1 sequence for the last 12 minutes.

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Dublin’s goal came when full-back Brian O’Connell tripped Colm Basquel. O’Callaghan stepped up to blast a shot into the roof of the net. Game over.

Scorers for Dublin: Con O’Callaghan 1-9 (1-0 pen, 2f, 1 x2pt play), Paddy Small 0-3, Ross McGarry 0-3, Lee Gannon, Colm Basquel 0-2 each, Cormac Costello 0-2 (1f), Charlie McMorrow, Niall Scully, Sean Guiden 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cavan: Paddy Lynch 0-5 (1x 2pt play), Emmanuel Shehu 0-3, Gerry Smith 0-3, Tiernan Madden 0-2 (1f), Conor Brady 0-2 (1 x2pt play), Darragh Lovett 0-1.

Dublin

1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun)

2. Greg McEneaney (Skerries) 3. Nathan Doran (Clontarf) 4. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf)

5. Seán MacMahon (Raheny) 6. Charlie McMorrow (Cuala) 19. Lee Gannon (Whitehall)

8. Theo Clancy (Kilmacud) 9. Brian Howard (Raheny)

24. Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne (Cuala) 11. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala) 12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)

13. Paddy Small (Ballymun) 14. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock) 15. Cormac Costello (Whitehall)

Subs:

25. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden) for Costello (20m)

23. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden) for McEneaney (40m)

7. Eoin Kennedy (Cuala) for Howard (49m)

21. Sean Guiden (St Sylvester’s) for Small (63m)

26. Tim Deering (Skerries) for Gannon (67m)

Cavan

1. Liam Brady (Ramor)

2. Paddy Meade (Kingscourt) 3. Brian O’Connell (Ramor) 4. Jensen Tynan (Ramor)

5. Garry Smith (Lavey) 6. Ciarán Brady (Arva) 19. Jason McLoughlin (Shannon Gaels)

8. Conor Brady (Gowna) 9. Ryan Donohoe (Gowna)

10. Tiarnan Madden (Gowna) 18. Niall Carolan (Cuchulains) 12. Emmanuel Shehu (Cavan Gaels)

13. Barry Donnelly (Arva) 14. Paddy Lynch (Crosserlough) 20. Darragh Lovett (Killygarry)

Subs:

23. Oisin Brady (Killygarry) for Donnelly (43m)

11. Dara McVeety (Crosserlough) for Donohoe (49m)

17. Cormac Brady (Gowna) for Tynan (60m)

26. Cian Madden (Gowna) for Lovett (65m)

7. Ryan Tobin (Cuchulainns) for McLoughlpin (65m)

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo)

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