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2025 Allianz Football League Division 2 – Cork 0-21 Cavan 0-19
Cork defeated Cavan by 0-21 to 0-19 in Round 7 of the Allianz Football League Division 2 on Sunday March 23rd at Kingspan Breffni, Cavan.
Cork produce under pressure to secure crucial Cavan scalp https://t.co/tL3fvT5LaI
— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) March 23, 2025
Cork produce under pressure to secure crucial Cavan scalp
Report by John Fogarty courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper
Division 2: Cavan 0-19 (0-4-11) Cork 0-21 (0-2-19)
Cork football’s seemingly annual scare of relegation and missing out on Sam Maguire Cup is over for another year after a tigerish collective effort in Cavan.
Cork worked tirelessly for survival and what eventually turned out to be fifth spot in Division 2.
Neil Lordan was outstanding but they could have had victory snatched from them at the death. Dara McVeety kicked for a two-pointer wide on the hooter when the new rules meant he still had time to compose his effort after its sounding.
Cavan picked off the second half’s first couple of points but Cork dominated kick-outs for the next five minutes and scored four consecutive times to extend their lead to eight.
However, a couple of Cavan two-pointers were key to the home side coming within a score by the 54th minute. A fisted score by Seán McDonnell, his fourth point in total, and an improvised score by substitute Cathail O’Mahony calmed Cork nerves but the margin was down to three again on the hour mark.
O’Mahony stepped up for a second point and when Mark Cronin added a brace it appeared Cork’s win was secure.
However, two Gearóid McKiernan two-pointers, one from play, brought Cavan to within a couple of points prior to the last gasp kick from McVeety, who had a shot beaten away by Micheál Aodh Martin seconds earlier.
On winning the toss, the obvious choice for Cork captain Brian Hurley was to play with the breeze in the opening half. Fitting enough, it was he who seemed to make the most of the conditions early on as Cork’s press on the Cavan kick-out reaped dividends.
Hurley sent over a second point score and then converted a free he won off marker Brian O’Connell, who was being isolated too easily in those initial stages. Cavan responded to both scores but Cork kicked the next four, two of them two-point efforts from Brian O’Driscoll and Cronin.
Their 0-8 to 0-2 lead in the 15th minute could have been more but for Mattie Taylor sending a shot wide of Gary O’Rourke’s right-hand post after Cork’s press had suffocated Cavan.
The teams each score three points in the remainder of the half. Gearóid McKiernan sent over a free before Chris Óg Jones recorded the second of three first-half points. McDonnell followed Jones in the 21st minute and the margin jumped to seven points.
It might have hit double figures seconds after that point but for O’Rourke keeping out Paul Walsh’s strike. Seán McEvoy kicked his second point in the 25th minute and was matched by Jones two minutes later.
A Cian Madden free three minutes from the break was the last score of the half.
Cork could be proud of their near-hand tackling. Seán Brady and Neil Lordan’s timing and execution were excellent but some of their inside passing lacked purpose much to the chagrin of manager John Cleary on the sideline.
And the question was, would those missed goal chances and a late Cronin two-point free attempt that fell short come back to haunt the visitors?
Mercifully for Cork, they didn’t.
Scorers for Cavan: G. McKiernan (0-7, 1 tpf, 1 tp, 3 frees); D. McVeety (1tp), S. McEvoy (0-3 each); C. Madden (frees), G. Smith (1 tp) (0-2 each); B. Donnelly, C. O’Reilly (0-1 each).
Scorers for Cork: C. Jones, S. McDonnell, M. Cronin (1 tp, 1 free) (0-4 each); B. Hurley (0-3, 1 free); B. O’Driscoll (1 tp) C. O’Mahony (0-2 each); B. O’Driscoll, I. Maguire (0-1 each).
CAVAN: G. O’Rourke; N. Carolan, B. O’Connell, C. Reilly; P. Faulkner (j-c), C. Brady (j-c), L.Fortune; J. Smith, G. Smith; D. McVeety, B. Donnelly, G. McKiernan; C. Madden, C. O’Reilly, S. McEvoy.
Subs for Cavan: K. Brady for G. Smith (h-t); K. Clarke for L. Fortune (45); T.E. Donohoe for B. Donnelly (53); R. O’Neill for C. Madden (62); J. McLoughlin for B. O’Connell (inj 64); L. Molloy for K. Clarke (temp, 67 to f-t).
CORK: M.A. Martin; N. Lordan, D. O’Mahony, S. Brady; B. O’Driscoll, R. Maguire, M. Taylor; I. Maguire, C. O’Callaghan; P. Walsh, E. McSweeney, S. McDonnell; M. Cronin, B. Hurley (c), C. Jones.
Subs for Cork: B. Murphy for D. O’Mahony (temp 9-13); R. Deane for P. Walsh (25); S. Walsh for E. McSweeney (53); C. O’Mahony for B. Hurley (54); C. Cahalane for S. McDonnell (67).
Referee: P. Faloon (Down).
Team News
— Cork GAA (@OfficialCorkGAA) March 21, 2025
CORK (AFL v Cavan): M.A. Martin (Nemo Rangers); S. Brady (Ballygarvan), D. O’Mahony (Knocknagree), N. Lordan (Ballinora); B. O’Driscoll (Carrigaline), R. Maguire (Castlehaven), M. Taylor (Mallow); I. Maguire (St Finbarrs), C. O’Callaghan (Éire Óg); P. Walsh (Kanturk), E. McSweeney (Knocknagree), S. McDonnell (Mallow); M. Cronin (Nemo Rangers), B. Hurley (Castlehaven), C. Jones (Uíbh Laoire).
Subs: P. Doyle (Knocknagree), B. Murphy (Nemo Rangers), D. Cashman (Millstreet), J. O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers), L. Fahy (Ballincollig), C. Cahalane (Castlehaven), S. Walsh (Mitchelstown), C. O’Mahony (Mitchelstown), R. Deane (Bantry Blues), H. O’Connor (Newmarket), L. Murphy (Cullen).
