*Ciarán Russell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Clare’s senior footballers have collected their second win of the 2020 Allianz National Football League.
Clare 1-14
Cavan 0-15
Venue: Kingspan Breffni Park
Consistently inconsistent in this League campaign, Clare picked up a vital two points on the road as they regrouped following a disappointing loss to Laois last week.
A gritty opening half display from Clare which included excellent points from David Tubridy and Cian O’Dea plus Joseph McGann’s first goal at senior inter-county level saw the visitors hold a 1-08 0-05 half-time lead.
On the restart, Cavan clawed back with five unanswered points in as many minutes.
Cian O’Dea got Clare out of the traps on forty three minutes, the calling of an advanced mark from captain Eoin Cleary crucial to setting up the score. Cleary was on target in the next attack as Colm Collins’ sided gained some much needed breathing space.
Further efforts from Ciarán Russell and David Tubridy followed. As was to be expected, Mickey Graham’s Cavan responded and they reduced the deficit to two points once more.
Pressure mounted in additional time as Cavan reduced the deficit to a single point with seventy two minutes on the clock. A move that commenced with Stephen Ryan ended with Keelan Sexton teeing up David Tubridy to extend their advantage to two.
Deserving winners, Clare will be glad of the result which was the Banner’s first victory against the men from Cavan in the National League. More importantly, it’s an invaluable two points as the battle to retain their place in Division 2 continues.
Scorers –
Clare: Eoin Cleary 0-6 (4f), David Tubridy 0-4 (1f), Joe McGann 1-0, Cian O’Dea 0-2, Ciaran Russell 0-2
Cavan: Oisin Pierson 0-7 (5f), Ciaran Brady 0-2, Bryan Magee 0-1f, James Smith 0-1, Martin Reilly 0-1, Gearoid McKiernan 0-1, Stephen Murray 0-1
Clare: Stephen Ryan, Kevin Harnett, Cillian Brennan, Gordon Kelly, Sean Collins, Pearse Lillis, Alan Sweeney, Ciaran Russell, Cathal O’Connor, Cian O’Dea, Keelan Sexton, Dermot Coughlan, Eoin Claery, David Tubridy, Joe McGann
Subs: Gearoid O’Brien for Coughlan (59 mins), Conall Ó hÁiniféin for Sweeney (62), Ciaran Downes for McGann (70)
Cavan: Raymond Galligan, Conor Madden, Padraig Faulkner, Killian Brady, Gerard Smith, Ciaran Brady, Oisin Kiernan, Thomas Galligan, Christopher Conroy, Evan Doughty, Gearoid McKiernan, Martin Reilly, Oisin Pierson, James Smith, Bryan Magee
Subs: Stephen Murray for K Brady (30 mins), Cormac O’Reilly for Doughty (ht), Benjamin Kelly for Reilly (temp, 48), Ryan Connolly for J Smith (55), Kelly for Magee (63), Conor Brady for Conroy (69)
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
