Page 14 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

Cregg’s late heroics seal cracking victory
ALLIANZ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 FINAL
Roscommon ........4-16 Cavan ..................4-12
By RONAN O’BRIEN Media West Ireland
POWER: Roscommon’s Ciaran Lennon gets through the tackle of Cian Mackey in the Division 2 final.
Photo: Piaras O Midheach/SPORTSFILE
ATHAL Cregg hit two late goals to give roscommon a deserved Croke Park win as the sides shared eight
goals in an entertaining division 2 final. Goals from Conor Bradley, Martin reilly and dara McVeety kept Cavan in
the game as they trailed 0-12 to 3-2 at half-time, but roscommon’s forwards found points easier to come by and Cregg’s late double wrapped up the win in the final minutes despite black cards for Cathal Compton and diarmuid Murtagh.
Four minutes in the Ulster men claimed the first score of the game, and what a boost it was when Conor Bradley
Conor
outpaced Ultan Harney and
CUP: Roscommon captain Conor Devaney lifts the Divi- sion 2 title after his side’s victory over Cavan.
Photo: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
to 2-1 lead.
Cavan were
That double strike and Enda Smith’s point gave roscommon a six-point cush- ion, but that was almost erased totally in a two-minute spell. McVeety kicked his third
Page 14 – INTO THE WEST
for points
ston. Captain
But the major scores didn’t deter roscommon. donie Smith kicked two excellent points in as many minutes, and niall Kilroy’s first of the match meant they led at the break despite Cavan’s only point from play in first-half added-time by full- back Padraig Faulkner.
Conor devaney hit an inspirational score for his team
it was a shocking start for roscom- mon, but the next 15 minutes was totally dominated by the men from the west. With Ciaran Lennon proving an excellent target
moments later, but a foul from daly allowed
man, the runners off him made great progress and
The introduction of Seanie Johnston at the interval injected some much needed zip to the Cavan forward line, and he combined with McVeety to kick the three quick points for their side as they took a 3- 5 to 0-13 lead.
daly
Caoimhin O’reilly to kick Cavan’s first point after six minutes.
and were guilty of eight missed scoring chances before half-time, but for a third time in the half roscommon’s defence was carved open for a lead goal. Cian Mackey did well to dispossess Brian Stack after a Featherston kick-out, but McVeety got in on goal too easily again to give his side a one-point lead, 3-1 to 0-9.
and placed the ball
Cavan couldn’t believe their luck in the eighth minute when their second goal arrived. There seemed to be little trouble when McVeety got the ball wide on the left, but after the cover defenders followed their markers he found himself in on goal. Conor daly halted his progress illegally, and from the penalty Martin reilly found the bottom corner for a 2-1 to 0-1 lead.
past
James Feather-
the next eight points were scored by Kevin
McStay’s side. devaney started the
run with a good point, while donie Smith and diarmuid Murtagh took
But this was roscommon’s turn to hit the net as they were being dominated elsewhere. devaney got in behind and Kilroy palmed his squared ball past raymond Galligan after 44 minutes, and two minutes later Brian Stack sent david Murray in for a second goal.
their scores well as roscommon worked their way to an impressive 0-9
having a poor day shooting