Castlerahan come from six points down to take Cavan title

Castlerahan 2-11 Crosserlough 1-13

Second half goals from Oisin O’Connell and Man of the Match Sean Brady helped Castlerahan come from six points down to win their first SFC title at Kingspan Breffni Park.

The winners had been beaten in the last three finals and looked set to lose another when 19-year-old James Smith hit the net to make it 1-12 to 0-9 in the 45th minute.

However, Casterahan – managed by former Cavan boss Donal Keogan – were awarded a penalty just seconds later and O’Connell smashed home the rebound after Enda Flanagan’s effort had been well saved.

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That proved to be the turning point as Castlerahan came to life and poured forward at every opportunity.

And when Brady, the oldest man on the field and a former Cavan star, sent a rocket to the roof of the net, they were level and Cian Mackey’s 55th minute free proved to be the winner.

At half-time, Crosserlough – whose average age was 21 and a half – were ahead by 0-7 to 0-6 and in truth, they barely put a foot wrong over the 65 minutes, with Pierce Smith in outstanding form, but Castlerahan’s experience swung it in the hectic closing stages.

CASTLERAHAN: J Leahy, S Cooney, F Reilly, E O'Connell, P Smith, C Daly, E Flanagan (0-3), D Wright, P Smith, S McSweeney, B Ennis, C Mackey (0-4f), O O'Connell (1-3), R Flanagan, S Brady (1-1).

Subs: K Cosgrove for Wright (temp, 35 mins), Wright for Cosgrove (38), Cosgrove for Ennis (42).

CROSSERLOUGH: A Smith, D Shalvey, P O'Reilly, J Cooke, M Stuart (0-2), D McVeety, S McVeety, J Smith (1-0), P McEvoy (0-1), S Smith (0-2), P Smith (0-5, 2f), D Gaffney (0-1), C Rehill, E Gaffney, P Lynch (0-2, 45).

Sub: B McKiernan for E Gaffney (57 mins), B Boylan for D Gaffney (57 mins), Eoin Smith for S McVeety (60).

Referee: C Dourneen.