Dominant Donegal always in control

Donegal 2-14 Cavan 1-8:WINTER REVISITED Kingspan-Breffni Park with a vengeance as Donegal eventually pummelled Cavan into submission in a fractious quarter-final clash.

A game that appeared to crackle with possibilities at the embryonic stage morphed into a damp squib as the visitors dominated from pillar to post for all but fleeting minutes of the game.

Cavan went into the game as underdogs but even their most glass-half-empty fans could scarcely have foreseen such a drubbing. Simply said, Donegal out-classed, outfought and out-manoeuvred their opponents with contemptuous ease once the shock of going 0-1 to 0-2 behind after nine minutes subsided.

Just 90 seconds before Niall McDermott edged Cavan in front for the only time in the game, his team-mate Ray Cullivan earned a straight red card. The former Ireland International Rules underage captain fielded a high ball at centrefield but appeared to stick out his outstretched leg, karate-like, into the chest of the advancing Kevin Cassidy.

Cullivan’s misdemeanour set the tone for what was a horribly negative, niggly and stop-start affair which was made more ugly when the totemic Michael Murphy was similarly red carded for an off-the-ball foul on Damien Reilly in the 17th minute.

With the extra space on tap and Cavan’s inexperienced, nervous backline on the rack thereafter, Donegal showed all the precision of a surgeon’s knife at times to shred the Blues’ challenge into pieces.

Overall the game was as dreary as the weather itself and for the most part the rain- and wind-lashed crowd were treated to a plethora of physical and verbal exchanges straight out of the playground school of diplomacy.

Both sides adopted ultra-defensive postures and a million spillages littered the play as all the quality play came from Donegal.

Donegal found Cavan’s jugular in the 21st minute when minor star Paddy McBrearty read Mark McHugh’s teasing sideline kick best of all to sidefoot the ball past Cavan goalkeeper James Reilly.

McBrearty’s belter edged the visitors into a 1-2 to 0-2 lead and from there to the finish, Cavan played a game of catch-up they never looked like winning.

Cavan talisman Seánie Johnston was supremely marshalled by Karl Lacey and the vaunted Gearóid McKiernan was unable to impose himself in the cockpit.

McKiernan was one of four Cavan under-21 stars (who featured in the county’s recent All-Ireland final defeat to Galway) to start the match .

Donegal were in no mood to wait for their opponents to mature as they went about their work in a wholly professional and clinical fashion which helped restore their reputation after their poor form last time out against Antrim.

Donegal had the better ball players but, more significantly, the greater power and experience to reap the ultimate dividend from what was a claustrophobic though lob-sided affair.

Jim McGuinness’s men held all the aces as they went about embellishing their 1-6 to 0-3 cushioned lead with the strapping McFadden continuing to act as the perfect outlet. The big number 15’s superb lay-off to the supporting Rory Kavanagh had the Cavan net billowing again in the 44th minute.

The outstanding McBrearty added salt into Cavan’s gaping wound with a finely adjudged point five minutes later to prompt an early rush for the exit gates.

McBrearty added a carbon-copy six minutes later and a ignominy threatened to engulf Cavan as they trailed by 0-5 to 2-10 with just under 20 minutes left to play.

Fergal Flanagan and Michael Brennan had points for Cavan to sandwich a Dermot Molloy effort but with with five minutes left to play, it was only left for the garnish to be added. Impressive substitute Michael Brennan rifled home a goal on the rebound after Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan had parried Niall McDermott’s penalty late in the game.

That goal merely put a flattering look on the scoreboard though as Donegal were worth much more than a nine-point victory margin.

DONEGAL: P Durcan; K Lacey, N McGee, P McGrath; K Cassidy (0-1), A Thompson, M Boyle; R Kavanagh, K Rafferty (1-1); M McElhinney, P McBrearty (1-3, one free), R Bradley; M McHugh, M Murphy (0-1, free), C McFadden (0-5, two frees). Subs: M Hegarty for M McElhinney (30); L McLoone (0-1) for K Cassidy (52); D Molloy (0-2) for R Bradley (55); N Gallagher for K Rafferty (58); D Walsh for M McHugh (65).

Yellow cards: Kevin Cassidy (18th min), Anthony Thompson (51st min); Neil McGee (67th min). Red card: Michael Murphy (27th min).

CAVAN: J Reilly; D Sheridan, P Carroll, D ODowd; N Murray, J McCutcheon, D Reilly; R Cullivan, D Givney; G McKiernan (0-1), M Lyng, F Flanagan(0-1); N McDermott (0-4, three frees), E Keating, S Johnston (0-1, free). Subs: G Smith for M Lyng (44); M McKeever for D Reilly (48); T Corr for D Sheridan (51); C Mackey for N Murray (57); M Brennan (1-1) for E Keating (62).

Yellow cards: Gareth Smith and Eugene Keating (both 67th minutes). Red card: Ray Cullivan (8th min).

Attendance: 9,325.

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).