Wicklow 1-12 Cavan 0-8:MICK O'DWYER'S footballers cleared another hurdle on Saturday night as Wicklow put back-to back championship victories together for the first time in over 20 years.

Cavan led briefly twice in the first half but once Paul Earls scored an opportunist goal on 24 minutes, Wicklow were in control.

Paudge McWalter fired a ball into the goalmouth from the right and Earls ran on to it, beating Cavan goalkeeper James Reilly to punch the ball to the net. Wicklow led 1-6 to 0-5 at the interval .

Wicklow’s James Stafford and Thomas Walsh controlled midfield and their tight-marking defence gave Cavan precious little room. Tony Hannon ended up as Wicklow’s top scorer with five points, four of them from frees.

Cavan never succeeded in narrowing the gap. Tony Hannon and Darren Hayden stretched Wicklow’s lead after the restart and the home side continued working in that comfort zone right to the end.

“Our fellas made light of the conditions and played marvellous football out there. They looked for one another . . . and took some great scores,” said O’Dwyer.

WICKLOW: M Travers; C Hyland, D Ó hAnnaidh, S Kelly; P McWalter (0-1), B McGrath, D Hayden (0-1); J Stafford, T Walsh; L Glynn (0-1), T Hannon (0-5, four frees), JP Dalton (0-1); D Odlum, S Furlong (0-3, one free), P Earls (1-0). Subs:

CAVAN: J Reilly; M Hannon, D Sheridan, M Brides; R Dunne, P Brady, R Flanagan; N Walsh, R Cullivan; C Galligan, S Brady, E Keating; G Pearson (0-1), L Reilly (0-3), S Johnston (0-4). Subs: C Mackey for Keating, M Cahill for Dunne, E Reilly for Galligan, D Gibney for Brady.

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).