DUBLIN managed to avoid relegation thanks to a narrow Division Two victory over Cavan at Parnell Park yesterday, where a record crowd of 9,276 for the revamped ground were treated to an absorbing match.
We threw it away, reflected Cavan team manager Martin McHugh after his team squandered several first half chances to allow Dublin build up a seven point lead by the interval.
Dublin manager Micky Whelan had cause to view the first half very differently. Joe McNally was something of a revelation as a reliable and effective target man. He was involved in almost every ball that was lofted in by Brian Stynes and Paul Bealin.
McNally at 31, is as wily and as skillful, despite the excess poundages was when winning his All Ireland medal in 1983. He fetched spectacularly to set up Niall Guiden and Charlie Redmond for a one two passing movement which saw Guiden slam home Dublin's opening goal in IS minutes. He then promptly added a point and it took a despairing blocking effort by Cavan corner back Philip Kermath to deny the Dubliner a goal. Later, with a deft pass, he set up the ever available Damien O'Brien for Dublin's second goal.
With Dublin after increasing their 2-3 to 0-2 interval lead to nine points, thanks to scores from Galvin and Stynes, a disputed foul on Cavan's Jason Reilly in the 39th minute presented Ronan Carolan, with a penalty chance. John O'Leary saved his initial attempt but Dubliners were adjudged to have entered the exclusion zone before the ball was kicked and the penalty had to be retaken. The Cavan player then planted the retake into the back of the net.
A Cavan comeback was on the cards at this stage. Eamon Heery was lucky to collect a Carolan rebound, the Cavan man pointed another free and rapidly scored another from play. Damien O'Reilly sustained the Cavan siege with another point, to leave only three points between the teams 20 minutes into the second half.
Ger Regan hit a reassuring point for Dublin but Carolan slotted another point to reduce the margin to three with six minutes remaining. In a hectic finish "the referee allowed over four minutes injury time Jason Sherlock, who came on as a substitute eight minutes from time, struck a point from the side line and Charlie Redmond scored from a free
The excitement mounted when a goal by Stephen King and a further point by Carolan left only a point between the sides on the stroke of the 60 minutes. However, a clever piece of play saw Paul Bealin finish a Charlie Redmond tapped free over the bar. You could sense the relief in the Dublin camp.
Dublin took most of their chances and one first half wide against Cavan's 12, is of obvious significance. Something else please Micky Whelan is Jason Sherlock's availability, "barring a direct clash with soccer commitments", as Sherlock put it. On the downside, however, Whelan will be concerned about talented new full back Damien Martin, who, had to ret ire with a leg injury.
