Down 1-16 Cavan 2-12:A point by Danny Hughes on the stroke of time gave Down a narrow victory over Cavan in an exciting Dr McKenna Cup semi-final in Páirc Esler, Newry last night.
The sides were level, 0-9 each, at half-time but four minutes after the restart a lightning Cavan move saw Finbar O'Reilly set up Barry Watters for a goal.
In a hectic second half three players were sent off - Cavan's Mark McKeever and John McCutcheon and Down's Colm Murney.
Down seemed certain to win when John Fegan set up Hughes for a goal in the 60th minute but the sides were level again when Eddie Reilly poked the ball to the net following a scramble. But Hughes, who also saw a great effort come back off the post, had the final say with a glorious point.
DOWN:B McVeigh; C McGovern, G McArdle, M Cole; D O'Hanlon, L Doyle, K McGuigan; P Turley, J Lynch; J Fegan (0-5, frees), K McKernan (0-3), D Hughes (1-2); J Clarke (0-3), C Magee (0-3), R Sexton. Subs: C Murney for J Lynch, R Murtagh for D O'Hanlon.
CAVAN:J Reilly; M Brides (0-1), R Dunne, M Reilly; J McCutcheon, K Fannin, B Watters (1-0); L Mulvey (0-2), M McKeever; M Lyng, R Donohue, E Reilly (1-1); F O'Reilly (0-6, two from 45s, three frees), G Pearson (0-1), J O'Reilly (0-1). Subs: J Clarke for G Pearson, D Gaffney for M Lyng, R McCormack for E Reilly.
Referee: JJ Cleary(Derry).
