Sport

Sexton goal the difference as Cavan retain crown

ULSTER UNDER-21 FINAL/Cavan 1-10 Tyrone 0-10: AN EARLY goal may have been the difference as Cavan retained their title, but …

Thu Apr 12 2012 - 01:00

ULSTER UNDER-21 FINAL/Cavan 1-10 Tyrone 0-10:AN EARLY goal may have been the difference as Cavan retained their title, but it was their sheer determination that carried them through a tense decider at Brewster Park last night.

Darragh Sexton netted a spotkick inside the first minute, and Kevin Tierney knocked over five frees as the Breffni men repeated last year’s triumph over Tyrone.

Cavan won a penalty after just 15 seconds when Chris Conroy was fouled after picking up a Joe Dillon cross, and wing back Sexton stepped up to slot it home.

That score gave the holders a lead they were never to lose.

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Tyrone scored four of the five points registered in the opening quarter, but couldn’t manage to get their noses in front.

Richard Donnelly and Darren McCurry both converted frees, and they went level when midfielder Harry Óg Conlan hit their first point from play.

Cavan’s ploy of targeting full forward Kevin Tierney with long ball failed to pay direct dividends but he converted three frees to ensure a half-time lead of 1-4 to 0-5.

Cavan’s Michael Brady and Jason McLoughlin were superb at the back after the break and Packie Leddy was immense at midfield. Tierney continued to hit the target from placed balls, and a superb Raymond Lynch effort gave them a five-point cushion.

Conor Moynagh rose to the challenge at the heart of the Breffni defence as the Red Hands pushed for scores. They narrowed the gap to a goal through Niall Sludden and Tommy Canavan, but Cavan held on for their fourth title.

CAVAN: C Gilsenan, F Flanagan, K Brady, J McLoughlin, D Sexton (1-0, pen), C Moynagh, M Brady, P Leddy, K Clarke, J Dillon (0-1), C Conroy, R Lynch (0-1), J Brady (0-3, 0-2 frees), K Tierney (0-5, frees), N O’Donnell. Subs: P King for Brady, B Reilly for Dillon, S Nolan for Conroy, PP O’Hara for Reilly.

TYRONE: D McAnenly, B Tierney (0-1), D McNally, HP McGeary, N Sludden (0-1), C Clarke, T McCann, H Og Conlan (0-1), S Warnock, S Tierney (0-1), T Canavan (0-1, free), R Donnelly (0-2, frees), D McCurry (0-3, frees), C McAliskey, C Daly. Subs: P Mallon for McCann, S McGuigan for Warnock, C Grugan for Conlan, P McNulty for Donnelly, J McCullagh for Daly.

Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).