Cavan reeled off 1-3 from the 59th minute onwards to dramatically defeat Donegal by 2-6 to 0-8 at the Athletic Grounds.

The result is a historic one as the winners have become only the second team in history to win four consecutive Ulster titles in this grade.

The losers seemed to have done enough to secure victory when they floated over five successive points to lead by 0-8 to 1-3 with time almost up.

Cavan had scored just once in the second half and had yet to hit a point from play…

But Liam Buchanan turned the game on its head when he struck a 59th minute goal to propel the defending champions back in front and the Breffni County followed up with a run of scores from Michael Argue, first-half goalscorer Joe Dillon and Barry Fortune.

As Ulster champions, they will face Dublin on Saturday week for a place in the All-Ireland final.

Corner forward Dillon's 19th-minute goal separated the sides at the end of a low-scoring first half, which produced just five scores: 1-2 to 0-2.

There was massive interest in this match in both counties and it was no major surprise that throw-in had to be delayed for more than fifteen minutes due to traffic congestion in and around the Athletic Grounds.

The first point went to Cavan's Kevin Bouchier from a simple free. Patrick McBrearty replied from a Donegal free in the twelfth minute and there were no more scores until the 19th minute, when the match exploded to life for the first time…

Dillon collected a perceptive pass from Gerry Smith and fired the ball to the back of the net. Donegal replied with a Willie Gillespie point and the holders then had their centre back and team captain Conor Moynagh sent to the line with a black card.

Three minutes from the short whistle, Bouchier's free barely made it over the bar and that score ensured the Breffni boys of a three-point interval cushion.

McBrearty's free re-opened the scoring but Bouchier - with his third pointed free - replied: 1-3 to 0-3. The winners wouldn't score again until the 59th minute…

Midfielder Hugh McFadden pulled back a point for the Donegal lads and a McBrearty brace tied the scores up before Ryan McHugh kicked the Tir Chonail men into a 53rd-minute lead. When Eoin McHugh added another Donegal point, Cavan looked to be beaten but they refused to give up and - astonishingly - they would double their tally from the 59th minute onwards to record the most dramatic of wins.

Cavan - J Farrelly; B Fortune (0-1), K Clarke, P Faulkner; G Smith, C Moynagh, C Brady; L Buchanan (1-0), M Argue (0-1); P Graham, E Flanagan, A Watson; D McVeety, K Bouchier (0-3f), J Dillon (1-1, 0-1f). Subs: A O'Hara for C Moynagh (BC), T Hayes for K Bouchier, E Hession for E Flanagan.

Donegal - J Coll; C Brennan, C Parke, A McCloskey; M O'Reilly, R McHugh (0-1), G Gallagher; H McFadden (0-1), C Thompson; D Mulgrew, P McBrearty (0-4, 3f), E Doherty; D O'Connor, W Gillespie (0-1), E McHugh (0-1). Subs: C Cannon for A McCloskey, J O'Malley for E Doherty.

Referee - C O'Hagan. Tweet

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