A goal in the final moments from Liam Buchanan gave Cavan a one point victory over Meath at the official pitch opening of Ballinlough GFC.

Cavan 3-12 Meath 1-17

Andy McEntee and Mattie McGleenan started with strong teams and it was the Breffni men who got the better start scoring 1-3 without reply in the opening 15 minutes. Gearoid McKiernan opened the scoring while Niall Clerkin got the games first goal after good work from Jack Brady and Joe Dillon.

Ronan Jones put Meath on the scoreboard and soon after Donal Lenihan hit the back of the Cavan net after an assist from Cillian O'Sullivan. Cavan were in front 1-4 to 1-3 after 25 minutes when Buchanan got the first of his two goals to open up a four point gap. Mickey Newman pointed twice for the home county while Tomas Corr raised a white flag for the visitors as Cavan went in at the break 2-5 to 1-5 in front.

Both counties introduced a number of subs in the second half. Meath were back on level terms 2-6 to 1-9 after ten minutes thanks to points from Donal Lenihan (3) and Shane McEntee. The Royals began to dominate and further scores from Lenihan, Bryan Menton, Eamon Wallace and Ruairi o'Coileain (2) put them 1-14 to 2-8 in front.

Cavan kept plugging away and were rewared with points from Ryan Connolly and Fergal Reilly but with time running out were three in arrears. Keeper Raymond Galligan landed a 45 before Buchanan struck for the match winning goal at the death.

Cavan: James Farrelly, Jason McLoughlin, Donal Monahan, Joshua Hayes, Gerard Smith, James McEnroe, Ciaran Brady, Liam Buchanan 2-0, Tomas Corr 0-1, Martin Reilly 0-1, Gearoid McKiernan 0-1, Cian Mackey 0-2, Jack Brady, Joe Dillon 0-1, Niall Clerkin 1-0. Subs: Padraig Faulkner, Kevin Reilly 0-1, Ryan Connolly 0-3, Luke Fortune, Niall McKiernan, Raymond Galligan 0-1, Conor Madden 0-1

Meath: Paddy O'Rourke, Donal Keogan, Conor McGill, Donnacha Tobin, Shane McEntee 0-1, Pauric Harnan, Mickey Burke, Bryan Menton 0-2, Ronan Jones 0-2, James McEntee 0-1, Cillian O'Sullivan, Eamon Wallace 0-1, Bryan McMahon, Michael Newman 0-2, Donal Lenihan 1-5. Subs: Thomas O'Reilly, James Toher, Sean Tobin 0-1, Ruairi O Coileain 0-2, Brian Conlon, Sean Curran, Jack Hannigan

Referee Finbarr O'Reilly

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