Cavan Gaels 0-11
Lacken 0-11

Raymond Galligan's injury-time free ensured that Lacken and Cavan Gaels were inseparable in tonight's senior championship quarter-final at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Ranked as 6/1 outsiders for this contest, Lacken very nearly caused the upset of the championship by holding the Gaels for the entire hour and nearly snatching a famous victory at the death but for their marksman's second 55-metre effort falling just short of the posts.

Having grabbed two late points to go in level at the break, the Gaels, still minus the services of top scorer Martin Dunne, introduced Sean Johnston early in the second-half but despite his immediate impact couldn't pull away from Gerry Cadden's stubborn team.

The second-half was airtight throughout with Lacken's reliable duo of Galligan and Finbar O'Reilly posting the scores that kept them aligned with Peter Canavan's side but when Daniel Graham nipped in for a 57th minute point the Gaels looked to have won it.

Lacken had other ideas, however, and when they earned a free at centre-field Galligan was the man they put their faith in.

Paul O'Connor's free had the Gaels in their first lead by the fourth minute but their opponents responded in good and rapid fashion when Finbar O'Reilly made the most of his first opportunity from play to curl the ball inside the post and over.

Andrew Graham would be at the heart of the build-up for the Gaels' next, soloing to send Declan Meehan through for an over but it wouldn't be long before Lacken were in front after Daryl Buckley launched over a sweet score from 45 metres and O'Reilly darted his first free from the ground.

Meehan and Levi Murphy put the town side back in the ascendency by the 23rd minute but Cadden's charges were sticking with their gutsy approach which saw them turn over the favourites on numerous occasions and O'Reilly (free), Michael Shanaghy and an absolute gem from Niall McKiernan helped them reap the benefits from it.

Having dropped five shots into the arms of the Colin Comerford, the Gaels eventually started to find their range in the closing minutes of the half with snapshot from Meehan 40 metres out and a slick over from Niall Murray, leaving it at 0-6 each for the interval.

Stephen Brady and Andrew Graham kept things even at the early stages of the resumption but it wouldn't take long for Johnston, a 36th minute replacement for Conor McClarey, sending Daniel Graham through for a white flag seconds after taking his place on the field.

Lacken weren't going away though with their veteran forward O'Reilly often pulling the strings for them inside and he set-up Raymond Galligan before launching  over a point of his own to put the underdogs' noses back in front heading into the final quarter.

Thomas Galligan, who was introduced by Cadden at half-time, was another effective substitution in the game, pushing the lead to two for the men in sky blue, but the Gaels were slightly more cute up front late on as a quickly taken '45' saw Andrew Graham point his third in plenty of space, before a Johnston free squared the teams for an eighth time.

Daniel Graham handed the lead back to Canavan's men and they looked to be over the line until Galligan held his nerve from all of 55 metres with a brilliantly struck free on the hour just in from the right flank.

The Lacken full-forward would have a chance from similar distance to win it for his team but his effort dropped just short and Martin Cassidy showed great reflexes to hold on to O'Reilly's fisted effort which looked to be climbing over.

At the other end, Lacken could count themselves lucky when Johnston looked to be hauled down 25 metres from the posts but referee Brendan Sweeney didn't blow the whistle and the sides must now meet again to decide which one is destined for the semis.

Cavan Gaels: Martin Cassidy; Niall Gurhy, John Fortune, Andrew Graham (0-2); Stephen Murray, Eamonn Reilly, Niall Murray (0-1); Dominic Reilly, Daniel Graham (0-2); Paul Graham, Michael Lyng, Levi Murphy (0-1); Declan Meehan (0-3, 1f), Paul O'Connor (0-1, 1f), Conor McClarey. Subs: Sean Johnston (0-1, 1f) for C McClarey (34mins), Robert Maloney-Derham for P O'Connor (43, inj), Barry Fortune for P Graham (60).

Lacken: Colin Comerford; James Moynagh, Shane Finnegan, Declan Brady; Daryl Buckley (0-1), Kevin Shanaghy, Damien McKiernan; Michael Shanaghy (0-1), Conor Finnegan; Paul Leddy, Niall McKiernan (0-1), Stephen Brady (0-1); Philip Moynagh, Raymond Galligan (0-2, 1f), Finbar O'Reilly (0-4, 2f). Subs: Killian Galligan for P Moynagh (27mins), Thomas Galligan (0-1) for C Finnegan (HT), David Wilson for K Galligan (39, inj), James Galligan for M Shanaghy (45).

Ref: Brendan Sweeney (Ballymachugh)

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