Castlerahan 1-10
Ramor United 0-9

by Shane Corrigan
at Kingspan Breffni Park

Castlerahan joined Crosserlough in the last four of the Cavan senior football championship tonight by seeing off Ramor United's challenge at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Beaten finalists in 2011, the Ballyjamesduff outfit were favourties coming into this crunch clash against Ramor, whom many fancied to capture the Oliver Plunkett Cup after impressive wins over holders Mullahoran and Gowna in the opening rounds.

However, the winners never really looked back in this quarter-final contest once Fergal Flanagan struck the only goal on 12 minutes, after which they marched towards a six-point half-time lead with Oisin O'Connell, Ronan Flanagan and Cian Mackey all in fine form.

The Virginia men managed to claw their way back to within a goal in the second-half through the frees of Jack Brady, who was kept scoreless from open play, and Shane Cole and Emmet Daly belying their defensive duties to raise white flags. Castlerahan's high volume defence never looked in danger of conceding a green flag though and in Mackey they had a reliable scorer to see them into the semis.

Ramor's start to the game suggested that their opponents would be playing catch up for the evening, with James Bradley seeing them into their first lead with a left-footed free on two minutes.

Two Jack Brady frees followed as the Virginia looked set to move up a gear, but they were rocked when some quick thinking from Ronan Flanagan saw loop a free over two Ramor defender into Fergal Flanagan's path and the full-forward rounded Aaron Farrelly to smash to the empty net.

Oisin O'Connell and Mackey (free) created a lead and extended, respectively, for the maroons and they began to turn the screw, recycling possession superbly, as Mackey and McEnroe (free) pushed the lead to four with as many minutes remaining in the half.

Ramor, evidently, were struggling to halt their opponents punching holes through, while at the other end they were finding no way past the Castlerahan's central defensive figures David Wright and Caolan McBreen.

Frees from Mackey and McEnroe further punished their opponents' indiscipline at the back before half-time, when Brian Mulvey's charges took in a comfortable 1-6 to 0-3 lead with them.

As for Gary Farrelly's charges, they'd need a different game plan for the restart and the early signs were promising as Brady (free) and Shane Cole reduced their arrears to four after just three minutes.

A placed ball from Mackey and a nice sweeping Ramor move finished by substitute Emmet Daly kept it that way until Brady's fourth free of the night left a goal in it approaching the final quarter.

Castlerahan's 'keep ball' tactic wasn't having as much joy in the second-half, but, crucially, they never panicked and saw Mackey land the score of the night before the Cavan senior, who produced his best form to date in a blue jersey this past summer, set-up McEnroe to restore a five-point advantage.

Brady (free) and Kevin Mulvany brought the difference back to three, but Ramor were still left with the difficult task of trying to sneak a goal past their opponents' packed defence and when Mackey tacked on another free with a minute to go the win was ensured for the Ballyjamesduffers.

Castlerahan: Jamie Leahy; Fergal Reilly, David Wright, Stephen Cooney; Paul Smith, Caolan McBreen, Paul Cusack; Shane Cusack, Cian McEnroe (0-3, 1f); Brian Coleman, Cian Mackey (0-6, 4f), Oisin O'Connell (0-1); Sean Brady, Fergal Flanagan (1-0), Ronan Flanagan. Subs: Enda O'Connell for P Cusack (29mins), Enda Flanagan for Coleman (49), Paul Brady for S Cusack (52).

Ramor United: Aaron Farrelly; Barry Fitzsimmons, Stefan Connolly, Adam O'Connell; Daire Sheridan, Shane Cole (0-1), Damien Barkey; Anton O'Reilly, James McEnroe; James Bradley (0-1, 1f), Adrian Cole, Simon Cadden; Paul Quealy, Kevin Mulvany (0-1), Jack Brady (0-5, 5f). Subs: Emmet Daly (0-1) for Fitzsimmons (28mins), Keith Sodden for A Cole (42), Aoghan Cahill for Sheridan (53).

Ref: Margaret Farrelly (Laragh United) Tweet

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