Cavan Gaels 1-20 Denn 2-11 Cavan Gaels eased to their sixth senior football championship title in seven years on Sunday afternoon at Kingspan Breffni Park, where they totally outclassed Denn for the second year in-a-row on county final day. Cormac Nelligan, Seán Johnston and Micheál Lyng were the three aces that the defending champions held here which proved differential, as the trio accounted for 1-12 between them over the hour. Denn, who had trailed this decider by 13 points at one stage, were disappointing for large periods of the game and only for an unanswered 1-4 in a spirited spell and another goal from late substitute John Smith the Crosskeys outfit would have been embarrassed here. The Gaels made an unwavering start to the game when their inspirational captain Anthony Forde dashed forward and gave to Johnston, who dummied his marker on to his right and flighted a wonderful shot between the posts. It settled the holders perfectly into the game, as more points from Johnston (free), Martin Dunne, Nelligan (2) and Gavin Duffy moved them into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead, with Adrian McKiernan getting Denn's sole reply. On 22 minutes the lively Lyng - a late starter for the injured Nicholas Walsh - doddled by Denn's defence and provided a superb finish into the roof of Barry Boylan's net. Ronan Kiernan and Darren Costello (free) pulled back points for the heavy trailers in the right minutes remaining before half-time, but it was Mick O'Dowd's side that were cruising at the break by 1-10 to 0-5. A minute into the restart and Lyng and Collins had more points on the board for the would-be winners. Colm Kiernan fired over a response, but Denn were all but dead and buried once Nelligan and Lyng added to their tallies in between centre-back Eamon Reilly roaming forward for two points. On 42 minutes a rare break through the centre from Thomas Corr earned a penalty for Gary Farrelly's team, which Kiernan coolly slotted by Eoghan Elliot and triggered a mini-revival. Eoin McPhilips, John Smith and another calm Costello free saw the difference down to six for Denn with 11 minutes to go. However, any hopes of the greatest come back since lazarus were firmly quashed when Nelligan (free), Pauric Smith and Johnston (free) put nine between the sides, as the Gaels recorded a third Oliver Plunkett Cup success in as many years and now await a home test against Antrim champions St Galls in the Ulster club SFC. Cavan Gaels - E Elliot; K Crotty, D Rabbitt, J Gurhy; G Duffy (0-1), E Reilly (0-2), D Graham; C Collins (0-1), A Forde; D Reilly, M Lyng (1-2), P O'Donnell; S Johnston (0-5, 1f), C Nelligan (0-5, 2f), M Dunne (0-2). Subs: N Murray, P Smith (0-1), R Maloney-Derham, K Meehan (0-1). Denn - B Boylan; E McPhilips (0-1), C McGovern, A Cahill; M Cahill (0-1), D McKiernan, A McKiernan (0-1); T Corr, R Kiernan (0-1); J Kiernan, C Kiernan (1-1, 1p), P McGovern; D Costello (0-4, 4f), H Smith (0-1), M McKiernan (0-1). Subs: P Galligan, P Donohoe, J Smith (1-0) Ref - Joe McQuillan (Kill) Tweet

Most Read Stories