Kingscourt 1-8
Mullahoran 1-8

By Shane Corrigan
at Kingspan Breffni Park

An injury-time free from Enda O'Reilly salvaged a late draw for Mullahoran and denied Kingscourt Stars a second Cavan SFC title in three years this afternoon at Kingspan Breffni Park.

After a sloppy start, Dudley Farrell's team thought they were on their way to another senior championship triumph once substitute Ryan McCormack finished off a well-worked goal in the 59th minute, but Mullahoran demonstrated some outstanding resolve to earn two late frees which O'Reilly calmly slotted to tie up things by the final whistle.

It was Niall Lynch's underdogs that made a dream start to this county final, scoring 1-3 inside the opening 10 minutes, with the goal coming from U21 star Raymond Lynch in the 9th, and it was three points that separated the teams at the halfway stage.

Showing positive signs in the latter stages of the first-half, Kingscourt would boss their opponents for long portions of the second period but only arrived at the lead when McCormack hit the net, as O'Reilly's accurate frees kept them at bay, and the centre-forward would even have the last say, as he finished a fine afternoon's work with 0-7.

A sweet point from Enda O'Reilly settled the Dreadnoughts into this game nicely after two minutes and the centre-forward soon doubled his side's tally with a free from his trusty left boot.

At this stage Kingscourt were grinding hard to get themselves into the game, but finding no way past Mullahoran's stern defenders, and they'd be dealt a hammer blow in the 10th minute when Christy Shiels' launched ball into the square and caught a flick from Paul Brady, who was operating at full-forward in the early stages, and Lynch was on hand to coolly dispatch past James Farrelly's dive to the Kingscourt net.

Brady provided a second assist to Lynch in the next attack to stretch the lead to six points, and with the alarm bells ringing for them Kingscourt finally got off the mark on 11 minutes when Joe McMahon looped over from 20 metres. Barry Reilly followed up with a trademark free from the ground, after McMahon had been axed down along the right flank, before Paul Brady intervened in what would have surely been a third consecutive score for the Stars when he intercepted a McMahon pass towards Colm Smith.

Dudley Farrell's men had found their momentum by this stage and cut the deficit to three when Sean Og Gargan was fed in the corner, turned and pointed having found some rare time and space.

Sorely in need of a score, Mullahoran ended an 18-minute drought through an Enda O'Reilly free which Philip Smith cancelled-out to leave it at 1-4 to 0-4 for the break.

A Reilly free was the restart Kingscourt, who now had the wind at their backs, yearned but a superb point from Enda O'Reilly maintained Mullahoran's goal lead. The next 10 minutes would belong to the Stars though, as they shot three unanswered points to level matters heading into the final stages.

A fantastic Reilly free from all of 55 metres sparked Kingscourt's purple patch, as Philip Smith hit the next two scores (one a free) and with a little over 10 minutes to go it looked as though the initiative was firmly with the Meath-border men. However, they'd be dealt a major set-back, after the concession of another O'Reilly point, when Tomas Malone picked up a second yellow card for what looked to be verbal abuse towards linesman Joe McQuillan.

Down to 14 men, Kingscourt were made pour more men forward than they would have liked to in the search for scores in the closing minutes and when Peter Paul Galligan made a terrific fetch and clearance out of the Mullahoran square, the danger looked to have been averted for the Killydoon men.

The next attack, however, would see Kingscourt landing the finest score of the game when some slick interchange allowed Philip Smith and Sean Og Gargan to combine and release an unmarked McCormack on the edge of the small square from where the substitute fisted to the net.

With so many Kingscourt bodies behind the ball, Mullahoran now faced a colossal task in trying to register two scores in three minutes of injury time to salvage a draw. An Enda O'Reilly free in the 61st minute helped their cause and when goalkeeper James Farrelly delayed the resultant kick-out referee Noel Mooney blew for a throw-up which Mullahoran won and yielded a free from in front the posts, where O'Reilly coolly slotted with the last kick of the afternoon to ensure these sides would be battling it out for at least another hour next weekend to decide the resting place of the Oliver Plunkett Cup for 2012.

Kingscourt: James Farrelly; Padraig Faulkner, Thomas Wakely, Shane Grey; Barry Tully, Alan Clarke, Keith McCabe; Colm Smith, Joe Dillon; Joe McMahon (0-1), Philip Smith (0-3, 1f), Philip Tinnelly; Thomas Malone, Barry Reilly (0-3, 3f), Sean Og Gargan (0-1). Subs: Gavin Sheenan for P Faulkner (43), Ryan McCormack (1-0) for J McMahon (49), Daryl Martin for C Smith (60).

Mullahoran: Eamon Brady; Seanie Smith, Killian Brady, James Reilly; Dermot Sheridan, Paddy Brady, Michael Brady; Christy Shiels, Peter Paul Galligan; Daniel Smith, Enda O'Reilly (0-7, 4f), Paul Brady; Philip Brady, Eddie O'Reilly, Raymond Lynch (1-1). Sub: Tomas Nannery for D Smith (42).

Ref: Noel Mooney (Cavan Gaels)

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