GAA: Cavan defeat Offaly 1-17 to 0-16 in first round qualifier

In the first championship meeting of the sides in 48 years, Gearoid McKiernan powered Cavan into the second round of the football qualifiers after a 1-17 to 0-16 victory over Offaly in Tullamore.

Midfielder McKiernan kicked four first-half points and also scored the killer goal in the second-half as Cavan easily held on in the face of a strong Offaly finish.

With three fresh faces to call on for their third game in as many weeks, Offaly were somewhat refreshed following last week's replay defeat to Westmeath and after a bright opening 35 minutes you'd wouldn't imagine they have had such a hectic schedule.

Full-forward Nigel Dunne got the ball rolling for Offaly, but a free from Seanie Johnston in the fifth minute soon had the Ulster side level.

Bernard Allen was one of those late changes for Offaly and he pushed his side ahead with a good score off his left, but Cavan were doing themselves no favours at the other end either with a couple of shots dropping into the hands of Offaly goalkeeper Alan Mulhall, while Niall McDermott also flashed a goal chance wide after eight minutes.

But in McKiernan, Cavan had the game's brightest star. He kicked his first point in the ninth minute and added another three before the interval in an excellent individual display.

This was a Division 1 side versus a Division 3 outfit, but Offaly showed there was little gap between the sides, especially through Dunne, who pointed twice in the space of a minute to push his side ahead.

However Offaly tended to make more individual errors, and points from McDermott, Johnston and McKiernan gave Cavan the lead for the first time after 19 minutes.

Johnston limped off for Cavan three minutes later and Offaly responded with Graham Guilfoyle's first of two points, but the Ulster men kicked the last two points of the half from McDermott and Ciaran Brady to lead 0-11 to 0-9 at the interval.

Unfortunately for Offaly their challenge fell away massively after the restart, and Cavan hit another three points without reply to pad out their lead. Gerard Smith, McDermott and McKiernan were all on target to make it 0-14 to 0-9, but worse was to come for Offaly when Dara McVeety's powerful run was eventually fired to the net by the brilliant McKiernan after 43 minutes.

Allen and Michael Brazil kicked Offaly first points of the half which finally stalled Cavan's dominance, and when substitute Thomas Corr was black carded less than a minute after his arrival it was a further blow for Cavan.

But the Offaly deficit was too great, and any time Pat Flanagan's side trimmed the lead, Cavan were able to respond at their ease.

Offaly landed four in a row in the closing seven minutes to put for between the teams, but their slow start to the second period came back to haunt them.

Cavan: R Galligan; P Faulkner, C Brady (0-1), J McLoughlin; J McEnroe, C Moyngh (0-1), G Smith (0-1); L Buchanan (0-2), G McKiernan (1-4); C Mackey, D McVeety, M Reilly; N Clerkin, N McDermott (0-4, 0-2f), S Johnston (0-2, 0-2f).

Subs used: R Connolly (0-2, 0-2f) for Johnston (22 mins), N Murray for Moynagh (35), K Clarke for Brady (40), T Corr for Buchanan (54), T Galligan for Corr (55 black card), J Dillon for McDermott (70).

Offaly: A Mulhall; B Darby (0-1), E Rigney, S Pender (c); S Doyle (0-1), P Cunningham (0-1), C Donohue; C McNamee, D Hanlon; R McNamee (0-1), R Allen (0-1), G Guilfoyle (0-2); M Brazil (0-1), B Allen (0-2), N Dunne (0-5, 0-3f).

Subs used: J Lawlor for Pender (38 mins), D Brady for Rigney (45), J O'Connor for Doyle (47), J Moloney for Allen (50), N McNamee (0-1) for C McNamee (54), A Sullivan for R McNamee (62).

Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary).