Donegal 1-24 Cavan 2-16: Tir Chonaill defend Ulster title
Monday 24 June 2019 08:50, UK
Donegal have defended their Ulster Championship crown, with a 1-24 to 2-16 victory over Cavan in Clones.
Declan Bonner's side continued their run of form to join Kerry in Group 1 of the Super 8s. After claiming the Division 2 title during the springtime, they backed it up with an impressive provincial campaign with wins over Fermanagh, Tyrone and now Cavan.
Given their powerful displays, Donegal are being talked up in many quarters as Dublin's main challengers this summer.
They went about their business on Sunday afternoon in a clinical fashion. Finding space within the Cavan defence, they had the point-takers to hurt the Breffni County on the scoreboard. Michael Murphy, Jamie Brennan and Ciaran Thompson were tormentors-in-chief, as Tir Chonaill stormed into an eight-point lead at the break.
Mickey Graham's side could not settle, and were reduced to scraps as they faced a wall in the Donegal defence.
With the half-time score reading 0-13 to 0-5 in favour of the reigning champions, it seemed as if the game was over as a contest.
Cavan likely tried to take inspiration from Roscommon's Connacht final comeback last week, but Donegal were relentless in their attack. McBrearty and Murphy continued to inflict misery.
While three Cavan points in succession did bring the gap back to six, Jamie Brennan finished them off in the 57th minute. Breaking in from the left-hand side, the in-form forward rifled it into the back of the net to crush any Breffni hopes of a comeback.
Any point that Cavan did register a score, it was quickly cancelled out by Donegal, and Bonner's side were ultimately comfortable winners, despite late goals from Conor Madden and Stephen Murray which put gloss on the scoreline.
However, late on Donegal fisted over a succession of points, when in truth they could have gone for goal. To that end, the full-time score could have been a lot uglier from a Breffni perspective.
Cavan are now headed for the qualifiers, as they aim to bounce back and reach the All-Ireland quarter-final stage.
But the story of Sunday afternoon in Clones was Donegal, and they are heading for the All-Ireland series with real momentum.
Sky Sports' live GAA coverage continues on June 29, with a crucial double header in the football qualifiers.
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