Tailteann Cup Group One

Cavan 2-20 Laois 1-14

By Kevin Egan at Kingspan Breffni

2022 Tailteann Cup finalists Cavan took a strong step forward in their bid to get back to Croke Park when they overcame a sluggish start to rack up a big win against Laois at Kingspan Breffni Park this evening.

Both sides had their own demons to exorcise in this intriguing first round encounter after disappointing provincial championship exits and while Cavan at least had a positive Allianz League campaign to give them hope and encouragement, it was Laois who looked more tuned in early on, as they build up a 1-5 to 0-6 lead by the 20 minute mark.

There was no mistaking the potency of the Cavan attack at any stage, and while Mickey Graham’s men were guilty of a number of early wides, they also picked off some good scores through James Smith (after just ten seconds), Gerard Smith, and Ryan O’Neill.

Laois went with a very direct approach, looking to exploit the aerial ability and good hands of Paul Kingston and Evan O’Carroll close to goal, and that worked well too, with O’Carroll finding the net after a driving run from the left corner, while Mark Barry picked up on some good layoffs to chip over some excellent points.

They were rocked back when referee Anthony Nolan deemed that there was a foul as Paddy Lynch drove at the Laois goal after 26 minutes and laid off to Gearóid McKiernan, whose attempt on goal was smothered. Lynch dusted himself off and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with the penalty, and Cavan had a lead they would never lose.

Evan O’Carroll’s point just before half-time from close range left just two between the sides, 1-10 to 1-8, so there was still plenty of cause for optimism for Laois supporters at the interval, but the next 20 minutes was one-way traffic, as without ever hitting a really high tempo, Cavan rattled off seven points without reply.

They took complete control of the two half lines, with Gerard Smith and Tiernán Madden particularly impressive in the two wing forward positions, leaving Laois utterly starved of ball up front. Killian Roche did all he could in goal for the midlanders, popping up with two outstanding saves to deny Paddy Lynch and Oisín Brady, but Laois looked bereft of ideas of energy, before mounting a late surge with four points in row.

Even then however, their attempt at mitigating the damage was undone as Oisín Brady set up Jonathan McCabe for a late goal, ensuring further momentum for the home side in advance of their trip to London next weekend.

Scorers for Cavan: Paddy Lynch 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Gearóid McKiernan 0-4 (0-3f), Gerard Smith 0-3, Jonathan McCabe 1-0, James Smith 0-2, Tiernán Madden 0-2, Ryan O’Neill 0-1, Oisín Kiernan 0-1, Conor Brady 0-1, Cian Madden 0-1, Raymond Galligan 0-1 (45), Ryan Donohoe 0-1.

Scorers for Laois: Evan O’Carroll 1-2 (0-1 45), Mark Barry 0-5 (0-3f), Kieran Lillis 0-2, Paul Kingston 0-2 (0-1f), Eoin Lowry 0-1m, Damon Larkin 0-1, Pádraig Kirwan 0-1.

Cavan: Raymond Galligan; Niall Carolan, Pádraig Faulkner, Killian Clarke; Ciarán Brady, Oisín Kiernan, Cian Madden; James Smith, Conor Brady; Gerard Smith, Gearóid McKiernan, Tiernan Madden; Ryan O'Neill, Paddy Lynch, Oisín Brady.

Subs: Brandon Boylan for O’Neill (51), Conor Rehill for C Madden (59), Jonathan McCabe for T Madden (59), Martin Reilly for Lynch (66), Ryan Donohoe for McKiernan.

Laois: Killian Roche; Séamus Lacey, Trevor Collins, Robert Pigott; Pádraig Kirwan, Mark Timmons, James Finn; Patrick O'Sullivan, Kieran Lillis; Mark Barry, Eoin Lowry, Damon Larkin; Cathal Doyle, Evan O'Carroll, Paul Kingston.

Subs: Seán Greene for Lacey (27), Alex Mohan for Collins (31-34, blood), Colm Murphy for Doyle (38), Seán O’Flynn for Kirwan (51), Kevin Swayne for Finn (53), Dylan Kavanagh for O’Sullivan (60).

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)