2022 Cavan SFC Final: Gowna 2-13 Killygarry 1-9
OFTEN you have to lose one to win one – but after a 20-year gap Gowna were never in any danger of losing two consecutive Cavan SFC Finals.
The Lough Men had inspiration from a quarter of a century ago and also from earlier this year, with joy and sadness both recalled to feed their desire for victory.
Their 1997 winning side was the Jubilee team honoured at half-time, including men whose sons are now representing the club's seniors. Another was at the forefront of the Killygarry attack, Oisin Brady, but despite opening the scoring this was definitely Gowna's day.
Amidst the happiness there was heartache recalled too, with a recent tragedy on Gowna minds. Captain Ryan McGahern in his acceptance speech dedicated this win to young Colin Madden, an U13 player at the club who died in May of this year.
Gowna dominated this decider almost from start to finish, and were full value for victory over a Killygarry side in their first senior final for more than half a century.
An opportunistic goal from Martin Reilly briefly levelled matters at 1-3 apiece, after Gowna had netted early on through midfielder Ryan Donohoe, but last year's losing finalists responded superbly to that setback with a run of seven consecutive scores.
Killygarry showed spirit, but a second Gowna goal, late on from substitute Oisin Pierson, ensured they collected the Oliver Plunkett Cup for an eighth time after seven triumphs between 1988 and 2002.
Joint-manager Dermot McCabe won six of those titles and was delighted to guide a new generation to the peak of Cavan football again – although he lauded the influence of a player who was once a teenage sensation.
Now 38, Mark McKeever controlled matters from in front of the Gowna defence, although as their grip on the game increased he moved further up the pitch and sprayed passes into his forwards to great effect.
"We have the experience of Mark McKeever, who's massive for us," said McCabe. "He's another guy holding the centre and calling the shots. From him who's a little bit over 30, to lads just a little bit over 17, there have been massive performances."
Two others operating from deep positions were even better for the winners, with Conor Brady driving forward to score two points from play and Cian Madden, who deservedly collected the 'Man of the Match' accolade after top-scoring with 0-5, including four frees.
The repeated runs forward from the Gowna number 12 were far too much for Killygarry to handle, and contributed hugely to both goals for his side.
McCabe was pleased that he and fellow boss Fintan Reilly's tactics were carried out so well by theuir players:
"Killygarry have a lot of pace and we tried to close that down. Our forwards worked extremely hard to try to prevent easy ball, quick ball coming out.
"We have a couple of strong lads there – I won't say 'ignorant', but they're determined, I would say… Second half, particularly on their kick-outs, we won a hell of a lot of breaks and counter-attacked well from that.
"We viewed how they played, they drop a few lads to defence, so we tried to get him [Cian Madden] on one of those and exploit their men sitting back. If you have a man sitting back and a lad comes running at him, it's very hard to stop that."
Although Gowna introduced a fifth Brady, Aaron, to their side, in attack instead of Pierson, it was relative, Oisin Brady, in Killygarry colours who opened the scoring.
Yet that was the only time the Reds led, as Killygarry were soon rocked by a goal from Gowna's centre-fielder Donohoe. Set up by good work from the Maddens, Cian and Conor, he seemed to have fumbled the chance away, but somehow smuggled a low shot into the net.
Gowna looked to be taking a grip of the game, despite suffering some ove-fussy refereeing from James Clarke, but they were then sucker-punched by Killygarry's most famous son. A poor kick-out fell to Martin Reilly, who coolly chipped it over the stranded Ronan Bannon into the unguarded net, to level matters for the first time at 1-3 apiece in the 20th minute.
However, Gowna's response was admirable, with three quick points, from Robbie and TJ Fitzpatrick, and a lovely left-footed effort by Conor Brady, to leave it 1-6 to 1-3 at half-time.
McCabe was thrilled by that reaction to Killygarry's goal, contrasting it with the 2021 Final: "Last year Ramor, who were strong and experienced, we had a bad start, conceded a goal and, worse, we conceded a few points after the goal.
"With that experience, this year when we conceded the goal we got the next few points, and that was massive. That was gained through experience, and I'm sure Killygarry will gain that experience as well."
Indeed started the second half in the same style as they finished the first, slightly better in fact, reeling off four more points to open up a convincing lead, 1-10 to 1-3.
Killygarry showed spirit themselves, with both their midfielders scoring in between two Oisin Brady frees, to reduce the gap to three, but Gowna's main men stepped up again.
McKeever found Conor Madden who cut inside before picking out Cian, and he sensibly fisted a point.
The sides twice swapped scores after that, but Killygarry never seriously threatened to grab the second goal they needed and instead Gowna found the net again.
Once more Cian Madden played his part, powering forward to release Daire Madden and from that sub's pass another replacement, Pierson, scuffed a shot past Galligan and into the net.
There was still time for Killygarry to come close to another goal, but Tiernan Madden did brilliantly to keep out a punched effort from Conor Smith's dropping ball, and Gowna ran out comfortable and worthy winners.
The rain pouring down didn't stop those in green and red pouring out of the Kingspan Breffni stands to celebrate, nor could it wipe the smiles off faces among the delirious people of Loch Gowna.
Gowna: R Bannon; Cormac Brady, R Brady, R McGahern (capt.); F Brady, Conor Brady (0-2), T Madden (0-1 free); R Fitzpatrick (0-1), R Donohoe (1-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark); TJ Fitzpatrick (0-1), M McKeever, Cian Madden (0-5, 0-4 frees); A Brady, Conor Madden, C Casey.
Substitutes: O Pierson (1-0) for A Brady (44); D Madden for Casey (54); S Hartin for T Madden (63); R Keogh for McKeever (64).
Killygarry: P Galligan; C Connolly, C Bates, D Dunne; D McKenna, C Reilly, D Kennedy; M McKenna (capt.) (0-1), D Walsh (0-1); R Sheridan, M Reilly (1-0), M McDermott; D Lovett, O Brady (0-4), C Smith (0-2).
Substitutes: K Lovett (0-1) for D McKenna (46); B Mooney for Sheridan (49); A Lovett for Connolly (53); D Talbot for McDermott (54); E Gallen for Walsh (60).
Referee: James Clarke (Killinkere).
