Lory Meagher Cup round four: Lancashire v Cavan (today, Old Bedians, Manchester, 2pm)
WITH Cavan winless after three games in this year’s Lory Meagher series, they appear to be on a hiding to nothing in Manchester today.
The Breffni Blues battled gamely against Sligo at Kingspan Breffni Park last weekend, only to come out on the wrong end of a 14-point margin.
Indiscipline, perhaps, was one of the major factors in that defeat, with influential pair Seán Keating and Anthony Baxter both given their marching orders in the second-half after separate incidents, but the Yeats men did lead throughout and they also suffered their own dismissal in the form of defender Tommy Kelly.
If Cavan are to stand a chance in England, they will need Kevin Conneely to be on form. Conneely has been one of the Breffni county’s most consistent performers to date this season, and he hit another three points against Sligo.
In their first year back in inter-county competition, Cavan are continuing to adjust. At times in their games against Leitrim, Warwickshire and Sligo, they have hurled well, but the challenge now is make a performance count over 70 minutes. Unfortunately, that performance may have to wait until next year.
Lancashire are far from formidable opponents, losing to Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon last weekend and are unlikely to make it as far as Croke Park this year.
However, that loss in the west was by the narrowest of margins and their comfortable home win over Fermanagh at the back end of last month indicates that they should have enough in reserve to deal with today’s visitors.
Lory Meagher Cup round four: Sligo v Fermanagh (today, Markievicz Park, 3pm)
FERMANAGH have already suffered a couple of demoralising defeats in this year’s Lory Meagher series, which will probably end up denying them a trip to Headquarters.
At the end of last month, they travelled to take on Lancashire with an early win under their belt, having beaten Leitrim at Brewster Park in their first game. However, it has been all down hill from there on in as they left Lancashire on the end of a 13-point defeat.
Last weekend, Warwickshire travelled to Enniskillen and duly dismantled the Erne county, the game finishing 6-16 to 3-9 in the Exiles’ favour. After 48 minutes, only a point separated the sides at Brewster Park, but Warwickshire hit a devastating 3-8 in the closing stages to leave Fermanagh shell-shocked.
They will have had to pick themselves up and dust themselves off for today’s game in Sligo, who are sitting pretty after two wins from three in the series so far.
All is far from doom and gloom for the Erne hurlers, however. Seán Corrigan was in dangerous form up front against Warwickshire last weekend, hitting an excellent goal as well as notching six points, four of them from frees.
John Duffy and JP McGarry also acquitted themselves well against the Exiles and, if these three can turn in a similar performance today, then Fermanagh stand more than a fighting chance.
However, Sligo have dangerous players of their own, not least in prolific free-taker Cormac Behan, who racked up 0-11 against Cavan last weekend.
This could be a tight game, but Sligo should make the most of home advantage.
