Allianz Hurling League Division 3A, round four
Cavan 2-13 Armagh 0-16
CAVAN edged themselves closer towards a shot at promotion from Division 3A thanks to a pulsating second-half display at Kingspan Breffni.
St Gall’s clubman Ollie Bellew saw his charges play a poor second fiddle in the opening half with sharp-shooter Alex O’Boyle in inspirational form up front for the visitors.
A Nicky Kenny free (4) was Cavan’s solitary score in the opening 21 minutes by which time the Orchard county were 0-5 to 0-1 ahead and on easy street.
Cavan continued to find their opponents’ speed-off-the-mark and greater cohesion difficult to master and although Canice Maher scored a great point (33), O’Boyle and Seán Óg McGuinness both pointed in added-on time to leave the Blues trailing by 0-3 to 0-10 at the interval.
Aided by a slight breeze on the restart, Cavan were a transformed team with their improved workrate, concentration levels and confidence springing immediate scores.
By the three-quarter hour mark, they had cut their deficit to a manageable six points (0-7 to 0-13) and although the hosts’ sub Brian Fitzgerald saw his goal-bound shot skip narrowly wide (46), Armagh found themselves increasingly on the ropes.
Cavan got a massive breakthrough in the 48th minute when Jack Barry goaled to leave just two points separating the sides and then a major from Fitzgerald catapulted Cavan into a lead (2-9 to 0-14) they were never to subsequently relinquish.
Armagh pressed hard to the bitter end and Shay Harvey’s classy effort (64) plus another O’Boyle free (66) left the Orchard county searching for a winning goal down the home straight.
However, Cavan battened down the hatches and an impressive solo point by Thomas Leonard and the red-carding of the aforementioned Harvey in the run-in made for a malady beyond a cure for the visitors.