Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final: Tyrone 0-16 Cavan 3-7
THERE may have been plenty of laughter as Terry Hyland spoke to the assembled press after yesterday’s thrilling draw – but the Cavan boss knows there is plenty of work to be done if they are to stand any chance of finishing Tyrone off in a fortnight’s time.
Hyland’s men came back from the dead in added time at the end of the second half to ensure another rendezvous in Clones on July 3, David Givney punching to the net as the large Cavan crowd exploded in celebration.
It was a second goal of the day for the Mountnugent man as the Breffni Blues started like a house on fire before finding themselves seemingly on their way towards the Qualifiers.
And while Hyland laughed off suggestions that Givney had cut an isolated figure for much of the game – “how many goals did he score?” – the big full-forward was often seen pleading with his team-mates for support.
Having watched his side kick 13 wides over 70 minutes, Hyland knows they need to be more clinical in the replay.
“It was a little bit unusual because our forward division had been working very well up until this,” he said.
“You get days like that and you have to give Tyrone credit for the pressure that they put on us when we were trying to get those shots off.
“From a spectator’s point of view it was close all through. That is what makes games exciting, not necessarily the quality. The quality was going to suffer today because of the weather conditions.
“We are happy with the result that we got out of it.” More worrying for Hyland is the fact that, for 22-minute periods in both the first and second half, Cavan failed to trouble the scoreboard while Tyrone assumed control.
“Well that would be the most concerning part, yes,” said Hyland. “Our finishing was poor compared to what it had been. But again you have to credit Tyrone, they made it very difficult for us. They put us under a lot of pressure and perhaps the conditions played into that as well.
“They are a very good team, those are the hard facts of it. Did we improve from the League final? [when Tyrone won by five points] I would say yes we did. We stopped a lot of their bigger named guys today who controlled the game in Croke Park.”
The Cavan boss sprung a surprise from the off when he threw full-back Killian Clarke into the full-forward line, and it took the Red Hands 15 minutes to get to grips with the men in blue.
“They play a sweeper and that is probably why,” he said when asked about Clarke’s redeployment.
“Could we exploit it? It worked for us today but will it work the next day? Probably not.”
Cavan have another two weeks to prepare themselves physically and mentally for another crack at many peoples’ tips to lift the Anglo-Celt, so what do the Breffnimen need to change to get themselves over the line.
“We have to get better at our finishing,” smiled Hyland, who also dismissed the notion that his men hold the upper hand after yesterday’s late, late show.
“Ah, I don’t think so. Tyrone are a battle-hardened side at this stage and I don’t think psychology will come into it really.”
