Football

Winning kick was the stuff of dreams: Cavan goalie Raymond Galligan

Cavan goalkeeper Raymond Galligan kicks his side's winning point against Monaghan on Saturday
Cavan goalkeeper Raymond Galligan kicks his side's winning point against Monaghan on Saturday Cavan goalkeeper Raymond Galligan kicks his side's winning point against Monaghan on Saturday

CAVAN hero Raymond Galligan says he always dreamed of kicking the winner in a big game – and on Saturday the Lacken clubman got his wish.

From 55 metres out, the Cavan goalkeeper arrowed his last-gasp free between Monaghan’s posts to send the Breffni men through to the Ulster SFC quarter-finals where they will face Antrim.

Tears flowed at the end of their dramatic extra-time clash in Clones as Mickey Graham’s men battled back from seven points down at half-time to clinch victory over their age-old rivals with the last kick of the game.

“It’s funny how it works,” said Galligan.

“You take thousands and thousands of frees in training and I suppose you dream of kicking the winner in any type of game – club or county – and that’s why I got emotional at the end.

“We’ve come up on the wrong side of these games so often and to be able to kick the winner it’s a proud day for my family but most of all for these players because we’ve had a tough year. It was just an outpouring of happiness at the end.”

Up until 2014, Galligan was a recognised full-forward for club and county before former Cavan boss and club-mate Terry Hyland floated the idea of him playing in goal.

A sure-footed free-taker, Galligan took the plunge and soon established himself as Cavan’s number one and currently ranks favourably with the best net-minders in Ulster.

When Thomas Galligan was fouled in the dying seconds, his namesake automatically left his goal to take charge.

“Look, I kind of backed myself when I saw the distance,” he said. “I felt I’ll definitely get the distance and thankfully it stayed as straight as possible and went over.”

Despite Monaghan’s best efforts to distract him, Galligan was in the zone.

“I’m taking frees a while now and it’s just going back to the process and just trying to get a good strike, a clean connection and making sure that you’re sticking with the thing you do over and over and over.

“You need a bit of luck too. On another day the wind could have taken it away. You just have to blank out those boys standing in front of you and back yourself.”

And the Cavan captain would have had no problem taking responsibility if Clones had been packed with supporters on Saturday.

“The crowd brings noise... You miss the banter. You miss the cheering from behind the goal. That’s what it’s all about. You dream about the big days. You dream of the big crowds.

“It’s unfortunate the Cavan fans couldn’t be here because they have been so loyal over the years but we haven’t kept our side of the bargain over the last number of years. They deserve days like that and us getting one over our neighbours but hopefully they’re proud of our performance.

“But, in years to come, we’ll look back and see the result and people won’t even remark on how many people were at the game; the result will still go down in history. Monaghan have such a great tradition of winning in Clones and to come here and win in their backyard… For everything we’ve come through this year, getting relegated, it really was backs-to-the-wall stuff. I’m just so proud of all the boys.”

Cavan will host Antrim at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday afternoon (1.15pm).