Donegal survived a Cavan onslaught to clinch a 2-16 to 0-16 victory in a Ulster Football semi-final that was in the balance until two late goals.
Conor O’Donnell’s 60th-minute goal put Donegal four ahead after Cavan had led by three in the first half.
Paddy McBrearty’s further three-pointer left the final scoreboard not reflecting the 75 minutes of action.
Cavan were like a team possessed in the first half as their direct play threatened to unhinge Donegal.
When Mickey Graham’s side, clearly the better team at that stage, led 0-8 to 0-5 after a breathless opening 22 minutes a repeat of their shock 2020 Ulster Final victory over the Tir Conaill men looked to be on the cards.
But they had to be content at going in level at 0-9 to 0-9 ahead with the superb James Smith seeing a goalbound shot brilliantly tipped onto the Donegal crossbar by Shaun Patton just before the break in a crucial moment.
Cavan still fought back to level at 0-14 apiece on 57 minutes after Donegal had hit four unanswered points to lead 0-13 to 0-10.
But ultimately goals win matches with O’Donnell, on the pitch for less than two minutes, skilfully sidefooted the ball to the net from eight yards after the Cavan defence flapped at a mishit Jamie Brennan shot.
Brennan, after a number of relatively subdued recent outings, was Donegal’s star attacker as he kicked three points from play and was the provider for a number of other scores.
McBrearty, who took a heavy hit from Cavan’s Padraig Faulkner in the first half, then killed off Cavan’s challenge as he blasted to the net after the Breffni men had failed to deal with another mishit attempt at a point by Niall O’Donnell.
Breffnimen summon up huge effort
Following their heroics against Donegal 18 months, Cavan’s subsequent shocking relegation to Division Four – which granted they righted this Spring – led to some doubts whether they would be competitive this time around but once again the sight of the green and yellow jersey saw the Breffni men summoning up a huge effort.
With Smith an absolute ball-winning colossus in the Cavan attempt and full-forward Paddy Lynch not far behind, Cavan’s direct play caused Donegal all manner of problems in the first half and Declan Bonner’s side were decidedly fortunate to beat on terms at the interval.
After winning turnovers, Cavan’s main ploy was to work the ball beyond halfway before raining in high balls aimed at Smith and Lynch, with the rotation of their forwards and the impressive variety of Raymond Galligan’s kickouts also crucial to their first-half success.
Cavan were also winning frees when they opted to run at the Donegal defence and two Lynch placed ball put them 0-4 to 0-2 up after 13 minutes.
A sensational Smith score from play restored Cavan’s two-point lead, at 0-5 to 0-3 after 17 minutes and while Donegal, thanks to Brennan’s first point and a Murphy free, levelled, Cavan were soon three up – helped by two sensational points by Thomas Galligan, another man who tormented Declan Bonner’s side on that November day in Armagh.
But Donegal were showing resolve that hadn’t been evident that day as points from the outstanding Brennan and Murphy cut the margin to the minimum.
Cavan kept pressing with another Lynch point edging them two ahead only for McBrearty to reply before the moment that Breffni fans will look back arrived as Smith bested Ryan McHugh in another duel before his seeing his fierce shot tipped onto the woodwork.
A goal at that stage would have been a huge score but instead were able to work the downfield to level at the break as Brennan palmed over following a McBrearty burst.
That man Smith put Cavan ahead after the restart but Peader Mogan quickly had Donegal on terms and Cavan never led thereafter.
Brennan comes into his own
As Brennan really came into his own, his score on 41 nudged Donegal ahead, and after a Murphy had extended Donegal’s advantage, another superb run from the man of the man set up a further routine placed-ball finish for the skipper.
But while now three down, Cavan were refusing to back down and Smith’s ‘mark’ point and a McKiernan score, left them only one down with 48 played.
By the 57th minute, Cavan looked to have regained the momentum as successive McKiernan scores saw them draw level.
But unlike 18 months ago, Donegal weren’t panicking and after McBrearty restored their advantage on 59, the key moment of the contest then arrived a minute later as O’Donnell poached his goal.
After points at either end from McBrearty and Galligan kept the margin, the game then was put to bed in the 68th minute by McBrearty’s goal as Cavan again failed to deal with a high ball.
Donegal’s reaction was predictably restrained at the final whistle as they could contemplate an Ulster decider in three weeks against either Monaghan or Derry.
For Cavan, meanwhile, an unwanted spot in the Tailteann Cup awaits but on the evidence of this display, they will be strong contenders to win that if they manage to get over the disappointment of losing this game.
Cavan: R Galligan (0-1f); J McLoughlin, P Faulkner, K Brady; L Fortune, K Clarke, Conor Brady; T Galligan (0-2), J Smith (0-3, 1m); G Smith (0-1), G McKiernan (0-3, 1f), C Moynagh; Cormac O’Reilly, P Lynch (0-6, 3f), C Madden.
Subs: M Reilly for C O’Reilly (44 mins), O Kiernan for Madden 55, Caoimhin O’Reilly for K Brady 65.
Not used: L Brady, M Argue, C Conroy, N Murray, C Reilly, Ciaran Brady, B Kelly, R O’Neill
Donegal: S Patton; C Ward, B McCole, S McMenamin; R McHugh, E Bán Gallagher, P Mogan (0-1); H McFadden, J McGee; C Thompson (0-1), S O’Donnell, M Langan; P McBrearty (1-4, 3f), M Murphy (0-5, 4f), J Brennan (0-4).
Sub: C McGonagle (0-1) for McFadden (temporary 36), O McFadden-Ferry for Ward (46, C O’Donnell (1-0) for Thompson 59, Niall O’Donnell for S O’Donnell 65, A Doherty for Brennan 70, N McGee for Mogan 70
Referee: C Lane (Cork)
