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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Dublin v Cavan: All-Ireland U21 football semi-final

Dublin and Cavan fought out a close contest for the right to face Roscommon in the final. Here’s how it unfolded.

RIGHT, WE’VE DUCKED in for a quick ice cream, but we’re ready to go again as another under 21 semi-final is coming down the tracks.

Next up, the main even in Portlaoise, Dublin v Cavan. 

As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to sean@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Here we go again. Throw in at Portlaoise for Cavan v Dublin will be slightly delayed.

Here’s how Dublin will line up (Cavan team to follow shortly):

Dublin:  Lorcan Molloy (St Anne’s); Ross McGowan (Kilmacud Crokes), David Byrne (Nh Olaf), Robbie McDaid (Ballyboden St Enda’s); Eric Lowndes (St Peregrine’s), Johnny Small (Ballymun Kickhams), Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf); Paddy O’Higgins (Raheny), Stephen Cunningham (St Sylvester’s); Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge St), Shane Carthy (Nh Mearnóg), Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes); Conor McHugh (Na Fianna), Michael Deegan (Donaghmore Ashbourne), Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille).

Here’s the Cavan line-up, they’re unchanged from the Ulster final win.

CAVAN: J Farrelly; B Fortune, K Clarke, P Faulkner; G Smith, C Moynagh, C Brady; L Buchanan, M Argue; P Graham, E Flanagan, A Watson; D McVetty, K Bouchier, J Dillon.

THROW IN: Cavan 0 -00 Dublin 0-00

We expect a much less free-flowing encounter in this game. Dublin have dominated territory in the opening stages, but their shooting hasn’t quite found a rhythm yet. Two wides means we’re still scoreless after three minutes.

7 mins: Cavan 0 -00 Dublin 0-00

Cavan build an attack patiently at the other end, but they too fire their opening effort wide and when Killian Clarke concedes a central free it looks like a certain Dublin lead, but Paul Mannion also blasts a wayward shot into the stands.

CHANCE! Jack McCaffery powers through the middle, but he points his shot towards goal and misses.

Cavan capitalise at the other end, scoring two quick-fire points from play, the second via Ciaran Brady.

8 mins: Cavan 0 -02 Dublin 0-00

11 mins: Cavan 0 -03 Dublin 0 – 01

McHugh responds with a close-range point from Dublin, but Cavan are hitting their stride now and a brilliant point from distance comes courtesy of Michael Argue.

15 mins: Cavan 0 -04 Dublin 0-01

Conor Moynagh is doing an excellent job sweeping up in the backline and Cavan extend the lead through Joe Dillon.

18 mins: Cavan 0 -04 Dublin 0-03

McHugh is Dublin’s brightest spark at the minute. He’s fouled to allow Costello the opportunity to point and he follows it up with an industrious point from a central area to bring Dublin within a point.

25 mins: Cavan 0 – 06 Dublin 0-03

The Dublin wides continue to mount – it’s now 7 – 2 in that regard – but Joe Dillon is proving lethal for Cavan with two consecutive points from play.

It’s not all good news for the Breffni boys, though, Conor Moynagh has gone after taking a heavy knock. Aaron O’Hara is on in his place.

28 mins: Cavan 0 – 07 Dublin 0-04

Enda Flanagan hits his mark with a free to extend Cavan’s lead to a deserved four points.

Niall Scully claws Dublin back to within a goal, shooting over the bar with his left foot.

30 mins: Cavan 0 – 07 Dublin 0-04

Goal chance for Dublin as Costello comes in from a fluid movement but Farrelly makes himself big and comes up with a brilliant save.

Dublin have a second bite at a score, but Mannion is once again wayward after taking aim from the sideline.

 

Costello points from play for Dublin, but only after Cavan are left protesting a contentious 50-50 call when Flanagan looked to be up-ended inside the Dublin 45.

HALF TIME:  Cavan 0 – 07 Dublin 0-05

Here we go then, the SECOND HALF is under way in Portlaoise.

Dublin embark on the early attack but even without Moynagh their defence is proving a tough nut to crack.

And at the other end, Thomas Hayes uses his low centre of gravity to wriggle free and fire over a brilliant point to start Cavan off on the right foot.

32mins: Cavan 0 – 08 Dublin 0 – 05

36 mins: Cavan 0 – 09 Dublin 0-06

Cavan underline their All-Ireland final credentials with Flanagan landing a free shortly after that Hayes point. Dublin continue to prove wasteful at the other end… until O’Conghaile lands a big score from the right hand side.

40 mins: Cavan 0 – 09 Dublin 0-06

Just a slight slowdown in the rate of scoring and that won’t bother Cavan too much. The Ulster champions still look the stronger side, with powerful runners coming from deep to raid space between Dublin defenders.

Dublin back on the score-sheet and it’s Paul Mannion who gets the ball rolling before Gavin Ivory delivers the quick follow-up.

Just a point between the teams with 15 minutes to play.

45mins: Cavan 0 – 09 Dublin 0 -08

A blow for Cavan there as Cavan’s danger man Joe Dillon incurs a black card for a needless foul. Bouchier comes into the game in his place.

48 mins: Conor Moynagh is back in the game to reinforce Cavan’s defence. Barry Fortune makes way.

50 mins: Cavan 0 – 10 Dublin 0 -08

There’s a big Cavan contingent in the stands and Bouchier has given them a big reason to shout, curling over a lovely point from the left hand side.

Dublin lob in a high contestable ball at the other end, but Killian Clarke does brilliantly to bat the danger away as he’s outnumbered by the black Dublin shirts.

52 mins: Cavan 0 – 10 Dublin 0 -09

Dublin content to keep going for long-range scores with Clarke in this form. Costello fires over a superb score off his left to make it a one-point game again.

Yellow card for McHugh as Cavan look to freshen up their personnel again, Hession making way for Graham.

56 mins: Cavan 0 – 10 Dublin 0 -10

Conor McHugh has been Dublin’s outstanding attacker today and it is he who levels up the scores with a fine effort from 30-yards after a nice lateral hand-passing move.

Cavan just slowing he pace of the game down here, the patient build up ends in a disappointing wide, but they’ve been successful in disrupting the Dublin momentum.

Free-in to Dublin.

Gavin Ivory’s shot comes back off the post, but we come back for a free against Moynagh. That looks harsh…

Cavan 0 – 10 Dublin 0 -11

Costello converts the chance and Dublin lead.

Two minutes of added time, can Cavan find a leveller?

Dublin killing the game off now, McCaffery protecting possession by running back into his own half.

FULL-TIME: Cavan 0 – 10 Dublin 0 – 11.

Disappointing scenes as the referee is escorted from the field. Cavan players and fans alike protesting at him for a series of calls that went against them and also the blowing of the final whistle when Cavan had reclaimed possession after 62 minutes had been played.

So, thanks for sticking with us through today’s two games. It’s fair to say the two games treated us to two different styles of gaelic football, but both were decided by just a solitary point.

When all is said and done, it will be Roscommon v Dublin in the All-Ireland under 21 football final.

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