The Cavan senior hurlers are celebrating their first win in seven years after defeating neighbours Fermanagh by 4-17 to 0-17 in the fifth round of the Lory Meagher Cup at Lisbellaw.

The victory vindicates the Breffni County's decision to return to inter-county hurling after a six-year absence last month. After losing their first four games in the fourth tier competition, Cavan - whose only senior hurling clubs are Cootehill and Mullahoran - finally got a victory under the belts this afternoon thanks in no small part to the performances of the Sheanon brothers, Colum, John and Cillian, who won All-Ireland club medals with Cuala on St. Patrick's Day.

Colum Sheanon celebrates Cuala's Leinster final victory over O'Loughin Gaels in 2016.

Full forward Kevin Conneely scored their first goal after just four minutes before John and Colum Sheanon bagged two more to leave the visitors perched on a 3-12 to 0-7 interval lead. And when Colum Sheanon added a fourth goal in the 22nd minute of the second half to leave it 4-16 to 0-13, that elusive victory was in sight. 

Cavan's last hurling win came against South Down in the 2010 Allianz League.

Meanwhile, Leitrim have joined Warwickshire in the Lory Meagher Cup final at Croke Park on June 10 after beating Sligo by 3-15 to 3-8 in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Martin Cunniffe's charges got off to a dream start when two goals from Padraig O'Donnell propelled them into an early 2-3 to 0-0 lead. However, Sligo hit back with majors from Matthew Davey (two) and Michael Gilmartin to trail by the minimum, 3-3 to 2-7, at half-time.

The home side managed to keep their noses in front before a Zac Moradi goal with two minutes of normal time remaining sealed their win.

In the day's other game, Warwickshire made it five wins from five when accounting for Lancashire by 1-15 to 1-10 at Old Bedians in Manchester. John Reddin's second half goal proved decisive after the sides had been level on 1-4 to 0-7 at the break.

Cavan - D M Sheridan; D Neary, M Hayes, M Hynes; R O'Hagan (0-1), A Sheridan, R Everett; N Browne (0-1), D Cahill (0-1f); S Keating (0-1), Colum Sheanon (2-5), M Sexton (0-1); Cillian Sheanon (0-1), K Conneely (1-0), J Sheanon (1-6, 0-1f). Subs: S Harten for S Keating, D Kelly for R Everett, F Hughes for M Sexton, O R O'Reilly for Cillian Sheanon, K O'Reilly for M Hynes.

Fermanagh - C McTeague; D Teague, D Russell, E Mahon; Jack Gavin, T Cleary, F McBrien (0-1); C Corrigan (0-2), R Bogue (0-1); B McGarry (0-1), S Curran (0-2), A Breslin; C McShea (0-1), R Porteous, S Corrigan (0-9, 5f). Subs: E Cleary for B McGarry, Joseph Gavin for C McShea, B Jones for R Porteous.

Referee - K Brady.

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Leitrim - D Molloy; K McGrath, D Carton, V McDermott; E Moreton, C Byrne, D McGovern; L Moreton, J Glancy; C O'Donovan (0-2), C Moreton (0-2), K McDermott (0-3); P O'Donnell (2-6, 0-3'65, 0-2f), C Cunniffe, Z Moradi (1-2). Subs: M Quinn for C Moreton, G O'Hagan for V McDermott.

Sligo - D Loughnane; E Comerford, T Brennan, N McDermott; K Banks (0-1), K Raymond (0-2, 1f), L Reidy; C Behan (0-3), E Kilgallon; T O'Kelly Lynch, K Gilmartin, P Kilcoyne; J McHugh, M Davey (2-0), M Gilmartin (1-0). Subs: T Kelly for T Brennan, G Feely for N McDermott, C Griffin (0-1) for T O'Kelly Lynch, M O'Callaghan (0-1) for M Gilmartin.

Referee - A Ferguson.

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