Cavan 1-15
Armagh 1-11

Cavan full-forward Martin Dunne enjoyed a championship debut to remember as the Breffni County claimed the Ulster SFC spoils in today's preliminary round clash against Armagh at Kingspan Breffni Park on May 19th 2013.

The number 14 helped himself to nine points - eight from play - as the hosts finished with four points to spare over Paul Grimley's charges.

Dunne was the hero up front for the winners but his defensive colleagues can also take credit for holding Orchard County danger man Jamie Clarke scoreless throughout the seventy minutes.

Crossmaglen ace Clarke did manage to find the back of the Cavan net in the 44th minute but the goal was controversially disallowed by referee Maurice Deegan who had blown his whistle for a tug by Jason McLoughlin on Clarke's jersey just before his off-loaded his shot.

It was a decisive moment in the second half but, overall, there can be no disputing the final result as Terry Hyland's men were head and shoulders above their opponents in practically every sector of the field. Indeed, if they had shown more composure in front of the posts on a couple of occasions their winning margin would have been greater.

A fine individual goal by Cian Mackey in the 21st minute helped establish a five point interval lead for the winners and although substitute Ethan Rafferty pulled one back for the visitors in the 58th minute, Cavan had plenty in reserve to cope with Armagh's lame second half fight-back.

Tony Kernan opened the scoring in the 2nd minute but Dunne replied for Cavan shortly after following a foul on Killian Brady who was a late replacement on the Breffni County starting 15 for Jack Brady.

The Armagh team also showed one change with Finian Moriarity coming in at centre-back in place of Brendan Donaghy.

Midfielder Damien O'Reilly put the hosts a point up in the 6th minute following a patient Cavan build-up.

Tempers flared in the 12th minute after Clarke was penalised for over-carrying under intense pressure from Cavan's blanket defence and referee Maurice Deegan decided to issue yellow cards to Cavan's Damien O'Reilly and Clarke.

A minute later Cavan Gaels star Dunne finished off a pass from Mackey to boost Cavan into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead but Armagh restored parity by the 19th minute with Tony Kernan (free) and Caolan Rafferty finding the target.

But Terry Hyland's charges responded in decisive fashion two minutes later when Mackey soloed through the Armagh defence to net the game's opening goal to leave the scoreboard reading 1-3 to 0-3.

Dunne and Stefan Forker traded points before Niall McDermott gave Cavan a four point cushion - 1-5 to 0-4 - by the 32nd minute.

Dunne brought his personal tally to four points when he raised a white flag at the end of the opening 35 minutes and the team in blue and white led by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break.

The impressive Eugene Keating extended Cavan's lead with the first point of the second half two minutes after the resumption.

Forker replied for the Orchard County but a McDermott free restored Cavan's six-point advantage. Cavan were by far the more cohesive outfit and Dunne put them seven points ahead by the 42nd minute.

There was high drama in the 44th minute Clarke's goal was ruled out by Deegan. It was a harsh call on the talented forward but Forker pointed the resulting free and corner-back Mark Shields followed up with another point to leave Armagh 0-7 to 1-9 in arrears by the 47th minute.

Armagh upped the ante at this point and an Aaron Kernan free reduced the gap even further but Dunne stopped the rot for the hosts with his sixth point in the 49th minute.

Armagh 'keeper Philip McEvoy denied Keating a second Cavan goal in the 57th minute and a minute later substitute Ethan Rafferty pulled on the loose ball and it finished in the back of the Breffni County net to leave it a one-point game, 1-10 to 1-9.

The Breffni County were on the ropes but Keating and Dunne steadied their nerves with points and Cavan finished the strongest to secure a merited victory.

Not even the dismissal of midfielder David Givney for a second yellow card offence in the 68th minute could take the gloss of the Breffni County's afternoon.

Cavan - C Gilsenan; J McLoughlin, R Dunne, K Clarke; J McEnroe (0-1), A Clarke, R Flanagan; D O'Reilly (0-1), D Givney; C Mackey (1-0), K Brady, F Flanagan; N McDermott (0-2), M Dunne (0-9), E Keating (0-2). Subs: M Reilly for Brady, J Brady for McDermott, J McCutcheon for O'Reilly

Armagh - P McEvoy; P McKeown, D McKenna, M Shields (0-1); A Kernan (0-2), F Moriarity, C McKeever; J Lavery, S Harold; C Rafferty (0-1), C O'Hanlon, K Dyas; T Kernan (0-2), J Clarke, S Forker (0-4). Subs: E Rafferty (1-0) for Moriarity, B Donaghy for McKenna, J Hanratty for O'Hanlon, E McVerry (0-1) for Forker, G McParland for C Rafferty.

Referee - M Deegan (Laois).

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