Goals win games they say and so it proved once again in Portlaoise on Saturday where two Cavan goals – one in each half – proved the difference as twice Kerry hit the cross bar with goal bound shots. Cavan took the initiative from the start and led by 3 points to 1 after 10 minutes. Paul Kennelly, with his second point, pulled a point back for Kerry but Cavan added two quick points to lead by 5 points to 2 after 12 minutes of play. Gavan O’Grady pointed for Kerry but Cavan then had a let off when Ciaran Keating’s shot cannoned off the cross bar in the 14th minute.
Chris Conroy pointed for Cavan and Kerry replied with two points on the trot from Philip O’Connor and O’Grady but then Cavan’s danger man Tom Hayes goaled and Paul O’Connor pointed and at the break Cavan enjoyed a 1-7 to 0-6 lead with Brian Crowley pointing in injury time for the Kingdom.

Crowley pointed again on the resumption but Cavan put in a good third quarter outscoring the Kerry boys by 1-3 to 1 point – the goal again from Tom Hayes – to lead by 2-10 to 0-8 after 40 minutes. Kerry did get more of the possession in the remaining time played and though they outscored their rivals by 6 points to 4 in that time, they never looked like getting the goals that they needed to pull the game out of the fire and Cavan easily held on for their first title in this competition since 1927.

All Ireland Junior Football Final
Cavan 2-14 Kerry 0-14