CAVAN TOPPLE QUEEN'S; McKENNA CUP DONEGAL DUMP OUT THE CHAMPS BY A SINGLE POINT IN BALLYSHANNON Cavan 2-10 Queen's 0-11.

Byline: By KEVIN CARNEY

QUEEN'S conceded two soft goals as Cavan secured their place in the McKenna Cup semi-finals in miserable conditions at Kingspan/Breffni Park.

The hosts played with a vast curtain of rain and wind at their backs in the opening half but they strolled rather than stormed out of the blocks.

Cavan's cause ignited though when a move begun by corner-back Martin Reilly ended up with Jason O'Reilly breezing past two powder puff tackles before firing high to the Queen's net.

O'Reilly's goal propelled Cavan into a 1-2 to 0-1 lead which was never threatened with the students failing the test up front.

Despite the promptings of hardworking midfielders Justin Crozier and Charlie Vernon, Queen's were largely impotent in trying to catch-up.

Indeed, once Queen's keeper Kevin Kelly allowed Mark McKeever's drive from 44 metres to slip through his hands, an air of inevitability enveloped the tie.

In seeking to eat into Cavan's 0-3 to 2-6 interval lead, Queen's were marginally better on the restart and a point apiece from Micheal O'Rourke and Vernon inside 90 seconds offered a glimmer of hope.

However, a point blank save by James Carolan denied Sean Bourke a vital goal for Queen's in the 53rd minute and a brace of points from Eddie O'Reilly was all Cavan needed to consolidate their cushioned lead to the close of play.

CAVAN: J Carolan; D Rooney, R Dunne, M Reilly (0-1, free); J McCutcheon, A Forde, B Watters; L Mulvey, M McKeever (1-1); A Fitzpatrick, R Donohoe, A Clarke; F O'Reilly (0-3, two frees), E O'Reilly (0-3), J O'Reilly (1-0).Sub: J Clarke (0-2) for Fitzpatrick; J Reilly for Carolan; J McCabe for Clarke; D O'Reilly for Rooney; D Gaffney for Mulvey.

CAPTION(S):

ON TARGET: Jason O'; DRIVEN: Charlie Vernon