Smiths shine to deliver league title for Rossies

Roscommon 1-12 Cavan 0-13

Cavan laboured badly in the first half and they trailed by 0-4 to 0-7 at half-time (stock photo)

Enda Smith's 46th-minute goal was all the cushion Roscommon needed to clinch the Division 2 title at Kingspan Breffni Park.Smith's palmed effort - after he met Cian McKeon's flighted centre - catapulted the Westerners into a crucial 1-10 to 0-7 lead.

However, it was goalscorer Smith's brother Donie and his magnificent seven points which arguably did most to land the silverware and relegate Cavan in the process.

And with Rossies boss Anthony Cunningham sidelined due to Covid-19 restrictions, it was left to stand-in supremo Ian Daly to laud Smith's personal performance and his team's overall showing.

"Donie had a tremendous game, worked hard and scored some great points but he got a lot of help from his team-mates which all scoring forwards need," said Daly.

"We had a lot of fellas vying for championship places and it showed in the hunger and determination that the team brought to the table."

Cavan laboured badly in the first half and they trailed by 0-4 to 0-7 at half-time. They rallied after the restart with a string of points, before Donie Smith steadied the ship, popping up to make it 1-11 to 0-10 on the hour mark to all but seal the win.

Scorers - Roscommon: D Smith 0-7 (3f, 1 '45); E Smith 1-0; C Murtagh 0-2 (f); D Murtagh; F Cregg; C Cregg 0-1 each. Cavan: C O'Reilly, C Brady, O Pierson (2f) 0-2 each; M Reilly, C Conroy, G McKiernan, L Fortune, O Kiernan, R Galligan (1 '45), J Smith 0-1 each.

Roscommon - C Lavin 6; F Lennon 6, S Mullooly 7, D Neary 8; P Scott 6, C Cregg 7, C Devaney 6; E Smith 7, T O'Rourke 6; N Kilroy 7, C McKeon 6, F Cregg 7; D Smith 8, D Murtagh 7, C Murtagh 7. Subs: H Darcy 6 for F Cregg (45), U Harney 6 for McKeon (52), H Walsh 5 for Devaney (57), A Glennon 5 for D Murtagh (61), J Casey 5 for C Cregg (68).

Cavan - R Galligan 7; J McLoughlin 6, K Brady 5, K Clarke 5; G Smith 6, C Conroy 6, C Brady 7; G McKiernan 7, P Faulkner 6; O Kiernan 5, M Reilly 6, J Smith 6; N Murray 5, C Madden 6, C O'Reilly 6. Subs: O Pierson 6 for Murray (29), L Fortune 6 for K Brady (h-t), S Smith 5 for Conroy (37), T Galligan 6 for Madden (52), O Brady 5 for O'Reilly (60).

Ref - S Hurson (Tyrone).