DEFENDING champions Gowna remain on course to defend their Cavan title after erasing a five-point deficit to edge out Killygarry by 0-15 to 2-8 in a final-round tie which was a must-win for both teams.
Gowna led by 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time but goals from David Talbot (32nd minute) and Darragh Lovett (39) hoisted Killygarry into a 2-7 to 0-8 lead.
Gowna refused to go away, though, and, inspired by a hat-trick of Cian Madden points, made honest men of the bookies.
Crosserlough consolidated their push for a first title since 2020 by cementing their place in the quarter-finals with a comfortable 2-14 to 0-8 over Mullahoran.
Mullahoran trailed by 0-4 to 1-4 at half-time after conceding a goal to county ace James Smith in the 29th minute. Oran Rehill’s major (50) made it 2-11 to 0-7 and effectively sealed Mullahoran’s fate.
The competition’s surprise packets Ballyhaise booked a quarter-final berth with a well-merited 2-12 to 1-11 victory over match favourites Kingscourt.
Kingscourt led by 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time but their opponents lorded possession in the second half and by the time Micheál Brady bagged Ballyhaise’s second goal it was all over bar the shouting.
Kingscourt eventually fell out of the reckoning for the final qualifying spot.
Already-qualified Ramor United weren’t hungry enough to prevent a desperate Cavan Gaels from triumphing by 1-11 to 1-10 and so make the quarter-finals in fourth place.
James Brady’s 29th-minute goal helped catapult Ramor into a 1-6 to 0-7 interval lead in Crosskeys. The Gaels rebounded in the 38th minute courtesy of a Luke Molloy penalty conversion which left the county town 1-8 to 1-6 in front.
Ramor enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the run-in and while James Bradley’s free left the minimum between the sides, the Gaels held out to maintain their interest in the competition.
A relegation dog-fight awaits Laragh Utd, who crashed to a 0-10 to 5-16 defeat to sixth-placed Castlerahan, with the latter steamrolling their way into a 3-7 to 0-0 lead after just 24 minutes.
Ballinagh clinched the eighth qualifying spot with a hard-fought 1-15 to 1-13 win over second-from-bottom Lavey, with a three-point (0-11 to 0-8) lead being consolidated after the interval by a Kevin Smith penalty conversion (52).
