Ulster Ladies SFC: Donegal defeat Cavan in Breffni Park opener

Karen Guthrie was the star performer for Donegal in the victory over Cavan

Donegal started their Ulster Ladies SFC campaign with a hard-fought 1-6 to 0-4 win over Cavan at Breffni Park on Sunday.

Cavan started the brighter team and the hosts moved into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.

The outstanding Karen Guthrie hit the only goal of the game on 25 minutes to help Donegal to a 1-2 to 0-3 advantage at the break.

The visitors eased clear late in the second half and Guthrie finished with a tally of 1-4.

Guthrie, starring in her first game of 2023, kicked the game's opening point inside three minutes as Donegal took the game to Cavan from the off.

With both defences on top, it was another six minutes before the locals got off the mark when Aishling Sheridan unlocked the packed Donegal rearguard to stroke over Claire Friel's crossbar.

Cavan played with the advantage of a stiff breeze and added the game's next two scores to go 0-3 to 0-1 in front, both scored by ace forward Lauren McVeety.

Katie Dowds then converted from 30 metres, way out on the left hand side, to reduce the Cavan lead to one.

That was on 20 minutes and five minutes later Guthrie netted first time when the ball broke in a crowded goalmouth. The goal opened up a 1-2 to 0-3 advantage for Donegal and that's how it stayed until half-time.

Cavan scored the first point of the second half with Neasa Byrd splitting the posts three in, but that was the only score of the half for the hosts.

It was midway through the second half before Donegal responded with Susanne White converting a close-range free, and the visitors finished with three late points to claim a vital win despite a missed penalty from Players Player of the Year Niamh McLaughlin.

Cavan scorers: L McVeety 0-2 (1f), A Sheridan, N Byrd 0-1 each.

Donegal scorers: K Guthrie 1-4, K Dowds 0-1, S White 0-1f.

Cavan: Roisin O'Reilly; G Faulkner, S Lynch, C Charters; Z Fay, N Byrd, Rebecca O'Reilly; C Finnegan, A Cahill; Sophie Slowey, Aisling Gilsenan, Annie Deneher; L McVeety, A Sheridan, G Smith.

Subs: L. O Reilly for A. Deneher (h/t); G. Sheridan for G. Smith (45); A. Walls for A Cahill (48).

Donegal: C Friel; N Carr, A Temple Asoko, Nicole McLaughlin; A Boyle Carr, S McGroddy, T Hegarty; S Twohig, Niamh McLaughlin; R Rodgers, K Long, K Dowds; K Guthrie, K Herron, S. White.

Subs: C McGarvey for S McGroddy (52); E Gallagher for K Long (60).

Referee: P Conway (Armagh).