Having failed to bribe Cuchulainn to join her army, Maeve now asks on what terms he will stop killing her men with his deadly slingshot. He says that he will stop if she sends her warriors to fight him in single combat at the ford. While the fight lasts her army may proceed, but when it finishes the army must camp for the night where they are and start out again the following day. But Cuchulainn makes short work of everyone sent to him and the army make hardly any progress. Realising she has been fooled, Maeve breaks the agreement and splits her army leaving Ailill in charge at the ford while she by passes Cuchulainn and raids far into Ulster capturing the Brown Bull and driving it west to Connacht. But now the Ulstermen have recovered from the curse and they pursue and begin fighting with Maeve's army. Cuchulainn, meanwhile, lies exhausted at the ford, but when he hears the distant noise of battle he revives and dashes into the thick of it. Maeve's army is defeated and driven back to Connacht But she got no good from her capture of the Brown Bull. It fought with and killed Finnbennacht, then raced back across Ireland to die of exhaustion in Cooley. So ended the Cattle Raid of Cooley. A peace was then made between Ulster and Connacht which lasted for seven years. But at the end of that time, Maeve - who had never forgotten nor forgiven the humiliation Cuchulainn had caused her - invaded Ulster again, and brought about the death of the Hound of Ulster
 

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