Ice-cool Sean 'Jelly' Johnston melted Antrim's championship hopes at sunny Casement Park as Cavan cruised to victory in their Ulster SFC preliminary round tie.
The Cavan Gaels clubman notched eight points as Donal Keogan's men showed their hosts a clean pair of heels in the final 20 minutes.
Johnston may have been the blues' General-in-Chief but, in fairness, he had loads of lieutenants with six other Cavan players getting on the score sheet.
Antrim were sluggish early on but after going three points in arrears exploded into life with a Route One move resulting in a 9th minute goal by CJ McGourty.
The writing was on the wall for underdogs and when Martin Reilly's 25th minute point hoisted Cavan into a 0-9 to 1-2 lead, Antrim looked to be on the slippery slope.
However with Tony Scullion, Sean Kelly and Tomas McCann causing Cavan problems with their direct running, Antrim hung in there.
Indeed Paddy Cunningham's free kick-started a run of four unanswered points to draw Antrim on level terms for the first time in the match (1-6 to 0-9) with 30 minutes on the clock.
Antrim's joy was short-lived though as 1997 Ulster SFC medallist Jason O'Reilly flighted a teasing centre into former All-Star Dermot McCabe.
McCabe just managed to keep out of the small square and at the same time out-muscle Sean Kelly to goal with his trusty left foot.
Wind-aided Cavan couldn't have been too happy with their slender 1-9 to 1-7 interval lead and when CJ McGourty made it a one point game in the 39th minute, the promise of a home win suddenly looked more probable than possible.
Kevin Niblock brought Antrim to within a point of their oppoinents (1-10 to 1-11) in the 50th minute that was as good as it got for Jodie Gormley's charges.
Impressive Cavan sub Lorcan Mulvey put colleague Michael McDonald through for a point 40 seconds later and then two more from Johnston helped leave Cavan 1-5 to 1-10 in front with just over 15 minutes left to play.
The Saffrons needed goals to prevent a quick entry to the Tommy Murphy Cup but with sub. Paul Brady and veteran Anthony Forde providing a steely backbone, the Cavan defence was in uncompromising form.
CJ McGourty and Tomas McCann both added to their tally in the dying minutes but they were scores which had the word consolation stamped all over them.
Antrim:
Sean McGreevy; Kevin O'Boyle, Andrew McClean, James Loughery; Tony Scullion, Justin Crozier, Sean Kelly; Michael McCann, Aodan Gallagher; Tomas McCann (0-3, one free, one '45), Kevin Niblock (0-1), Paul Close; Paddy Cunningham (0-4, three frees), CJ McGourty (1-4), Ciaran Close (0-1).
Subs: Micheal Magill (0-1) for Paul Close; Terry O'Neill for Ciaran Close; Colm Brady for Justin Crozier; Eoghan O'Neill for Kevin Niblock.
Cavan:
James Reilly; Michael Hannon, Rory Dunne, Michael Brides; Barry Watters, Anthony Forde, Martin Cahill (0-1); Michael McDonald (0-1), Dermot Sheridan; Martin Reilly (0-3), Ronan Flanagan (0-2), Cian Mackey; Sean Johnston (0-8, one, free), Dermot McCabe (1-1, free), Jason O'Reilly (0-2).
Subs: Pauric O'Reilly for Michael Brides (inj); Lorcan Mulvey for Dermot Sheridan; Paul Brady for Cian Mackey; Eddie O'Reilly for Jason O'Reilly.
Ref; Jimmy White (Donegal)
