Cavan’s thirteen men completed a heroic comeback with a 0-15 to 2-08 win over Wicklow to advance to the second round of the football qualifiers.
And it was Seanie Johnston who emerged as the hero, coming off the bench to kick six second-half points and send his side through.
Thomas Corr and Lorcan Mulvey had both been sent off by the 37th minute, by which stage Wicklow had moved seven points clear.
Victory appeared to be theirs for the taking, but it was the inspired Breffni men who seized control, playing like men possessed to set up the opportunities which the brilliant Johnston put away to the delight of the majority of the 3,653 spectators in Cavan town.
Leighton Glynn netted a penalty in the 11th minute after midfielder JP Dalton had been fouled by full back Thomas Corr.
The Leinster men pushed further ahead with points from Nicky Mernagh and Tony Hannon, from a 48-metre free, but the home side pulled back scores through Eoin McGuigan and Gareth Smith.
James Stafford created Wicklow’s second goal, driving in the long delivery for full forward Sean Furlong to collect and finish from close range in the27th minute.
Corr, who had earlier been booked during the penalty incident, picked up a second yellow in the 32nd minute, and Wicklow led by 2-06 to 0-05 at the break.
Cavan suffered a further blow just two minutes into the second half with a straight red card to midfielder Mulvey, but Carr sprung a half-fit Johnston from the bench in a bid to rescue what looked a hopeless situation.
The Cavan Gaels star slotted over a couple of delightful scores as the Breffni men finally started to display some self-belief and determination.
Johnston squeezed over an amazing score from a seemingly impossible angle near the corner flag, and his fifth was followed by Mark McKeever’s equaliser.
Hannon ended a 20-minute scoreless spell for Wicklow to regain the lead, but there was still time for Cavan to bounce back, with Smith converting a ’45, before Johnston swept over the winner.
Cavan: F Reilly, D Sheridan, T Corr, M Hannon, M Brides, J McCutcheon, A Clarke (0-1), C Galligan, L Mulvey, R Flanagan (0-2), G Smith (0-4, 1f, 1 ’45), E McGuigan (0-1), C Mackey, M Brennan, M Reilly.
Subs: S Johnston (0-6, 2f) for Mackey (40), M Cahill for M Reilly (45), M McKeever (0-1) for McGuigan (57), D O’Dowd for Galligan (64)
Wicklow: J Flynn, S Kelly, D O Hannaidh, A Byrne, C Hyland, B McGrath, D Hayden, J Stafford, JP Dalton, L Glynn (1-0, pen), T Hannon (0-5, 4f), N Mernagh (0-1), P Cunningham (0-1), S Furlong (1-0), P Earls (0-1).
Subs: S Canavan for Mernagh (h-t), P Dalton for McGrath (37)
Referee: C Reilly (Meath).
