Donegal cruised through to an Ulster SFC semi-final meeting with Tyrone, handing out a heavy beating to Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park.
But they will be without skipper and ace attacker Michael Murphy for that last four derby on 26 June.
Murphy was sent off on a straight red card after 15 minutes, and will be a huge loss to his side at Clones.
An inexperienced Cavan side, with six debutants on board, including five of the Ulster U-21 Championship winning squad, never looked like getting a result from a one-sided game.
And Donegal appear to have unearthed another attacking gem in Paddy McBrearty. Still a minor, he celebrated his first senior start with a 1-03 tally.
Constant rain made for uninspiring viewing for the 9.325 spectators who showed up to witness Donegal’s second win of the campaign.
Cavan suffered an early blow when they were reduced to 14 men after just seven minutes. Ray Cullivan fielded a high ball, but as he landed, aimed a boot into the midriff of Kevin Cassidy, an act which earned him a straight red card.
But Donegal lost Murphy on 15 minutes, also on a straight red, after he struck Damien Reilly.
Donegal had failed to score during their eight minutes with an extra man, and it took them until the 20th minute to draw level at 0-2 each with a Kevin McFadden free, Seanie Johnston and Niall McDermott had earlier converted Cavan frees, with Murphy on target for the men from the north-west.
But Donegal struck for a goal on 21 minutes, McBrearty collecting Mark McHugh’s sideline ball to turn and shoot low past James Reilly.
That score injected much-needed confidence into Donegal, who reeled off a strong of points, one a majestic long range effort from McFadden, to move 1-5 to 0-3 ahead.
Channelling extra men back, they frustrated the Cavan front men and launched purposeful attacks from deep. McBrearty’s stoppage time score sent them in at the break with a 1-06 to 0-03 advantage.
The game was over as a contest by the ninth minute of the second half when Rory Kavanagh raced though to drill home a second goal after being released by McFadden.
McFadden and McBrearty used their ball-winning talents to tag on quality points, and there was a score also for substitute Leo McLoone, making his comeback from a broken ankle sustained in March.
Fergal Flanagan’s 58th minute effort was just Cavan’s second score from play, and they never looked like staging a revival.
Substitute Michael Brennan and McDermott pulled back points, but two tidy efforts from Donegal sub saw Jim McGuinness’ men finish in style.
Donegal: P Durcan, K Lacey, N McGee, P McGrath, K Cassidy (0-1), A Thompson, M Boyle, R Kavanagh (1-0), K Rafferty (0-1), M McHugh, M McElhinney, R Bradley, P McBrearty (1-3, 0-1f), M Murphy (0-1, f), C McFadden (0-5, 2f).
Subs: M Hegarty for McElhinney (29), L McLoone (0-1) for Cassidy (52), D Molloy (0-2) for Bradley (56), N Gallagher for Rafferty (59), D Walsh for McHugh (60).
Cavan: J Reilly, D Sheridan, P Carroll, D O’Dowd, N Murray, J McCutcheon, D Reilly, D Givney, G McKiernan (0-1), R Cullivan, M Lyng, F Flanagan (0-1), N McDermott (0-4, 3f), E Keating, S Johnston (0-1, f).
Subs: G Smith for Lyng (44), M McKeever for D Reilly (48), T Corr for Sheridan (51), C Mackey for Murray (58), M Brennan (1-1) for Keating.
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).
