Longford eased into the second round of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championshp qualifiers with an 11-point win over Cavan at Breffni Park.
The Midlanders had little difficulty in handing out a sound beating to their inexperienced and outclassed opponents in this first ever Championship meeting of the neighbouring counties.
And following their agonising one-point Leinster Championship defeat to Laois, when they kicked 16 wides and lost by a point, Longford produced a superb display of finishing, with Sean McCormack, Paul Barden and Brian Kavanagh shooting a combined total of 2-14.
Longford established midfield supremacy through Bernard McElvaney and Martin Brady in the early stages, and by the 12th minute they had eased into a 0-04 to 0-02 lead.
Brian Kavanagh and Sean McCormack, who converted two frees, were on target, along with Paul Barden, but the accuracy of full-forward Eugene Keating kept Cavan very much in touch.
However, the Breffni men looked shaky and nervous at the back, and were fortunate not to concede a goal when David Barden was allowed to break through, only to scuff his shot wide.
But the second quarter belonged to the Ulster side, who injected some urgency and passion into their challenge, with full-back Tomas Corr now getting on top in his tussle with Kavanagh.
Having gone 16 minutes without scoring, Cavan hit five of the final six points of the half, with Keating bringing his tally to four with an immaculate long-range effort.
Wing-backs Mark McKeever and James McEnroe also found the target, sending Cavan in at the break with a 0-07 to 0-06 lead.
Longford, now with the wind in their backs, drew level with a McCormack free five minutes after the restart, and moved back in front when the same player thumped over a long-range free.
And they opened out a five-point lead in the 49th minute when Paul Barden smashed in a goal after being released by the unselfish McCormack.
Cavan struggled to win primary or secondary possession around the middle, where the efforts of David Givney brought them little in the way of reward.
Cavan did pull back points through Seanie Johnston and Michael Brennan, but their challenge was over when they lost two men to second yellow cards in the closing stages, Gareth Smith and Givney.
And Longford finished the job off in spectacular fashion when Kavanagh volleyed in their second goal after James Reilly had saved from Niall Mulligan.
Cavan: J Reilly, M Cahill, T Corr, M Brady, M McKeever (0-01), J McCutcheon, J McEnroe (0-01), D Givney, G McKiernan, F Flanagan, M Lyng, N Murray, N McDermott 0-01, f), E Keating (0-04, 1F), S Johnston (0-03, 2F).
Subs: G Smith for Murray (18), R Flanagan for F Flanagan (41), M Brennan (0-01, ’45) for McCutcheon (41), C Mackey for Lyng (51)
Longford: D Sheridan, D Brady, B Gilleran, D Reilly, S Mulligan, K Diffley, N Farrell, B McElvaney (0-01), M Brady, D Barden, D Masterson, P Barden (1-03), D McElligot, B Kavanagh (1-02), S McCormack (0-09, 2f).
Subs: F McGee for McElligot (46), P Foy for Mulligan, N Mulligan for Masterson, C Smith (0-01) for Farrell (61), J Keegan for D Barden (69)
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo)
