In the end, there was no shock at Corrigan Park as Armagh ran out 11-point winners over Antrim in this Ulster quarter-final, but Kieran McGeeney's men were forced to find the answers to fend off a spirited Antrim challenge.
The Saffrons led at the end of a rip-roaring first half and perhaps will have felt the gap ought to have been greater than one point as Kavan Keenen saw his penalty saved, but down the stretch Armagh's engine really kicked in as they gradually pulled away.
The furore over the venue of this game added to the hype and Antrim fed off much of the buzz they had created to produce their best showing of the season and although it was not enough to cause a shock, that didn't seem out of the question for long stages. Despite the loss, they came away with a lot of credit.
It was all going to script early on with Armagh landing the first three points as Rory Grugan opened his account from a free, while Andrew Murnin and Callum O'Neill – the first Belleek player to appear in Ulster - got their name on the board before the hosts came alive and with the wind at his back, Patrick McBride kicked the first of his three first-half two-pointers.
Ryan McQuillan levelled and then Dominic McEnhill landed a two before Ethan Rafferty kicked a two-point free as this game was turning into a thriller.
Armagh rattled off another three points while Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne was forced into a smart stop from Callum O'Neill, but the home crowd came to life again in the 20th minute when their side was awarded a penalty as Ruairi McCann was taken out when about to finish to the net and Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty was black carded in the process.
Blaine Hughes came in to face the penalty and his first act was to make a great save from Kavan Keenan.
To compound matters, Grugan kicked a two-point free to push Armagh five ahead, but Antrim again roared back with Byrne kicking a 45, McEnhill a two-pointed free and Marc Jordan with a point.
Rafferty returned to the play but as an outfielder with Greg McCabe seeing a shot tipped over, but Antrim were up for this challenge as after Ryan McQuillan pointed, McBride kicked his second two and although Grugan tied it and Antrim lost Keenen to a black card, they went upfield and McBride slung over again.
Darragh McMullan pulled one back with the last act of a wild first half that saw Antrim fans roaring their team into the dressing room with a 0-14 to 0-13 advantage.
McBride extended the gap straight after the break, but Oisin O'Neill's introduction at the half would pay dividends as he kicked the first of three two-point frees to level.
When Ross McQuillan edged Armagh back in front after 42 minutes, it was a lead they would hold to the finish as Aidan Forker - initially introduced as a temporary replacement - pointed and then from their defence forcing a turnover, Armagh broke with pace and Tomás McCormack blasted to the roof of the net.
Oisin O'Neill and Grugan added scores, but Antrim again found a reply with Ryan McQuillan kicking a two and McBride fisting over.
The hosts continued to stay just about in touch but when Ronan Boyle thumped over to bring the gap back to seven, the batteries were running out for the hosts as Armagh poured on the scores late with seven on the spin.
A Ryan McQuillan goal for the hosts late on was a bit of deserved consolation for what they had brought to this game, but that is all it was as Armagh marched into the last four.
Key: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-03, 0-01 45); Eoghan McCabe, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; James McAuley, Dermot McAleese Marc Jordan (0-01); Conor Hand, Conor Stewart; Patrick McBride (0-09, 3tp, 0-01f), Patrick Finnegan, Ronan Boyle (0-01); Ryan McQuillan (1-05, 1tp), Ruairi McCann, Dominic McEnhill (0-04, 1tp, 1tpf).
Subs: Eunan Quinn (0-01) for Stewart (ht), Niall Burns for Jordan (46), Ryan Murray for McEnhill (46), John Morgan for McAuley (48), Fionn Nagle for Finnegan (54).
Armagh: Ethan Rafferty (0-03, 1tpf); Gareth Murphy, Barry McCambridge (0-01), Tomás McCormack (1-01); Ross McQuillan (0-03), Greg McCabe (0-02), Jarlath Og Burns; Callum O'Neill (0-04), Ciaran Mackin; Darragh McMullan (0-01), Rory Grugan (0-08, 1tpf, 0-04fs), Peter McGrane; Tiernan Kelly, Andrew Murnin (0-01), Stefan Campbell.
Subs: Blaine Hughes for Kelly (20), Oisin O'Neill (0-06, 3tpf) for Hughes (ht), Jemar Hall (0-01) for Campbell (49), Cian McConville (0-02) for McMullan (52), Aidan Forker (0-01) for Murnin (53),
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
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