Ulster SFC Antrim 0-11, Cavan 0-11: Antrim went close to winning their first Ulster championship match outside of Casement Park in 35 years, but when the dust settles both sides will ponder the daunting task of facing Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final which awaits the winners of next Saturday's replay in Casement Park.
The drama of the endgame compensated for much erratic play but it ended on a high note for Cavan when Dermot McCabe earned a borderline free which Finbar Reilly tapped over for the equaliser moments before injury-time expired.
Home spectators in the 10,500 crowd were debating the question leaving the ground: did Cavan leave it behind because of their inability to finish off gilt-edged goal chances during their first-half dominance?
Dermot McCabe and Pierce McKenna, operating in front of a defence that was over-generous in gifting frees, nonetheless gave Cavan a winning look in that first half before drifting out of the game quite dramatically in the second.
Cavan's challenge nose-dived in the second half but they had the good fortune to see goalkeeper James Reilly correctly dive to his left to save a Tony Scullion penalty seven minutes after the interval.
A goal at that stage for Antrim would have put their rapidly improving side on level terms.
Later still the inspiring roles played by Antrim's Scullion, midfielders Joe Quinn, the team captain, and Martin McCarry, Kevin Madden, Kevin Brady and Ciarán Close had Cavan all but buried.
The home team's worries were compounded by Karol Crotty's dismissal in the 57th minute when he was shown a red card following two of the yellow variety.
As far as goal chances going abegging was concerned, Jason O'Reilly, Larry Reilly and Mick Walsh were the main culprits for Cavan. They could only blame themselves for failing to carve out more than a 0-7 to 0-5 lead at half-timeagainst disorganised opposition.
To Antrim's credit, they rid themselves of the cobwebs in the secondhalf. The visitors, though, were helped by indiscreet fouling in the Cavan defence which led to nine of the Saffrons' points coming from the placed ball.
Cavan manager Eamonn Coleman was not available to guide his injury-stricken team because of illness. Had he been present he would surely have frowned on the gambit of the Cavan front-runners funnelling back into defence in the first half.
Antrim's championship debutant manager Micky Culbert was not satisfied with the result. "No, I am not happy with the draw. They could not sink us and our second-half performance would have deserved a win.
"Sure, we were heavy-legged in that first half and it was not nice football. The Cavan goalkeeper is to be complimented for saving that penalty with a good block. However, Saturday should see us with a bigger crowd in support at home in Casement."
Cavan's acting manager Paddy McNamee was not any happier: "We are very disappointed. We let three or four goal chances slip. I have great difficulty with that."
Finbar O'Reilly was given due credit all round, however, for his magnificent place-kicking, especially his three points from 45s.
CAVAN: J Reilly; M Hannon, D Rabbitt, K Fannin; K Crotty, P Reilly, M Cahill; D McCabe (0-1, free), P McKenna (0-1); M McKeever, N Walsh, F O'Reilly (0-5, three 45s, two frees); J O'Reilly, J Tierney, L Reilly (0-4). Subs: P Brady for McKeever (46 mins), P Brady for Tierney (56 mins).
ANTRIM: P Murray; C Brady, A McClean, D Gault; T Scullion, G Adams, S Kelly; J Quinn, M McCarry; C Close (0-3, frees), B Herron, T O'Neill; K Brady (0-2), M McCann, K Madden (0-6, frees). Subs: S Devlin for Adams (half-time), A Gallagher for McCann (45 mins), K Murray for Gault (63 mins).
Referee: M Ryan (Limerick).
Attendance: 10,500 (approx).
