A sharper attack carried the day for Cavan in yesterday's dreary clash with Antrim at Casement Park. The visitors deserved their win after trailing 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval.

Seán Johnston and Michael Lyng, not long out of minor days, proved elusive up front and grabbed eight of the winners' points between them. Lyng pointed a superb free-kick in the second half and curled over another tremendous point from far out.

Top scorer Kevin Madden increased Antrim's lead to three points four minutes into the second half but scores by Finbarr Reilly (two) and Seán Brady levelled the argument in the 52nd minute. Cavan, with the wind in their backs, finished stronger and were 0-11 to 0-9 up on the hour.

Madden levelled the game with three minutes to go but Johnston hit back to send Cavan home with a deserved victory.

ANTRIM: S McGreevy; B McCann, C Brady, S Kennedy; S Devlin, T Convery, S Kelly; M McCarry, B Herron (0-1); K Close (0-1), K Brady (0-1), C Lynch; C Gallagher, N Doyle (0-1), K Madden (0-6, 0-5 frees). Subs: K Murray for C Brady (11 mins), C Carmichael (0-1) for Lynch (33 mins), N Ward for Kennedy (36 mins), S O'Neill for Gallagher (57 mins), T Scullion for Convery (57 mins).

CAVAN: J O'Reilly; M Hannon, D Rabbitte, K Fannan; K Crotty, C Hannon, S Smith; S Maguire, J Tierney (0-1); S Brady (0-2), M Lyng (0-3, 0-1 free), J Higgins; S Johnston (0-5), N Walsh, F O'Reilly (0-2). Subs: M Cahill for Smith (9 mins), E Reilly for Crotty (42 mins), S Cole for Higgins (46 mins), Philip Brady for Walsh (68 mins).

Referee: B Toland (Derry).