Ulster SFC Semi-final/Armagh 0-13 Cavan 0-11: The unpalatable rough-house carry on before even the Anthem was played was almost forgotten by the time this pulsating struggle had run its course.
Cavan, operating with only 14 players for all but the first 30 seconds of a match that was perpetually productive of bracing doses of football passion, were decidedly unlucky losers.
A draw would have been their just reward.
The day started on a poisonous note when an unsightly punch-up erupted after the teams broke away from the parade.
A keen GAA historian in the Press box reminded all present that when the same counties met for the first time, over 100 years ago, the match was abandoned after the opening quarter.
Thankfully it did not come to that on this occasion given the roller-coaster action that kept the 25,000 spectators intrigued.
The most hurtful blow of all was struck after 25 seconds of play when Armagh full back Francis Bellew hit the deck and Cavan midfielder Pearse McKenna was shown a red card for his part in the proceedings.
The subsequent first-half play was dominated by Armagh but they failed dismally to take advantage on the scoreboard and had to be satisfied with a one-point lead by half time - 0-5 to 0-4.
Paul McGrane and late call-up midfielder John Toal asserted great control in that first half. Aidan O'Rourke played the extra-man role with consummate ease, ably flanked by his half-back colleagues Kieran Hughes and Andrew McCann. Farther back the Armagh cover was equally comfortable.
Armagh's opening-half display was, however, notably flawed in attack. Tony McEntee, Paddy McKeever (twice), Ronan Clarke and Oisín McConville kicked the sort of wides they would normally be incapable of in a month of Sundays.
Cavan, reduced to infrequent opportunities for scores, simply hung in with great resolve.
Kildare referee Michael Monahan earned the wrath of the Armagh supporters when not allowing a McConville goal but the scoring pass from Ronan Clarke was illegal.
That was the first half and it bore no similarity to the second as Cavan opened up with a vengeance and to a man seemed prepared to die for the cause. Indeed, there had hardly been a hint in that first period of the lightning that was to follow.
The spirit of the gallant Cavan side enabled them - despite being a man short - to subdue the favourites for long periods.
With Dermot McCabe now in the fray the men in blue forged a three-point lead, 0-9 to 0-6, by the 13th minute of the second period and the alarm bells were ringing loud and clear for Joe Kernan and his worried back-room team.
Jason O'Reilly and Gerald Pearson began to pose a far greater threat in a two-man front line than anything achieved by Stephen McDonnell and Ronan Clarke at the other end.
Martin O'Rourke, an industrious corner forward, was obliged to drop deeper to try and arrest the tide flowing against Armagh.
At a time when Cavan's half-time replacement Michael Brides was shaping as an inevitable man of the match, Armagh introduced their trump cards in the persons of Kieran McGeeney, Diarmuid Marsden, Kevin McElvanna and Brian Mallon. All four scored vital points.
In a rip-roaring last quarter both goalkeepers, Paul Hearty and Eoghan Elliott, did well to save from Gerald Pearson and McConville respectively. Had Pearson taken the point he would have reopened a crucial two-point gap with time running out.
Later still McCabe had a chance to reduce the deficit as had Brides but Armagh had just about done enough to atone for 12 abysmal wides.
Cavan had the same number but were usually knocked off target by pressure on the kicker.
A relieved Kernan gasped: "The team that gets Cavan in the qualifiers will have a lot to handle. As far as I am concerned the experience we have built up over the past four to five years stood to us and we showed we could cope with the pressure in the last 10 minutes."
Eamonn Coleman, the Cavan boss, was as philosophical as ever. He said: "You learn by losing matches like that. I am sure that a fully fit Dermot McCabe in our team would have won the match for us."
Kernan interjected: "We had to pull out all the stops to win."
Coleman continued: "We were shell-shocked after losing a player in the first minute. We needed time to settle and our fellows can feel very proud even though we were convinced we were going to win this match."
ARMAGH: P Hearty; E McNulty, F Bellew, A Mallon; K Hughes, A O'Rourke, A McCann; J Toal, P McGrane; P McKeever (0-2), T McEntee, O McConville (0-4, two frees); S McDonnell (0-2), R Clarke (0-1), M O'Rourke. Subs: B Mallon (0-1) for Clarke (46); D Marsden (0-1) for McEntee (48); K McGeeney (0-1) for McCann (55); K McElvanna (0-1) for A Mallon (56).
CAVAN: E Elliott; C Collins, D Rabbit, R Donohoe; A Forde, A Gaynor, K Crotty; P McKenna, T Crowe; L Reilly (0-3, one free), M Lyng (0-4, frees), M McKeever; J O'Reilly (0-1), P Reilly (0-1, free), G Pearson (0-2). Subs: D McCabe for P Reilly (28); S Johnston for J O'Reilly (36); S Cole for Crowe (29); M Brides for R Donohoe (half-time).
Referee: M Monahan (Kildare).
