Cavan canter clear of Antrim in second half to book Ulster semi-final spot

Paddy Lynch enjoyed a dream debut as he kicked eight points that helped Cavan score an emphatic 13-point win over Antrim in today's Ulster SFC quarter-final.

The 22-year-old was in sparkling form for Mickey Graham's side, who never trailed in this game, and while their lead at half-time was just one (0-07 to 0-06) despite being the better side, they used wind advantage after the break to put clear daylight between the teams.

Aside from a decent spell just before the half, Antrim were second best, but then much of that was down to an excellent Cavan side that just shut down the Saffrons.

With nine different scorers, they just had a much better spread of performers on the day, and Antrim's cause wasn't helped with Michael McCann's dismissal on a second yellow card midway through the second period.

Gerard Smith had kicked the visitors into a fifth-minute lead after two early chances came and went. Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne wasn't tested by James Smith, whose effort was an easy gather, but he then had to make a point-blank save from Cormac O'Reilly.

James Smith did finally add to the Cavan tally and a Gearoid McKiernan free had them three up on 19 minutes as Antrim started to find a way to create opportunities, but they too were wasteful with their efforts.

The home side finally got on the board in the 24th minute as Ryan Murray pointed brilliantly from out on the left.

Cavan responded and then again when Dermott McAleese pointed, but Antrim were now looking better and out-scored the visitors by four to two in the closing stages of the half, Murray launching over another beauty from the left to pull the Saffrons to within one at the break.

When Conor Murray tied the game from a free two minutes after the restart, for a moment we