It's hats off to Antrim! Liam Bradley’s intrepid warriors scripted another stunning story in this season’s gripping Ulster Championship series when they overcame Cavan in last night’s pulsating semi-final at sun-splashed Clones to book their place in the final against Tyrone on July 19.

And watching Red Hands boss Mickey Harte was certainly provided with plenty of food for thought as Antrim displayed a ravenous appetite, showed abundant spirit and unveiled a high level of cohesion and discipline that eventually took them to victory.

Those who may have viewed Antrim’s win over Donegal as a flash in the pan now know that this team mean business and although they will be red-hot underdogs against the All Ireland champions in the provincial showdown, a repetition of their admirable endeavour and now much more potent skills will undoubtedly contribute to what should be a memorable encounter.

Not surprisingly, Antrim manager Liam Bradley employed the same strategy that proved so successful against Donegal with midfield ace Michael McCann ‘promoted’ again to full-forward, Australia-bound Niall McKeever coming out from wing-forward to partner Aodhan Gallagher in the central area and Terry O’Neill dropping back to bolster the defence.

Cavan, rather lethargic and slow to react to situations, found themselves pulled out of position with the bustling Sean Burke and the livewire Tomas McCann carrying a big threat in the Saffrons front line.

It was Antrim’s ability to build quickly from defence and make the ball do the work that proved their prime virtue in the first half. Time and again they surged forward and although Cavan shot six wides in nn unproductive first quarter, Bradley’s men themselves missed a glorious goal chance when alert custodian James Reilly parried Tomas McCann’s close range shot.

They were also guilty of dropping several shots short, a failing that helped Cavan to turn defence into attack on more than one occasion.

However, with Burke, O’Neill, the McCann brothers and the rampaging James Loughrey all on target in the opening twenty minutes, Antrim romped into a three-point lead with Sean Johnston, not surprisingly, having bagged both Cavan’s scores.

And even when he hoisted over a free to further reduce the deficit, Antrim responded with another Michael McCann point which was complemented by one from skipper Paddy Cunningham.

But any notion that the Saffrons might troop off for their half-time cuppa boosted by a marked advantage on the scoreboard were clinically scuppered when Johnston (free), Mark Reilly and Ray Cullivan whipped over a trio of Cavan points immediately prior to break ensuring that Antrim held just a narrow one-point lead (0-7) to 0-6) — a cushion that hardly did justice to their first-half buoyancy and verve.

It was in the third quarter that Antrim cemented their platform for success when Burke, Cunningham (2), Gallagher and Croziuer all flighted over points to give their side an almost unbelievable six-point lead.

But Cavan retaliated when substitute David Giveney swept in the only goal of the game in the 57th minute following a Martin Reilly ‘45’. And the Breffni outfit seemed to have finally got the measure of the Saffrons when veteran Larry Reilly drilled over a fine point to leave the score 0-12 to 1-7.

But that was as good as it got for Cavan. Antrim recaptured their shape, erected the barricades again, minimised errors and when manager Bradley introduced Kevin Niblock and Ciaran Close, an extra dimension of experience was added.

Skipper Cunningham looped over a superb long-range free in the 66th minute and although his team might have lived dangerously on a few occasions in the closing minutes, they were not to be denied their county’s right of passage into a first Ulster final since 1970.

ANTRIM: P Graham; C Brady, A McClean, K O’Boyle; T Sculion, J Crozier (0-1), J Loughrey (0-1); M McCann (0-1, free), A Gallagher (0-1); T O’Neill (0-1), K Brady, N McKeever; P Cunningham (0-4, 0-3 frees), S Burke (0-2), T McCann (0-2). Substitutes: K Niblock for McKeever (59 mins), C Close for Brady (64 mins)

CAVAN: J Reilly; M Hannon, D Sheridan, M Brides; J McCutcheon, E Keating, P Reilly; N Walsh, C Galligan; S Brady, R Flanagan, C Mackey; M Reilly (0-1), R Cullivan (0-1), S Johnston (0-4, 0-1 free). Substitutes: P Brady for P Reilly (20 mins), R Dunne for McCutcheon (40), L Reilly (0-1) for S Brady (44), D Giveney (1-0) for Mackey (53), J Reilly for Keating (62). Yellow cards: M Reilly (45 mins), Walsh (51), Sheridan (61)

REFEREE: John Bannon (Longford)