It’s been a long time coming for Mickey Graham, who’s guided Cavan back to an Ulster final for the first time in 18 years.
The Breffni boss played on the last Cavan team won lift the Anglo Celt in 1997 and he was emotional after leading the back to the decider in his first year in charge.
Dara McVeety typified the new steel in this Cavan team and came up with four brilliant points from play.
He has “vague memories” of being at the 2001 Ulster final, but now he’ll get to play in one, six years after making his senior debut.
He is one of the glut of underage medal winners who’ve been waiting to make the breakthrough at senior level.
“It’s great for us to be here,” smiled McVeety.
“I came here today wanting to win and we did.
“We were seven points up but they kept coming back and back, it was a huge battle.
“We have learned the hard way that there’s a huge step-up between underage and seniors. Lots of counties have good underage teams and it’s hard to bring them through but all we’re looking for now in the final against Donegal is a performance.”
Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney rued his team’s failure to make the most of their chances. Cavan were more clinical, with Jamie Clarke and Mark Shields among those who missed goal opportunities.
“We had three goal chances and didn’t take any of them,” he said.
“We were through a few times on one-on-one and didn’t take them and then Mark (Shields) had the chance near the end which went over the bar.
“But we gave them too much of a run-away in the first half, we had the strength to pull it back but Cavan took their chances.
“We had wides too, they have haunted us this year and we’ll have to work on that.
“The game was there for us but you’d have to give credit to Cavan, they took their scores and we didn’t.”
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