Clare produced a sleeves-rolled-up display to deservedly notch a first-ever NFL victory over hosts Cavan.

Mickey Graham is much too gregarious a figure to embark upon a ‘youse all writ us off’ speech, but he was still grateful to the reporter who asked him how his mood has changed with this, their third win in a row, after their opening round 12-point loss to Armagh that had many seeing his Cavan side as relegation candidates.

Just two points separate first from last in Division Two of the Allianz League after this rescheduled meeting in Portlaoise but the gap between Cavan and Laois on the day was enormous.

Cavan crunched the numbers at an electrified Kingspan Breffni to breathe new life into Mickey Graham’s reign as manager.

It may have pleasantly surprised a lot of Armagh fans, but Conor Turbitt's sparkling performance on his league debut for Armagh didn't come as a shock to Oisin O'Neill.