They had to dig into their reserves but Cargin edged home in extra-time to claim a third-straight Antrim Senior Football Championship title at Corrigan Park on Sunday.
In a tight and tense game, they just about edged it against a Portglenone side bidding to land their first ever title, but it came down to the finest of margins.
It was far from a classic but not that the Erin’s Own men will care as they gritted their teeth on the day against their challengers, who will look back with some regrets, but the better composure of the defending champions perhaps told.
The challengers made a fine start with the first three scores through Oisin Doherty, Enda Lynn and Ronan Kelly in the first nine minutes, but wouldn’t score for the rest of the half as they passed up some decent opportunities.
A Tomás McCann free after 13 minutes got Cargin motoring as Pat Shivers landed another straight after.
A black card for Portglenone’s Dermot McAleese after 25 minutes for a body check afforded Cargin a little more room and it required a diving block from Lynn to deny Sean O’Neill close to goal, but late scores from Tom Shivers and Conhuir Johnston helped Cargin into a 0-4 to 0-3 half-time lead.
McAleese re-joined the action two minutes into the second period and soon after landed a beauty from a mark, but Cargin seemed to be getting the better of the arm wrestle as goalkeeper John McNabb and McCann edged them two up with ten to go.
Lynn and Shivers traded, but two pointed frees in stoppage time from Aidan McAleese levelled it at 0-7 apiece and sent the game to extra-time.
Niall McKeever fisted Portglenone ahead, but Shivers and McCann tipped Cargin ahead at the change of ends and they repelled Portgleone in the second period, with a late Eunan Quinn point sealing title number 13.
Scorers for Cargin: T McCann 0-3 (3f), P Shivers 0-3 (1f), T Shivers 0-1, Conhuir Johnston 0-1, J McNabb 0-1, E Quinn 0-1
Scorers for Portglenone: E Lynn 0-2, A McAleese 0-2 (2f), O Doherty 0-1, R Kelly 0-1 (1f), D McAleese 0-1 (1m), N McKeever 0-1
CARGIN: J McNabb 8; K O’Boyle 8, J Laverty 8, R Gribbin 7; J Crozier 7, K McShane 8, S O’Neill 7; P Shivers 6, G McCann 7; B Kelly 6, Conhuir Johnston 6, Conan Johnston 6; T McCann 7, M McCann 7, T Shivers 6.
Subs: J Carron 7 for G McCann (23), J Gribbin 7 for B Kelly (44), E Quinn 7 for T Shivers (46), D Johnston 6 for Conan Johnston (50)
ET subs: B Kelly 7 for R Gribbin (13), C Gribbin 6 for P Shivers (17), R Devlin 6 for S O’Neill (20+1)
PORTGLENONE: K Mullan 7; R Delargy 8, K O’Kane 7, D McNicholl 7; C Magee 7, R Hagan 7, N Delargy 8; N McKeever 8, D McAleese 8; F O’Kane 7, E Lynn 7, S Kelly 7; O Doherty 6, M Hagan 6, R Kelly 6.
Subs: A McAleese 7 for S Kelly (37), R Convery 7 for C Magee (37), S Byrne 7 for R Kelly (50), K McKenna 6 for F O’Kane (58)
ET subs: S Dleargy 7 for R Delargy (8), P Kelly 6 for O Doherty (HT), C Tierney 6 for K O’Kane (HT)
Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)