Dean Rock leads the way in Dublin’s scoring chart

Dublin face Roscommon in their concluding All-Ireland SFC quarter-final Group 2 game this Sunday in Croke Park (3.30) safe in the knowledge they have already secured top spot in the section as well as their place among the semi-finalists.

This is the ninth year in-a-row that the Dubs have qualified for the All-lreland SFC semi-final, last losing out in 2009 when they were defeated by Kerry in the quarter-final.

Sunday's clash with be Dublin's sixth SFC match this summer, they have scored 10-104 and conceded 1-63 so are in their wins over Wicklow (4-25 to 1-11), Longford (2-25 to 0-12), Laois (1-25 to 0-10, Leinster SFC final), Donegal (2-15 to 0-16, Super 8 Game 1) and Tyrone (1-14 to 0-14, Super 8 Game 2).

In total, 18 players have contributed to Dublin’s tally with Dean Rock continuing to lead the way as his six points against Tyrone in Healy Park, Omagh took his tally to 2-29 (0-21f, 0-2 ‘45’).

DUBLIN SFC SCORERS: Dean Rock 2-29 (0-21f, 0-2 ‘45’), Ciarán Kilkenny 2-18, Brian Fenton 1-9, Con O’Callaghan 1-7, Niall Scully 2-2, Paul Mannion 1-4, Paddy Andrews 0-6, Cormac Costello 0-6, Brian Howard 0-6, James McCarthy 1-2, Colm Basquel 0-3, Philly McMahon 0-3, Paul Flynn 0-3, Conor McHugh 0-2 (0-1f), Michael Darragh Macauley 0-1, Kevin McManamon 0-1, John Small 0-1, Jack McCaffrey 0-1.

Opponents Roscommon have also played five SFC matches and have amassed 6-77 while conceding 5-89 over the course of the summer.

Their campaign began with a comfortable 0-24 to 0-10 victory over Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon before they lost to Galway by 0-16 to 2-6 in the Connacht Final. They secured their Super 8s berth when beating Armagh by 2-22 to 1-19 in O’Moore Park.

In the Super 8s they lost 4-24 to 2-12 to Tyrone in Croke Park before losing to Donegal in Hyde Park by 0-20 to 0-13.

ROSCOMMON SCORERS: Ciarán Murtagh 2-17 (0-9f), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-23 (0-12f), Enda Smith 3-4, Donie Smith 0-8, Cathal Cregg 0-7, Conor Devaney 1-3 (1-0 pen), Fintan Cregg 0-3, Brian Stack 0-3, Cathal Compton 0-3, John McManus 0-1, Tadhg O’Rourke 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1, Shane Killoran 0-1, Padraig Kelly 0-1, Conor Daly 0-1.

The counties meet in SFC action for the fifth time on Sunday, with Dublin having a 100 per cent record in the four previous encounters, the last coming in 2004. The last time the counties met in competitive action was in March of last year in the NFL. Here we have a look back at that game.

NFL1: SATURDAY, MARCH 25, Croke Park

DUBLIN 2-29 ROSCOMMON 0-14

Dublin cruised to a 21-point victory over Roscommon in this NFL Division 1 clash at Croke Park in March 2017.

The win also cements this team's place in the history books as they made it a record 35 games unbeaten in league and championship dating back to the league defeat to Kerry on March 1, 2015.

The Dubs played some majestic football at times as their movement, timing and accuracy caused major problems for the Roscommon defence.

Paul Flynn, making his first start of the season was the star of the show kicking 1-6, all from play, in an all-action display while Bernard Brogan, also starting for the first time in 2017, showed brilliantly for the ball all night as well as scoring 0-3 from play and laying on the pass for Flynn's first half goal.

The first goal arrived in the 15th minute when Brogan brilliantly fielded a long delivery before off-loading to the in-rushing Flynn who powered to the roof of the net.

Jim Gavin's men were out of sight really by the interval as they had opened up a 1-14 to 0-6 lead.

The scores were coming from all ranges and angles while in defence the Rossies could never raise a sustained effort to put Dublin on the back foot when they did threaten on a few occasions Stephen Cluxton stood strong to deny the impressive Enda Smith of a goal in the first half.

Dublin had 13 different scorers over the 70-plus minutes with the entire starting attack, midfielders Brian Fenton and Ciaran Reddin as well as dynamic defender Eric Lowndes all getting on the scoreboard while subs Conor McHugh, Shane B Carthy, Jack McCaffrey and Diarmuid Connolly also raised white flags.

The one down note on the night was the sight of Connolly limping off before the finish after tweaking his groin.

Dublin's second goal came in the 58th minute when Kevin McManamon picked up possession on the 20-metre line near the Cusack Stand side and carved his way past three defenders before unleashing a venomous shot past keeper Darren O'Malley - vintage McManamon.

SCORERS – Dublin: P Flynn 1-6, K McManamon 1-1, P Andrews, B Brogan, D Rock (0-2f), C McHugh (0-2f) 0-3 each, B Fenton, C Reddin, N Scully, 0-2 each, E Lowndes, S Carthy, J McCaffrey, D Connolly 0-1 each. Roscommon: D Murtagh 0-3 (0-1f), D Smith, E Smith, C Murtagh (0-1f), C Connolly (0-1f) 0-2 each, G Patterson, S Killoran, N Kilroy 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, M Fitzsimons, D Daly; D Byrne, C O’Sullivan, E Lowndes; B Fenton, C Reddin; P Flynn, K McManamon, N Scully; D Rock, P Andrews, B Brogan. Subs: SB Carthy for Byrne (30), J McCaffrey for Daly (40), C McHugh for Rock (40), Connolly for Fenton (44), MD Macauley for Reddin (47), P Mannion for O’Sullivan (50).

ROSCOMMON: D O’Malley; D Murray, J McManus, N McInerney; McDermott, U Harney, R Stack; T Corcoran, T O’Rourke; G Patteron, C Devaney, E Smith; D Smith, D Murtagh, C Murtagh. Subs: C Compton for Corcoran (ht), S Killoran for Harney (ht), C Connolly for D Murtagh (53), B Murtagh for McDermott (53), F Cregg for D Smith (53), N Kilroy for C Murtagh (65)

REF: C Reilly (Meath).