Sat, 25th January 2025
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Picture Courtesy Conor Ryan
DUBLIN 1-17
MAYO 1-15
It proved an encouraging evening for Dublin as they accounted for Mayo by two points in their Allianz National Football League Division 1 opener at Croke Park on Saturday night.
The first-half proved a tale of two quarters as Dublin, buoyed by Kevin Lahiff’s second minute goal, controlled the opening quarter but Conor Reid’s goal at the opposite end helped Mayo to overtake their opponents by 1-10 to 1-8atthe break.
The hosts regained their equilibrium in the second-half, enjoying plenty of possession with Sean Bugler’s seven points from play going a long way to securing the two points on offer.
It was Dublin that started on the front foot as they served early notice of their intent through a point in the opening minute by Greg McEneaney.
From their next attack, late replacement Eoghan O’Donnell gathered possession close to goal and his powerful surge and pass allowed Lahiff the simplest of tasks of palming past Colm Reape in the Mayo goal.
Reape was seen in a more positive light for Mayo in the 4th minute, opening their account from play, before Sean Bugler replied at the opposite end in an instant to restore Dublin’s four-point advantage.
Mayo’s Frank Irwin and Bugler traded points in a bright and enterprising start to proceedings but there was no doubting Dublin’s dominance in the first quarter as they extended their lead through points in quick succession by Lahiff, Bugler and Killian McGinnis.
From a position of control, Dublin’s challenge unravelled to a degree and after Fergal Boland had kicked the first two-pointer of the game in the 22nd minute, Mayo drew level a minute later as Conor Reid fired home from close range.
The visitors maintained their momentum as they pushed three points clear courtesy of points by Paul Towey, Ryan O’Donoghue and Boland before Bugler ended a scoreless period of fifteen minutes when kicking his fourth point of the half in the 30th minute.
Frank Irwin restored Mayo’s buffer approaching the break but the final word of the half belonged to Colm Basquel, whose well-taken point reduced Dublin’s deficit to two points by the interval.
After Stephen Coen had spurned a goal chance for Mayo within two minutes of the turnaround, Lahiff halved Dublin’s deficit in the 40th minute as he fisted over from Brian O’Leary’s pass.
An improved Dublin saw Ciaran Kilkenny kick two points on the bounce to help regain the lead, one that was short-lived as Davitt Neary jinked inside to level matters in the 44th minute.
The stalemate continued as Boland and Bugler exchanged scores and with neither side able to exert concerted pressure on their opponents, O’Donoghue (free) and McEneaney ensured we remained deadlocked entering the final quarter.
It was at this juncture that substitute Luke Breathnach began to influence matters with his two points augmenting another Bugler score as Kilkenny began to control the tempo of the game in the closing stages.
It was fitting that Bugler should kick Dublin’s final score of the night given his influence throughout and the win was confirmed as O’Donoghue missed a two-point chance deep into injury time.
Scorers – Dublin:S Bugler 0-7; K Lahiff 1-2; G McEneaney, C Kilkenny, L Breathnach 0-2 each; CBasquel, K McGinnis 0-1 apiece.Mayo:F Boland 0-4 (1 ‘2p’); C Reid 1-0; R O’Donoghue 0-3 (2f); P Towey, F Irwin, D Neary 0-2 each; D McHale, C Reape 0-1 apiece.
Dublin: G Sheridan;D Byrne, T Clancy, E Murchan; B Howard, C Murphy, G McEneaney;J Madden, K McGinnis;K Lahiff, S Bugler, C Kilkenny; B O’Leary, E O’Donnell, CBasquel. Subs:S MacMahon for Murchan(46), T Lahiff for Madden (51), L Breathnach for O’Leary (51),N Scully for K Lahiff (58),S Lowry for O’Donnell (66).
Mayo: C Reape; S Callinan, R Brickenden, E Hession; S Coen, D McBrien, D McHugh; F Kelly, M Ruane; C Reid, P Towey, D Neary; F Boland, F Irwin, R O’Donoghue. Subs:D McHale for Towey (51),C McHale for Irwin (58),B Tuohy for McHugh (63), S Morahan for Kelly (63),D O’Connor for Neary (64).
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
