Wed, 22nd January 2025
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Pictures Courtesy Sportsfile
By Conor Martin
Dublin host Mayo under the lights at Croke Park on Saturday night as we begin our Allianz Football League Division 1 2025 campaign.
Our 2011 league encounter with the Connacht men was one to remember as Dublin put four past Mayo in an end-to-end encounter, with Dublin winning out by 4-15 to 3-13.
Going into the game, Pat Gilroy was forced into one dramatic late change to the team he announced ahead of the game: Bernard Brogan was out of the squad, not because of illness or injury... but because the 2010 GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year failed to make it back in time after his St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House with President Barack Obama. Thankfully, replacement and brother Alan would fill his boots with a fine performance.
Going into the game, Dublin had made a 100% start to their league campaign and were up and running from the get-go when Tomás Quinn made sure the first score of the game would go to the Boys in Blue.
Quinn would grab the first goal of the game in the sixth minute after he was played in by Paul Flynn and he would increase his tally and Dublin’s lead further when he nailed two frees, which was followed by the first of three Diarmuid Connolly goals.
Dublin were leading 2-3 to 0-1 by the 16th minute, Aidan Campbell the only man to register a score for Mayo as Dublin dominated.
Things would get better for Dublin as Connolly would complete his hat-trick in an eight-minute spell. First, he finished off a good move that featured Alan Brogan and Flynn, then he met a ball from Darren Daly, flicking the ball overhead into the net.
Mayo found themselves 4-4 to 0-2 down and in need of a mini miracle. James Horan’s men did find a bit of rhythm and thanks to Richie Feeney, Peadar Gardiner and Alan Freeman, they closed the gap on Dublin, before Jason Doherty scored in the 33rd minute to give Mayo a small lift, but they still trailed by eight when the half-time whistle was blown.
Looking to deliver a memorable comeback Mayo started the second-half strong and after two more goals for the men in green and red, courtesy of Doherty and Freeman, they were breathing down Dublin’s necks as Dublin’s lead was reduced to just a point.
That lead would be wiped out by the 46th minute when Mayo icon Andy Moran would level things for the first time since throw-in.
Mayo had Dublin on the ropes but couldn’t kick on and Dublin needed no invitation to regain the upper hand and scored five points without reply, with Quinn, Connolly and Kevin McManamon all playing their part in Dublin’s revival, who found themselves 4-13 to 3-11 up with just under 15 minutes to go.
Alan Dillion was the man keeping the fight alive for Mayo and the gap between the two would be three with seven minutes on the watch remaining, but Quinn and Dublin’s half-back Darragh Nelson got the job done as Dublin maintained their winning start with a five-point win.
Dublin would end up advancing to the league final that year only to suffer a one-point defeat at the hands of Cork. But as Dublin fans know, 2011 would still be a year to remember as silverware came Dublin’s way as Pat Gilroy's charges won the Leinster Championship at the expense of Wexford before lifting Sam Maguire and becoming All-Ireland champions for the first time since 1995 against Kerry.
Scorers - Dublin: D Connolly 3-03, T Quinn 1-07 (0-07f), K McManamon 0-02, MD Macauley, A Brogan, D Nelson 0-01 each
Mayo: J Doherty 2-00, A Freeman 1-03, A Campbell 0-03 (0-02f); A Moran, A Dillon (0-02f), R Feeney 0-02 each, P Gardiner 0-01
DUBLIN: M Savage; D Daly, S Murray, P Brogan; P Casey, G Brennan, D Nelson; D Bastick, B Cahill; P Flynn, K McManamon, MD Macauley; T Quinn, D Connolly, A Brogan.
Subs used: P McMahon for Daly (half-time), B Cullen for Macauley (42 mins), K Nolan for Casey (48), P Andrews for Flynn (60), P Burke for A Brogan (68).
MAYO: R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, C Barrett, K Higgins; R Feeney, G Cafferkey, K McLoughlin; R McGarrity, T Parsons; A Campbell, A Dillon, A Moran; P Gardiner, A Freeman, J Doherty.Subs used: J Kilcullen for Parsons (42 mins), A Kilcoyne for Campbell (54), C Hallinan for Cafferkey (56), J Burke for McLoughlin (65).Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)
