Flynn back with a bang as Dubs cruise past Rossies

DUBLIN 2-29 ROSCOMMON 0-14

Dublin cruised to a 21-point victory over Roscommon in Saturday night's NFL Division 1 clash at Croke Park.

The two league points coupled with the margin strengthens Dublin's position at the top of the table but with no semi-finals this year they travel to Monaghan next Sunday in the last round of regulation with it all still to play for at the business end.

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).