Philly McMahon’s late goal seals deal for senior footballers

DUBLIN 1-10 DONEGAL 0-7

Dublin maintained their 100 per cent record in this year's Football League Division 1 campaign as they saw off the challenge of Donegal in Croke Park on Saturday night.

The brings Dublin's run to six wins from six starts as they outmanoeuvred Donegal in the concluding 25 minutes of Saturday's duel in front of a crowd of 20,340.

The Dubs outscored Donegal 1-5 to 0-1 in that period as they came from behind to unlock Rory Gallagher's ultra-defensive system.

Philly McMahon's 66th minute goal saw Dublin home safely when he swept the call clinically to the net following unselfish movement of the ball by Kevin McManamon and Paul Flynn.

Both counties were reduced to 14 men in the 51st minute when Michael Murphy and James McCarthy were sent off.

In Murphy's absence Donegal faded dramatically while Dublin upped their game with the likes of Ciaran Kilkenny putting in a Trojan shift all over the park especially working back deep in his own half.

Dublin led 0-5 to 0-4 at the break with Cormac Costello going closest from a Dublin perspective to grabbing a goal at the Hill end while early on Michael Savage did excellently to clear off his line going backwards as Donegal threatened to secure the early advantage.

Donegal restarted the second half the better with two points to edge in front.

However, it was Dublin who dominated the conclusion of the game as the moved the ball with greater and counter-attacked with precision with points from Dean Rock and Paddy Andrews quickly regaining the lead.

Kevin McManamon was a key figure throughout for Dublin as his movement and vision held keep Donegal on the back foot.

Jim Gavin's side face Roscommon in their last group game next Sunday in Dr Hyde Park before they face into the semi-finals as they hope of becoming the first Dublin side to ever win four Division 1 titles in-a-row.

SCORERS - Dublin: K McManamon 0-3, P McMahon 1-0, C Costello 0-3 (0-2f), B Fenton, C Kilkenny, P Andrews, D Rock 0-1 each. Donegal: P McBrearty 0-3 (0-1f), E McGee, O Mac Niallais, M Murphy, R Kavanagh 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: M Savage; P McMahon, J Cooper, D Byrne (Olaf’s); J McCarthy, E Lowndes, J Small; B Fenton, D Bastick; P Flynn, K McManamon, C Kilkenny; C Costello, P Andrews, B Brogan. Subs: D Rock for Brogan (41), E Ó Conghaile for Bastick (45), SB Carthy for Lowndes (53), M Fitzsimons for Small (53), T Brady for Costello (59), D Daly for McManamon (70).

DONEGAL: MA McGinley; P McGrath, E McGee, C Gillespie; M O’Reilly, R McHugh, A Thompson; O Mac Niallais, M Murphy; R Kavanagh, K Lacey, E McHugh; P McBrearty, L McLoone, H McFadden. Subs: M McHugh for McGrath (inj 41), M McElhinney for McLoone (45), E Gallagher for Thompson (59), C Toye for H McFadden (59), C McFadden for Lacey (65), M Carroll for Kavanagh (73).

REF: C Lane (Cork).