Senior footballers cruise into semi-final against Tyrone

DUBLIN 1-19 MONAGHAN 0-12

Dublin enjoyed a comfortable ten-point victory over Monaghan in Saturday evening’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final in Croke Park.

A full-house at Croke Park but two games that never really got the paying punters out of the seats as the Dubs now begin preparations for a huge battle with Tyrone on Sunday, August 27.

Monaghan set up with two full-time sweepers with players filing back in numbers but Dublin’s work-rate saw them find weaknesses in the Monaghan structure as they clipped points with regularity to get the scoreboard moving.

Paul Mannion got the Dubs off the mark with a stunning left-footed strike after just 28 seconds, his first of three from play.

The free-taking of Dean Rock was exemplary and the Ballymun Kickhams man finished with a tally of 1-8, including eight from deadball.

By the break Jim Gavin’s men had built at 0-11 to 0-3 advantage with the Farney County struggling against a very vigilant Dublin rearguard whose tackling and blocking were of a high quality.

Dubin’s 41^st minute goal putting the game beyond doubt when Paddy Andrews did excellently to win possession, round his marker and place Rock who swept the ball to the net.

Afterwards manager Jim Gavin warned: “1-11 from play and a lot of wides in the second half won’t be good enough the next day that’s for sure. It certainly gives us something to take away to the training ground that’s for sure.

“I think the result is a reflection of the respect we gave to Monaghan. We prepared really well for this game and I thought the players did well in the first half against 13 men behind the ball. We were very controlled and composed, and were deserved leaders at half-time.”

On the plus side Paul Flynn and Michael Darragh Macauley made their returns from injury with the Ballyboden St Enda's especially prominent on his introduction.

The game also marked Stephen Cluxton creating history be becoming the player to play in the most senior football championship matches (89) - he also made two great reflex saves in the second half as Dublin got a bit careless late on.

SCORERS – Dublin: D Rock 1-8 (0-7f, 0-1 ‘45’), P Mannion, P Andrews 0-3 each, J McCarthy, C O’Callaghan, J McCaffrey, P Flynn, E O’Gara 0-1 each. Monaghan: C McManus 0-4 (3f), C McCarthy 0-3, C Walshe, K O’Connell, R Beggan (f), R McAnespie, D Hughes 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; J Cooper, M Fitzsimons, P McMahon; J Small, C O’Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, J McCarthy; E Lowndes, C O’Callaghan, C Kilkenny; P Mannion, P Andrews, D Rock. Subs: B Brogan for Lowndes (42), D Daly for Small (51), P Flynn for McCarthy (51), E O’Gara for Andrews (54), MD Macauley for Kilkenny (58), D Byrne for Cooper (61).

MONAGHAN: R Beggan; D Wylie, C Walshe, R Wylie; K Duffy, F Kelly, K O’Connell; K Hughes, D Hughes; D Ward, S Carey, S Carey; R McAnespie, C McManus, J McCarron. Subs: C McCarthy for Doogan (35), O Duffy for Ward (ht), V Corey for R Wylie (44), D Mone for O’Connell (44), D Malone for Carey (56), N McAdam for D Hughes (63).

REF: C Lane (Cork).