Senior footballers cruise to victory over Mayo

DUBLIN 1-16 MAYO 0-7

In a very uncharacteristically one-sided game for these two modern rivals Dublin cruised to a 12-point victory in Saturday's NFL Division 1 clash at Croke Park.

A massive crowd of 34,758 turned up and certainly those of a blue hue will have been delighted with the display of their footballers.

Dublin set the tone from the opening seconds of the game with the midfield duo of Brian Fenton and Michael Darragh Macauley establishing an early supremacy which they never relinquished.

The Dubs moved into an early 1-2 to 0-2 lead inside just seven minutes.

Conor McHugh finished the goal off to the net after Niall Scully did brilliantly to cut out a David Clarke kickout before combining with Ciaran Kilkenny who placed the Na Fianna clubman for a simple finish.

Dublin continued to apply the pressure and Dublin really should moved further clear in the second period but spurned a few chances in front of goal.

But Dublin closed out the half well with points from Philly McMahon, Dean Rock (free) and an excellent point from Eric Lowndes.

By the interval Jim Gavin's men were 1-5 to 0-2 clear with both of Mayo's scores coming from deadballs.

Any time Mayo did threaten to breach the Dublin defence Stephen Cluxton stood strong to deny both Cillian O'Connor and Kevin McLoughlin on two separate occasions.

Cluxton also had great protection in front of him with Mick Fitzsimons enjoying an outstanding opening half.

Dublin never looked in trouble in the second half and but for the goalkeeping heroics of David Clarke would have won by more.

Clarke denied Michael Darragh before the 'goal' was ruled out as the Boden man swept the ball to the net along the ground with his hand.

The Mayo netminder after frustrated Paddy Andrews from the penalty spot after Dean Rock had been fouled by Donie Vaughan.

Clarke not alone saved the initial penalty but also the rebound and then, assisted by Colm Boyle, scrambled the ball to safely and Dublin tried to make it third time lucky.

Next up for the Dubs is an away trip to Tralee to face the Kingdom on Saturday, March 18.

“We're building all the time and we've a cracking game next up (against Kerry),” said Dubs boss Jim Gavin afterwards.

"It's Roscommon then and Monaghan so we're building towards three months' time and our opening round against Carlow or Wexford in the Championship and that's what our focus is on.

“It was a workmanlike performance. I thought when we played in Ballybofey against Donegal that we controlled it for large portions of the game. It was a different challenge against a really good Donegal defensive system but we didn't finish that game out.

“We just looked for that performance piece over the expanse of this game and we got it in patches. They had quite a few wides, quite a few chances that they didn't take. Overall, for this time of the season, first week in March, and three months out from the Championship, we're happy to get the two points.”

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-8 (0-6f), C McHugh 1-3, P McMahon, E Lowndes 0-2 each, P Flynn 0-1. Mayo: E Regan (0-2f), C O'Connor (0-1f, 0-1 '45') 0-2 each, T Parsons, S Coen, C Boyle 0-1 each. 

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, P McMahon, D Byrne; D Daly, J Small, E Lowndes; B Fenton, MD Macauley; N Scully, C Kilkenny, SB Carthy; D Rock, E O'Gara, C McHugh. Subs: P Andrews for O'Gara (45), P Flynn for Carthy (50), K McManamon for McHugh (55), C Reddin for Byrne (66), E O Conghaile for Fenton (70), C Mulally for Small (71).

MAYO: D Clarke; P Durcan, L Keegan, K Higgins; S Coen, C Boyle, D Vaughan; T Parsons, J Gibbons; F Boland, K McLoughlin, D O'Connor; E Regan, C O'Connor, A Moran. Subs: B Harrison for Gibbons (ht), S Nally for Vaughan BC (50), C O'Shea for Moran (54), C Loftus for D O'Connor (63), D Kirby for Boland (66).

REF: D Coldrick (Meath).