Senior footballers secure top spot with win over Tyrone

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUARTER-FINAL GROUP 2 PHASE 3

DUBLIN 1-16 TYRONE 0-13

Sunday's victory in Healy Park, Omagh secured top spot in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals Group 2 for Dublin and a meeting next Saturday in Croke Park (5.0) against Mayo.

An Eoghan O'Gara goal in the fifth minute of added time ensured their was no late turnaround after the Dubs had led for most of this contest.

The powerful Templeogue Synge St man batted a long handpass from Seán Bugler to the net to put Dublin 1-15 to 0-12 clear with time almost up.

Bugler had a highly influential game scoring three points, two off his less favoured left foot as well as a fisted effort, in an all-round impressive display. Another point effort looked to have gone between the posts but was waved wide.

The early exchanges were evenly balanced before two Cormac Costello frees, after fouls on Paddy Small and Kevin McManamon, and Bugler's first put Dublin 0-5 to 0-2 clear by the 14th minute.

Bugler's point was top class after Paddy Andrews had cleverly broken a long delivery from Diarmuid Connolly into his path but he still had a lot to do to clip over from a very tight angle.

Dublin though had to endured some nervous moments at the other end with Evan Comerford looking very secure on a few occasions.

In the 15th minute Connor McAliskey was one-one-one with the Ballymun Kickhams man but Comerford denied him from close range.

A Richie Donnelly point from 46 metres but the gap for Tyrone but Dublin replied with points from Paddy Small, after being put through by Kevin McManamon, and Cormac Costello, off his left, following good approach play by James McCarthy and Jonny Cooper.

Dublin's best goal opportunity fell to Costello in the 23rd minute, after Paddy Small elected to pass rather than shoot himself, but the Whitehall Colmcille's man effort was blunted.

At the interval Dublin led 0-8 to 0-5 in front of the crowd of 15,315 and immediately on the restart Connolly broke forward before placing McManamon to clip over.

The biggest cheer of the day came in the 55th minute when Connolly, after working a good one-two with Costello, curled over off his left foot to make it 0-13 to 0-10.

Before then both counties had a sighting on goal but Conall McCann's well worked shot came back off the underside of the crossbar while Cormac Costello, after a clever flick-on by Bernard Brogan, had his shot parried by Tyrone keeper Benny Gallen.

With two minutes of normal time remaining Bernard Brogan was rewarded for some good movement with a point, his goal attempt blocked over the crossbar.

Diarmuid Connolly, who enjoyed an impressive return to the starting team, was black-carded in the 69th minute with Dublin leading 0-15 to 0-10.

Points from Niall Sludden and Connor McAliskey but the gap to three points before O'Gara's goal ensured top spot for the Dubs.

SCORERS - Dublin: C Costello 0-6 (0-4f), S Bugler 0-3, E O’Gara 1-0, P Small, K McManamon 0-2 each, D Connolly, P Andrews, B Brogan 0-1 each. Tyrone: C McAliskey 0-5 (0-2f), R Donnelly, K Coney (0-2f) 0-2 each, C McCann, C Grugan, N Sludden, D McCurry 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: E Comerford; D Byrne, R O’Carroll, A McGowan; E Lowndes, J Cooper, E Murchan; D Connolly, J McCarthy; R McDaid, K McManamon, S Bugler; P Small, P Andrews, C Costello. Subs: P McMahon for Byrne (ht), MD Macauley for McCarthy (ht), B Brogan for Small (44), E O’Gara for Cooper (44), C O’Connor for O’Carroll (55), P Ó Cofaigh Byrne for Costello (68).

TYRONE: B Gallen; C McLaughlin, P Hampsey, A McCrory; L Rafferty, T McCann, M Cassidy; B McDonnell, D McClure; R Donnelly, K Coney, C Grugan; D Mulgrew, C McAliskey, C McCann. Subs: HP McGeary for Hampsey (ht), R Brennan for Cassidy (inj, 38), B Kennedy for Donnelly (inj, 39), M McKernan for T McCann (56), D McCurry for C McCann (56), N Sludden for Mulgrew (68).

REF: J McQuillan (Cavan).