Dublin edge by Roscommon to complete perfect campaign

Dublin 1-13 Roscommon 1-12

The Dublin football team collected their seventh win on the trot- and perhaps, also, a few lost metropolitan fans wandering around the Connacht interior - in this entertaining game which was both a testament to their limitless strength in depth and to Roscommon’s spirit of adventure.

Ciaran Murtagh’s injury time free would have earned Roscommon a famous home-away-from-home draw here but the captain slipped as he struck the ball; a forgivable mistake in another-wise flawless performance. Roscommon had clawed their way out of a 0-9 to 0-3 half time hole; they had two men black carded, coughed up a sucker-punch goal superbly finished by Dean Rock, had a 61st minute goal disallowed and were lifted by an exceptional defensive display by Niall McInerney on an afternoon when they reaffirmed their status as a first division team. Dublin rested many, many stars and introduced names old and new to Carrick-on-Shannon. Kevin O’Brien got his first start since 2013 after fighting his way back from a long injury. Eoghan O’Gara returned to his familiar berth at full forward while Conor McHugh struck up a promising understanding with the lethally-inventive Kevin Manamon after earning his start.

“It is about performance,” said Jim Gavin.

“It was going to be difficult against a very good Roscommon side in difficult conditions and to put players into that bear pit and come out with a victory is very satisfying. And it is a healthy sign of the squad that players with so many changes can simply continue our patterns of play and concept and see things through to the end.”

That was it in a nutshell. The names change but that blue wave keeps coming at opposition teams. There was an element of Escape from New York about the day as Dublin fans either breakfasting in or landing in Roscommon town were startled to hear that the circus had moved on to Carrick; Hyde Park had failed a morning pitch inspection. General chaos followed as Sean McDermott park got a quick dusting.

“It’s everyone’s fault and nobody’s fault,” said Kevin McStay. “We have a rotten pitch in the Hyde and when it rains it becomes unplayable.”

Throw-in was postponed by fifteen minutes but once the game was on, the All-Ireland champions looked happy to play anywhere. They pressed high, chewing up Roscommon’s attempts to break them down with intricate passes. Cian O’Sullivan blocked off roads into Senan Kilbride. In possession, the Dublin ball-handling was assured and their approach direct. Roscommon coughed up 12 first half frees and Dean Rock, excellent here, punished them. Seanie McDermott was unlucky to be slapped with a black card for a fair attempt at a shoulder of Emmet O’Conghaile. Cathal Cregg’s case was more straightforward and the home team were down a key forward. They were lucky to trail by 0-9 to 0-3 at the half.

But then, Cregg’s first half illuminated the problems the Rossie’s faced as they slogged through the grey afternoon. After two bright early points, they slowly but surely lost their co ordinates against the All-Ireland champions. Roscommon’s attempts to execute intricate hand passing through the sky-blue wall spread across the Dublin 50 led to turn over after turnover. In possession, the Dubs were direct and assured. Brian Fenton is blooming into an accomplished play maker for this team and Eric Lowndes frequently found Dublin’s go to men up front. Kevin McManamon became locked into an absorbing battle with Seanie McDermott before the latter’s dismissal. Dublin just went through their phases of attack; press, attack. Roscommon suddenly found scores hard to come by.

“We got static and just stepped back - and got a bit frightened of them,” said Kevin McStay.

“ I don’t mind saying that. And we said this to them at half-time - ‘Why won’t we take a risk?’ Lads were isolated, nobody coming off the shoulder to give a bit of support, and next thing it’s an over-carry or whatever. And I really do think it’s where we’re at. We’re just learning. Like, Dublin - we see them on telly, they’re built up into these big, massive men coming down from the city and nobody can compete with them. And you stand back a bit. And then when they get a run on you, they put up the points fairly lively and then everybody is running away from the ball. But I think we did address that at half-time … I don’t want to be a happy loser by a point, but some days you give everything you have.”

They did that. Roscommon attacked with more verve and support after the tea-break. Donie Shine landed two heartening points and Kilbride got a fist to Fintan Cregg’s ball to send a huge roar through Carrick. They became fearless. The Dubs never looked ruffled and have become a superb ball-retention team but they were hanging on after Conor Devaney’s 70th minute point left Roscommon within one. Visitors in the estimated crowd of 10,000 were pleased to hear of trains back to the capital laid on from Carrick; what they call a ‘special’ train in the west. A minor adventure ended well for the city fans. Bigger ones lie ahead.

Dublin: 1 M Savage; 2 M Fitzsimons, 3 K O'Brien;19 D Byrne, 5 D Daly, 25 C O'Sullivan; 6 E Lowndes; 8 B Fenton, 9 E O'Conghaile; 20 S Carthy (0-2), 11 T Brady, 21 P Mannion; 23 C McHugh (0-1), 14 K McManamon (0-1), D Rock (1-8, 7 frees), 23 J McDermott for 9 C Shine (52 mins). Substitutes: 22 R McDaid for 25 C O'Sullivan (half-time), 10 P Flynn for 11 T Brady (45 mins), 24 E O'Gara for 14 K McManamon (50 mins), 7 J Small (0-1) for 5 D Daly (51 mins).

Roscommon: 1 D O'Malley; 2 S McDermott, 3 N Collins, 4 D Murray; 20 D Keenan, 6 S Purcell, 25 N McInerney; 8 N Daly (0-1), 9 C Shine; 15 C Cregg; 10 F Cregg (0-3, 2 frees), 11 N Kilroy; 12 C Murtagh (0-5, 2 frees); 14 S Kilbride (1-0), 21 D Shine (0-3). Substitutes: 7 R Stack for 2 S McDermott (x black card), 19 C Devaney for 15 C Cregg (half time, black card), 24 J McManus for 20 D Keenan (45 mins), 17 B Murtagh for 11 N Kilroy (57 mins), 26 T Corcoran for 21 S Shine (64 mins).

Referee: D O'Mahoney (Tipperary).