NFL Division One: Dublin 1-17 Mayo 1-15
A star turn by Seán Bugler threatened to upstage the new rules as the headline act at Croke Park on Saturday night.
Bugler scored seven points, all from play, to earn Dublin a two-point victory in their Division One National Football League opener in front 24,160 spectators on a chilly, clear night in the capital.
But if Bugler was Man of the Match, the new rules also delivered a decent performance on their first competitive showing in Croke Park.
There certainly appeared to be more space on the pitch for players to attack – and from the 2-32 total scored during the encounter, 2-30 came from open play. Two Ryan O’Donoghue frees were the only scores registered from placed balls throughout the game. All of Dublin’s 1-17 came from play.
Several two-pointers were attempted over the course of the match but only one was successful – Fergal Boland in the first half.
The last attempt at a two-pointer was from Ryan O’Donoghue as the seconds ticked away at the end of the game – the Mayo forward clearly aware it would have earned his side a draw – but the ball sailed wide.
Dublin had five players making their debut league starts – goalkeeper Gavin Sheridan, former AFL player James Madden, the county’s former hurling captain Eoghan O’Donnell (who had previously appeared off the bench in the championship), Kevin Lahiff and Brian O’Leary.
Mayo had debutants Fenton Kelly and Davitt Neary, but it was Dublin’s young guns who fired first – Lahiff palming the ball to the back of the net in the second minute, the chance created following a brilliant run by O’Donnell.
Bugler popped up everywhere in the opening quarter and by the 14th minute he had already posted his third point of the match to give Dublin a 1-5 to 0-2 lead. Mayo appeared to be taking on water at that stage and when Killian McGinnis extended Dublin’s lead moments later it looked ominous for Kevin McStay’s side.
But between the 17th and 30th minutes Mayo scored 1-7 without reply – a run of scores that included Boland’s lovely two-pointer.
Indeed, Mayo’s comeback at that stage of the game was an advertisement for the new rules. It took them just 51 seconds to cancel out a five-point deficit. Boland clipped over his two-pointer with the clock at 21:53.
In the next play, Mayo swept forward again and goalkeeper Colm Reape was able to drill a hole, pass to the inrushing David McBrien, who in turn fed Conor Reid and the Moy Davitts man showed good composure to round Sheridan and slide home. Just like that, it was 1-6 apiece.
Mayo then hit the front with points from Paul Towey and O’Donoghue with a free. Donoghue’s kick was taken from directly in front of the Dublin posts after the ball had been brought forward for a free originally awarded at the other end of the field – either for dissent or not handing the ball to an opposing player.
Mayo led 1-10 to 1-8 at half-time but a pair of Ciarán Kilkenny points on the restart and one from Lahiff edged Dublin back in front again.
Bugler’s three second-half points were crucial to Dublin’s victory, the last of those arriving in two minutes from time to push Dessie Farrell’s side three points clear. Darren McHale pulled one back moments later but time was against Mayo and they couldn’t add a two-pointer to pull back level.
DUBLIN: G Sheridan; D Byrne, T Clancy, E Murchan; C Murphy, B Howard, G McEneaney (0-0-2); K McGinnis (0-0-1), J Madden; C Kilkenny (0-0-2), K Lahiff (1-0-2), S Bugler (0-0-7); C Basquel (0-0-1), E O’Donnell, B O’Leary.
Subs: S MacMahon for Murchan (46 mins); T Lahiff for Madden (51); N Scully for Lahiff, L Breathnach (0-0-2) for O’Leary (both 59); S Lowry for O’Donnell (66).
MAYO: C Reape (0-0-1); S Callinan, R Brickenden, E Hession; S Coen, D McBrien, D McHugh; F Kelly, M Ruane; C Reid (1-0-0), P Towey (0-0-2), D Neary (0-0-2); F Boland (0-1-2), F Irwin (0-0-2), R O’Donoghue (0-0-3, 2f).
Subs: D McHale (0-0-1) for Towey (51 mins); C McHale for Irwin (59); B Tuohy for McHugh, S Morahan for Kelly (both 63); D O’Connor for Neary (65).
Referee: P Faloon (Down).
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