Dublin 0-12 Mayo 2-11
Lord knows they’ve paid some dues, this only being the league after all, Mayo ending their either decade or else half century wait of sorts certainly counting for something.
By another count it felt like they’d set Dublin back about as far, a third straight defeat in Croke Park, their fourth in all, which for Dublin hasn’t happened since the very bad old days of 2001. Dublin aren’t just a team playing bad, they’re a team playing from bad to worse.
In the end Mayo’s five-point margin winning was utterly more convincing than what happened here last August. Dublin’s confidence visibly weakening as time played on. Three sole points in the second half, including a free from Dean Rock, doesn’t suggest things are going to improve anytime soon either.
By throw-in the crowd had gently swelled to 24,180, some arriving early with GAA almanacs, aware of the recent history here. Mayo had come armed to the teeth with incentive too, looking to beat Dublin in the league for the first time in 10 years - that one back in Castlebar - and beat them in the league in Dublin for the first time in 51 years.
Confidence further shaken perhaps by conceding two relatively soft goals in the first half, one courtesy in part of goalkeeper Evan Comerford, Dublin were three points down at the break, 2-6 to 0-9, a position they were at least used to from their opening defeats to Armagh and Kerry.
Instead they drifted further behind the tempo and rhythm of the second half, Mayo out-scoring them five points to three. It was that kind of night.
Mayo hadn’t scored a league goal against Dublin since 2014. Well, they got two inside the opening half here, Dublin giving them a hand - or a head rather - with the first.
Rhythm
In the 21st minute, just when Dublin looked to have found some rhythm to their play, up 0-5 to 0-4 thanks mainly to Ciarán Kilkenny’s enthusiasm, Diarmuid O’Connor sent a neat pass from under the Hogan Stand into the path of Jack Carney, who promptly turned on goal. His shot touched off Comerford’s leg and then off the upright, rebounding into Comerford’s head and with that back into the goal. Knowing a thing or two about conceding own goals, Mayo were duly jubilant.
Dublin managed to level it for the third time, 1-5 to their 0-8, thanks to Ross McGarry, after a sort of crazy lull in attacking play from both teams. Three minutes before the break, Mayo struck at goal again, O’Donoghue sending a dangerous pass into the goalmouth over Comerford, caught out of position, and in the leap for the ball Aiden Orme got his hands in over Mick Fitzsimons.
Rob Hennelly jogged up before the break to add a 45-metre free, leaving Mayo three points up, 2-6 to 0-9. Mayo also did more of the hard hitting early on, searching perhaps for that identity vacuum in Dublin: midfielder Jordan Flynn and forward Ryan O'Donoghue were both booked inside 10 minutes.
Mayo played in far more lively fits and healthy spurts, finishing with eight different scorers, Bryan Walsh and Michael Plunkett getting in on the action in the second half, with Diarmuid O’Connor and Matthew Ruane both hitting two each from play.
Played under light but persistent February rain, the quality at times was mostly of two teams sitting somewhere back in the back, the somewhat dour atmosphere throughout more telling perhaps on Dublin’s end.
Unbeaten runs
Mayo came perhaps looking for some proof too that ending Dublin’s 45 game unbeaten run last August, in their All-Ireland semi-final, was no fluke. Before that Dublin had won their previous 17 meetings, league and championship, going back to the All-Ireland semi-final defeat in 2012.
Dessie Farrell made some changes, veteran defender Mick Fitzsimons seeing his first start of 2022, Lorcan O’Dell dropping out of the starting forwards and replaced by Ross McGarry.
Dublin’s shot selection and accuracy was again extremely poor. They hit six wides, several more fell short, including their first of the second half.
Dublin were still without the likes of Eoin Murchan, Cormac Costello, James McCarthy and Con O’Callaghan’s core energy and firepower. Seán Bugler showed well early but drifted well out of the game.
Strangely enough James Horan named a youthful Mayo team, particularly in attack where Jack Carney, Paul Towey and Aiden Orme all started alongside 2021 All Star Ryan O’Donoghue. Oisin Mullin returned to the team, scoring from play too.
They’ll meet again soon down the avenue, Dublin only have Donegal left coming to Croke Park, before going away to Kildare, Tyrone and Monaghan. There was snow on the Dublin Mountains earlier in the day. Probably on Croagh Patrick too.
This end result won’t be long forgotten, it’s still only the league.
DUBLIN: E Comerford (1-0, own goal); L Gannon, D Byrne; M Fitzsimons; T Lahiff, J Small (0-1), S McMahon; B Fenton, B Howard; N Scully, C Kilkenny (0-3, one mark), B Bugler (0-1); R McGarry (0-2, one mark), R Basquel, D Rock (0-4, all frees).
Subs: L O’Dell (0-1) for McGarry (40 mins), J Cooper for Basquel (50 mins), A Wright for Howard, C Murphy for Gannon (both 65 mins), H Ladd for Scully (72 mins).
MAYO: R Hennelly (0-2, both 45m); L Keegan, R Brickenden, M Plunkett (0-2); O Mullin (0-1), S Coen, D McHugh; M Ruane (0-2), J Flynn; B Walsh (0-1), D O'Connor (0-2), J Carney; P Towey, R O'Donoghue, A Orme (1-1).
Subs: C Loftus for Towey, K McLoughlin for Carney (both 49 mins), E Hession for Mullin (60 mins), A O’Shea for Ruane (62 mins), F Boland for O’Donoghue (65 mins).
Referee: David Gough (Meath).
