Defeat for Dublin Senior Footballers against Mayo in Castlebar

DUBLIN 2-9 

MAYO 1-18

Dublin remain pointless in Division 1 of the Allianz National Football League as they succumbed to Mayo by six points in their Round 2 clash at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park on Sunday afternoon. 

It was Mayo that enjoyed a 0-10 to 1-5 interval lead with Luke Breathnach’s firing a 2ndminute goal only for the hosts to gradually take control through two-pointers from Ryan O’Donoghue and David McBrien. 

Dublin’s task became an uphill one as Seán MacMahon was red carded just five minutes into the second-half and while Paddy Small offered hope with an excellent solo goal early in the final quarter, the hosts eased home by kicking four of the last five scores. 

The Dubs could not have wished for a better start as Breathnach, so impressive when introduced against Donegal in Round 1, crashed home from close range for the game’s opening goal. 

Sam Callinan and Fergal Boland replied for the hosts and while late replacement Cormac Costello kicked an excellent ‘45’ into the breeze, Mayo were soon back on level terms courtesy of an O’Donoghue two-pointer. 

Another two-pointed score, this time from McBrien, pushed the hosts two-points clear towards the end of the first quarter with scores proving at a premium in the early stages. 

A well-worked move saw Killian McGinnis halve the Dublin deficit in the 22nd minute only for Stephen Coen to immediately reply for Mayo as Ciaran Kilkenny was introduced off the bench for his seasonal debut. 

Kilkenny’s Castleknock clubmate Kevin Stephenson was also brought on soon after for McGinnis as Dublin once again brought their deficit down to the bare minimum through a 26th minute point by Small. 

Once again, Mayo pushed two-points clear as Boland added his second score in the 30thminute and the hosts could well have netted in an instant but Evan Comerford reacted well to repel James Carr’s low shot.

The half finished in a similar vein of traded scores as Costello and O’Donoghue (free) exchanged points, leaving Dublin facing a two-point deficit at the break.

Those arrears could have been erased within three minutes of the restart as Costello raced through on goal but his powerful shot cannoned to safety off the crossbar as McBrien increased the Mayo lead in the 39th minute. 

Matters deteriorated for Dublin in the 41st minute as MacMahon was dismissed on the advice of the lineman with Comerford making another superb save to thwart Carr for the second occasion.

Chances continued to be missed on both sides but with space opening up in the away defence, Beirne took advantage with a calm finish in the 45th minute, creating a six-point buffer in the process. 

Points followed through O’Donoghue and Diarmuid O’Connor before Costello finally opened Dublin’s second-half account with a cracking two-pointer at the end of the third quarter. 

Further momentum was generated in the 53rd minute as Small burst through down the end line and made light of the tight angle with a finish that whizzed past Rob Hennelly in the Mayo goal.

However, the hosts gradually regained control of matters through points by O’Donoghue, Cian McHale and Jack Carney as Dublin’s numerical disadvantage began to take full effect. 

Dublin will return to action on Saturday week when they host Monaghan in Croke Park at 7.00.        

Scorers – Dublin: C Costello 0-5 (P2, 1f, 1 ‘45); P Small 1-1; L Breathnach 1-0; K McGinnis, J Lundy, S Bugler 0-1 apiece. Mayo: R O’Donoghue 0-5 (P2, 1f); D Beirne 1-1; D McBrien 0-3 (P2); S Callinan, F Boland 0-2 each; S Coen, J Carney, J Flynn, C McHale (f), D O’Connor 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Comerford; D Byrne, S MacMahon, C Tyrrell; N Doran, E Murchan, C O’Connor; E Dunne, B Howard; J Lundy, N Scully, K McGinnis; P Small, L Breathnach, C Costello.Subs: C Kilkenny for Dunne (22), K Stephenson for McGinnis (24), S Bugler for Howard (31), L O’Dell for Lundy (52), G McEneaney for Breathnach (60), E Kennedy for Byrne (Temp, 67). 

Mayo: R Hennelly; J Coyne, R Brickenden, E Hession; S Callinan, D McBrien, P Durcan; B Tuohy, J Flynn; S Coen, R O’Donoghue, J Carney; F Boland, J Carr, D Beirne. Subs: AO’Shea for Durcan (44); D O’Connor for Carr (47); C McHale for Beirne (53); P Towey for Boland (62); D McHugh for Coen (64).

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).