DUBLIN POWERED TO their 13th consecutive Leinster senior football crown after a 21-point demolition of Louth in Croke Park this afternoon.
Dessie Farrell’s side were ruthless in their pursuit, with Paul Mannion, James McCarthy, Sean Bugler, Paddy Small and Colm Basquel grabbing the goals. That said, they left others behind them.
Sam Mulroy top-scored for Louth with 0-10 (7f, 1 ’45), but the Wee county’s first provincial final appearance since 2010 was a disappointing one.
40,115 watched on and the afternoon ended with a familiar sight: McCarthy lifting the Delaney Cup aloft.
One concern for Dublin will be Jack McCaffrey’s first-half withdrawal, seemingly owing to injury, but they were much sharper today and never looked back after Mannion’s 23rd-minute major. They finished with 12 different scorers and their usual bench power.
They now go into Group 3 of the All-Ireland series, opening their bid at home to Roscommon and later meeting Kildare and Sligo. Mickey Harte’s Louth are pitted against Cork, Mayo and Kerry in Group 1.
The start today was scatty, the goal of possession football stunted by mistakes and turnovers on both sides. A Mulroy free got Louth up and running, before Dublin’s free-taker Costello helped them off the mark in the 10th minute.
Mulroy (free) and Man of the Match Bugler traded scores thereafter, before Louth’s captain hit an influential point from under the Hogan Stand which pleased the large Wee county crowd.
That was in the 12th minute, but after their promising start, Harte’s side would not score for the next 22. In that same period, the Dubs roared to life with 1-10.
While Louth matched them well up to this point, Dublin wrestled their way into ascendency and took control of the game. They found great joy from pressing James Califf’s kickout and looked to go direct, as Con O’Callaghan caused problems inside. Their build-up was sharp and they could have raised a green flag sooner only for Niall Sharkey’s sublime steal on Brian Fenton.
Costello (three — 1f, 1 ’45), Bugler and O’Callaghan all raised white flags as Louth mainly conceded from turnovers, before Mannion’s sucker-punch arrived. He palmed home to make it 1-7 to 0-3, finishing a trademark Dublin break after they turned over Sharkey.
The typically-electric McCaffrey (two), O’Callaghan, Bugler and Mannion (free) tagged on efforts as Dublin made hay. Mulroy stemmed the flow with a much-needed free from the ’45 in the 34th minute, and to Louth’s credit, they finished the half stronger. Conor Grimes and substitute Craig Lennon kicked big scores to reduce the deficit to 1-12 to 0-6 at the break.
Again, for Louth’s improved start to the second half, they were stopped in their tracks by McCarthy’s goal in the 45th minute. Mulroy (2f) and Liam Jackson were on target as they looked to play Dublin at their own press, but McCarthy slammed home after linking up with Cian Murphy when Mannion’s dropped shot left the Louth defence scrambling.
Smelling blood, Dublin continued to go direct with O’Callaghan (fisted point and mark) reaping the rewards. Ciarán Kilkenny got into the groove with back-to-back points, while in between, Grimes blazed over at the other end after good move.
Bugler made no mistake into Hill 16 in the 56th minute, expertly dispatching after a one-two with Kilkenny to leave the scoreline 3-17 to 0-10. John Small split the posts just after, the Ballymun Kickhams supreme in defence throughout.
While Louth tired, Mulroy did his utmost to keep them ticking over. Dublin could have had a handful of other goals, and Louth were unlucky not to bag one of their own — their skipper had the ball in the back of the net but referee Conor Lane called him back for a Davy Byrne foul.
The younger of the Small brothers was credited with a goal in the dying embers of normal time, coming out on top of a scramble after Lee Gannon ricocheted off the crossbar.
4-19 to 0-13 at that stage, there would be a little more scoreboard action. Ciarán Downey, shackled by Gannon for the most part, and Dean Rock traded points and Mulroy nailed another free.
But Basquel ensured the Dubs finished with a flourish, his 73rd-minute individual goal and a McMahon point rounding off the procession in their 39th win in-a-row in Leinster.
For Louth, the wait for provincial glory — last achieved in 1957 — and a win over Dublin (1973) goes on.
Scorers for Dublin: Sean Bugler 1-3, Cormac Costello 0-5 (3f, 1 ’45), Con O’Callaghan 0-4 (2m), Paul Mannion 1-1 (1f), James McCarthy 1-0, Paddy Small 1-0, Colm Basquel 1-0, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-3, Jack McCaffrey 0-2, John Small, Dean Rock, Sean McMahon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 0-10 (7f, 1 ’45), Conor Grimes 0-2, Craig Lennon, Liam Jackson, Ciaran Downey 0-1 each.
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 18. Brian Howard (Raheny)
5. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcille), 6. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 20. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
8 Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
25. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street), 11. Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunketts ER), 12. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
13 Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes) 14. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala), 15. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille)
Subs
4. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis) for Jack McCaffrey (30)
26. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams) for 25 (52)
24. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams) for Cormac Costello (52)
10. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s for Paul Mannion (59)
19. Sean McMahon (Raheny) for Brian Howard (63)
1. James Califf (Dreadnots)
2. Dan Corcoran (Geraldines), 3. Peter Lynch (Roche Emmetts), 4. Donal McKenny (St Mary’s, Ardee)
5. Leonard Grey (St Patrick’s), 6. Niall Sharkey (Glyde Rangers), 7. Ciarán Murphy (St Patrick’s)
8. Tommy Durnin (Inniskeen Grattans), 9. Conor Early (Na Fianna, Dublin)
10. Conall McKeever (Clan na Gael), 11. Sam Mulroy (Naomh Mairtín — captain), 12. Conor Grimes (Glen Emmets)
13. Daire McConnon (St Mary’s, Ardee), 14. Ciarán Downey (Newtown Blues), 15. Liam Jackson (St Mary’s Ardee)
Subs
21. Craig Lennon (St Mochta’s) for Daire McConnon (25)
26. Anthony Williams (Dreadnots) for Ciarán Murphy (30)
22. Connall McCaul (St Joseph’s)for Liam Jackson (40)
25. Paul Matthews (St Fechin’s) for Conor Early (55)
17. Ryan Burns (Glyde Rangers) for Dan Corcoran (67)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
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