Dublin 3-19

Derry 1-10

DUBLIN SAVED THEIR best performance of the year to date to ease to a second consecutive Allianz National Football League Division 1 title with a 15 point win over Derry in Croke Park today.

The Dubs trailed just once in the game, after four minutes when Cailean O’Boyle fisted the ball into an empty net to give his side a surprise 1-0 to 0-1 lead after Bernard Brogan had pointed the game’s opening score.

However, that was as good as it got for the Oak Leaf county as they shipped nine unanswered points before Emmett McGuckin’s score in the 25th minute to make it 0-10 to 1-1, Brogan, Eoghan O’Gara, Diarmuid Connolly and Stephen Cluxton among the scorers for Dublin.

Though Dublin’s scoring rate slowed down towards the end of the half, Derry were unable to take advantage, meaning the blues went into the break leading by seven points, 0-13 to 1-3.

Any hopes Derry had of a comeback faded eight minutes into the second half when Bernard Brogan scored a stunning goal for Dublin that left Derry goalkeeper Thomas Mallon at sixes and sevens.

Kevin McManamon scored their second — at the second attempt – 12 minutes from time and Diarmuid Connolly netted a third with a minute remaining to ensure Jim Gavin’s men would be celebrating the most facile of victories.

Scorers for Dublin: Bernard Brogan 1-6 (0-3f), Diarmuid Connolly 1-2, Kevin McManamon 1-0, Paul Flynn 0-3, Eoghan O’Gara, Alan Brogan 0-2 each, Stephen Cluxton (0-1f), Johnny Cooper, Ciaran Reddin, Darragh Nelson 0-1 each.

Scorers for Derry: Cailean O’Boyle 1-1, Mark Lynch, Gerard O’Kane, Emmett McGuckin 0-2 each, Kevin Johnston, Fergal Doherty, Emmet Bradley (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Philly McMahon, Rory O’Carroll, Kevin Nolan; James McCarthy, Johnny Cooper, Nicky Devereux; Michael Darragh Macauley, Cian O’Sullivan; Paul Flynn, Paddy Andrews, Diarmuid Connolly; Eoghan O’Gara, Alan Brogan, Bernard Brogan.

Subs: Kevin McManamon for Andrews (inj) (29), Davy Byrne for Nolan (46), Michael Fitzsimons for O’Carroll (60), Ciaran Reddin for O’Gara (60), Darragh Nelson for O’Sullivan (63), Tomas Brady for Alan Brogan (67).

Derry: Thomas Mallon; Dermot McBride, Aidan McAlynn, Chrissy McKaigue; Kevin Johnston, Oisin Duffy, Gerard O’Kane; Patsy Bradley, Fergal Doherty; Enda Lynn, Mark Lynch, Ciaran McFaul; Benny Heron, Emmett McGuckin, Cailean O’Boyle.

Subs: Conor McAtamney for McAlynn (30), Emmet Bradley for Heron (30), Declan Mullan for Patsy Bradley (47), Declan Brown for Duffy (black card) (51), Mark Craig for Johnston (66), Niall Holly for Lynn (66).

Moment of brilliance from Bernard Brogan leaves Derry ‘keeper floundering

First GAA championship game of the summer ends in a draw