Dublin are into their third All-Ireland Football final in 5 years, after a stunning last 15 minutes from the Boys in Blue helped them ease past Mayo at Croke Park this evening.
It was an end-to end game, one which was far more free-flowing than last week’s slow cynical tie.
All of the talk before the game was whether or not Diarmuid Connolly would start, after his appeal against his one-match suspension was successful last night.
He was included in Dublin's attack, much to the delight of Hill 16 when his name was announced before throw-in.
The game itself was score-for-score throughout- until Dublin pulled clear in the last quarter to seal their All-Ireland final place.
Bernard Brogan gave Dublin the lead in the first minute, before scores from Kevin McLaughlin and Barry Moran put Mayo ahead.
Two scores from Paddy Andrews once again put Dublin ahead, but they were Dublin’s last scores for 13 minutes, as Mayo pulled ahead, thanks to a Cillian O'Connor brace.
Dublin’s next score came in the 19th minute, when defender Philly McMahon found himself through on goal, but he blasted over when Dean Rock was free inside.
From then on, the sides traded scores, with the teams drawing level on seven occasions in the opening 35 minutes.
Paddy Andrews hit 4 points for Dublin, with Ciaran Kilkenny knocking over two excellent scores of his own, while O’Connor struck 4 points for Mayo, as the teams went in level at the break at 10 points-apiece.
The second half started in dramatic fashion, with Mayo’s Seamus O’Shea getting sent to the line with a black-card early on, after an off-the-ball challenge on Jonny Cooper.
But it was Mayo who responded the better to that setback, with O’Connor again at the forefront.
He gave the Connacht champions the lead from a free, before hitting the net with an excellent finish in the 41st minute.
He was put through on goal by Andy Moran, took the ball around Stephen Cluxton, before finishing to the net as he stumbled and fell to the ground.
That goal gave Mayo a four-point lead, one which they looked like extending as they hit a purple patch.
Dublin responded by bringing Michael Darragh Macauley, Michael Fitzsimons, Alan Brogan and Kevin McManamon off the bench midway through the second half.
And what a response it was.
The Boys in Blue outscored Mayo by 3-3 to 2 points in the final 16 minutes.
Macauley, Brogan and Brian Fenton combined to set up Bernard Brogan for a fine finish in the 54th minute.
Dublin made it two goals in two minutes straight afterwards, with Bernard Brogan once again attacking the Mayo defence before playing the ball into the square, where Philly McMahon fisted the ball to the net.
After some deliberation with the umpires, the referee awarded the goal and Dublin were now 2-12 to 1-12 ahead with 15 minutes left.
Further scores from Paddy Andrews and McMahon again pushed Dublin into a 2-14 to 1-12 lead, before Kevin McManamon finished the game as a contest on 66 minutes.
He raced clear on goal and finished well past Robert Hennelly in the Mayo goal to give Dublin a 7 point lead- one which Mayo could not recover from this week, as Dublin ran out winners by 3-15 to 1-14.
Credit must go to Philly McMahon (1-2) and Paddy Andrews (0-5), while Michael Darragh Macauley and Kevin McManamon excelled off the bench.
The one negative for Dublin was the sight of Cian O’Sullivan hobbling from the pitch at the end of the game.
Jim Gavin will be eager to have him fit for the ultimate All-Ireland Final Sunday- Dublin v Kerry on September 20th.
