Dubs blow Roscommon out of the water with clinical display
Dublin's Paddy Small gathers possession ahead of Roscommon's Senan Lambe during Sunday's game at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park. Picture: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon
Dublin came to town with a plan, and implemented it ruthlessly as they blew off-colour Roscommon out of the water at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park.
It was reality check for Mark Dowd's charges who had won many admirers with their performances in Division One so far. But they were outclassed on an afternoon when the Dublin defence kept tabs on Enda Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh and Daire Cregg, and from there Roscommon's problems grew.
Roscommon were faced with a 13-point deficit at the break, and while they managed to reel in Galway the previous weekend, they never looked like repeating their heroics here.
The Dubs were efficiency personified during the opening half.
They didn’t kick their first wide until the 25th minute, by which time they were 14 points to the good.
On the other hand, the scoring prowess that Roscommon had become renowned for in recent weeks deserted them as they spurned some big opportunities and dropped a number of other efforts short.
Dublin, even without their talisman Con O’Callaghan, started on the front foot, and a Niall Scully two-pointer — one of five they kicked during the opening half — was sandwiched between two Seán Bugler efforts.
In the 12th minute, things got better for the visitors when Killian McGinnis’ effort was blocked, went across the face of goal and was tapped into the net by Luke Breathnach.
Roscommon were struggling for traction, and Hugh O’Sullivan made a brilliant save to deny Enda Smith before Diarmuid Murtagh’s rebound hit the butt of the post and went out for a ’45, which Conor Carroll missed.
Dublin’s prosperity in front of the posts continued as Bugler, Eoin Kennedy and goalkeeper Hugh O’Sullivan (from a free) hit two-pointers in quick succession.
Niall Scully tagged on a free before a fifth two-pointer from Paddy Small pushed the Dubs 1-11 to 0-00 clear, and nearly out the gap after only 26 minutes.
Roscommon responded through a point — their first of the game — from Robert Heneghan, and a goal from Daire Cregg, despite the best efforts of O’Sullivan.
But a free by Paddy Small left Dublin 1-14 to 1-01 ahead at the break.
Roscommon, led by Senan Lambe and Colm Neary, tried valiantly to find a way back into the game but the closest they got was eroding the deficit to nine points, helped by Dylan Ruane’s 52nd minute goal.
But Dublin continued to control the tempo at their leisure, creating overlaps to pick off some simple scores through McGinnis, Charlie McMorrow, Breathnach, Alex Gavin and substitute Ross McGarry to run out comfortable winners.
Dublin: Hugh O’Sullivan (0-2, 1 2pf); Eoin Murchan, Nathan Doran, David Byrne; Eoin Kennedy (0-2, 1 2p), Brian Howard, Alex Gavin (0-1); Peadar Ó’Cofaigh Byrne, Charlie McMorrow (0-1); Niall Scully (0-4, 0-2f, 1 2p), Seán Bugler (0-4, 1 2p), Ciarán Kilkenny; Killian McGinnis (0-2), Paddy Small (0-2, 1 2p), Luke Breathnach (0-2).
Subs: Liam Smith for Murchan (temp, 2-5), Greg McEneaney for Kennedy (55), Niall O’Callaghan for Small (61), Jack Lundy for Breathnach (66), Ross McGarry (0-1) for Kilkenny (68), Liam Smith for Muchan (69).
Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Patrick Gavin, Caelim Keogh (0-1), Eoin Ward; Ruaidhrí Fallon, Ronan Daly, Colm Neary; Keith Doyle, Senan Lambe (0-1); Dylan Ruane (1-0), Enda Smith, Conor Hand; Diarmuid Murtagh (0-2, 1 2p), Daire Cregg (1-1), Robert Heneghan (0-1).
Subs: Jack Duggan for Fallon (h-t), Ciarán Lennon for Hand (44), Eoin Colleran (0-1) for Heneghan (47), Niall Higgins for Daly (61), Paul Carey for Ruane (65).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
