Roscommon struggle to compete with Dublin's greater star power

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DUBLIN 1-19 ROSCOMMON 1-12

Thirty five minutes of competitiveness was followed by 35 minutes in which Roscommon struggled to compete with Dublin’s greater star power at Croke Park tonight, as Davy Burke’s side were plunged deeper into a relegation battle following a seven-point reverse at the hands of the All-Ireland champions.

Brian Fenton and in particular Con O’Callaghan brought an element of class and quality to proceedings that proved to be the difference between the sides, and it seemed appropriate that the Cuala man’s seven-point haul effectively split the teams.

Efficiency and control were Roscommon’s trump cards when they picked up a share of the spoils when the two sides met at the same venue in last year’s championship, and for the opening 35 minutes, this game followed a similar pattern. Dublin enjoyed plenty of possession and their runs through the middle succeeded in breaking tackles and opening up scoring opportunities, but their mediocre conversion rate left Roscommon in the game.

Despite playing out an absorbing one-on-one battle with All-Star nominee Brian Stack, O’Callaghan was the clear focal point at the head of the Dublin attack, albeit it was a unit that had to be remade after an accidental clash forced Cormac Costello off the field with less than eight minutes played.

Lee Gannon and John Small also struck points of the highest quality, but outside of that, Dublin’s inaccuracy contrasted sharply with Roscommon’s parsimony. Daire Cregg was the star turn in an attack that shot seven points from seven attempts (Dublin hit eight from 16) while the Boyle and UCD player was desperately unlucky not to also put his name on a goal, as replays suggested that Seán MacMahon may have got a touch on Cregg’s handpass across the goal that floated over David O’Hanlon and into the net.

A point adrift at the break, Roscommon had the platform from which to build a meaningful tilt at their first league win of this campaign, but they never got any momentum and three points in a row from the Dubs gave Dessie Farrell’s side a level of comfort and security that allowed them to simply manage the contest through to its conclusion.

If there was a red flag for Farrell, it was how his established stars continued to lead the way, as opposed to his fresh blood. Brian Fenton had a tough battle with Rúairí Fallon for the first 45 minutes but he came into the game with some powerful runs, two points and an assist for Niall Scully’s goal. Ciarán Kilkenny and Seán Bugler were industrious and effective, and then there was Con, who kept on working the Roscommon defence in a variety of ways, and inexorably building up his tally.

At the back, there were creaks. Enda Smith barrelled through for a goal, Conor Cox could have had another but for a stunning save from David O’Hanlon, and if Cathal Heneghan held onto a lateral pass from Cox, he too could have tested the Dublin custodian.

It was never going to be enough. A point from O’Callaghan immediately after Smith’s goal said it all.