Allianz Football League Division One

DUBLIN 1-15 GALWAY 0-7

By Cian O'Connell at Croke Park

On an icy night in the capital Dublin did enough comfortably securing the spoils to respond following an opening weekend defeat.

Jim Gavin’s charges demonstrated sufficient graft and craft to fend off a Galway outfit missing a string of key players due to injuries and club commitments.

Dublin weren’t exactly at full strength either with some emerging talent afforded valuable time on the pitch as Liam Flatman and Sean Bugler contributed to this success.

Important cameos were supplied by Cormac Costello, who notched six points, while Dean Rock finished the evening with a 1-5 haul.

Initially as Galway attempted to release Tom Flynn into an attacking role to gather marks the visitors did enjoy some encouraging first half moments.

Cillian McDaid and Peter Cooke dashed about in impressive fashion both mining two first half points each, but for all Galway’s enterprise they still trailed at the break by 0-6 to 0-5.

That was chiefly due to Dublin’s strong running from deep which enabled Costello a couple of sweet efforts, while Paul Mannion and Sean Bugler also raised white flags.

When Galway went direct Padraic Cunningham came close to pinching a goal, but at the opposite end Dublin also missed opportunities.

There was some early season rust evident with Dublin’s shot selection as proven by their interval tally of 0-6 from 14 shots.

It wasn’t exactly worrying stuff, but it was enough to ensure that Galway were very much in the contest as the teams returned for the second period.

Dublin, though, were very much in the ascendancy with Costello carrying a potent threat throughout against a stretched Galway defence.

Two splendid points inside a minute from the Whitehall Colmcilles attacker illustrated Dublin’s ability to counter rapidly and Galway couldn’t cope.

Dean Rock’s smooth opportunism resulted in a 57th minute goal for the prolific Ballymun Kickhams forward as Galway’s brief was now in damage limitation.

Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 1-5 (3fs), Cormac Costello 0-6 (1m), Paul Mannion 0-2, Niall Scully and Sean Bugler 0-1 each.

Scorers for Galway: Cillian McDaid and Peter Cooke 0-2 each, Johnny Heaney, Shane Walsh (f), and Barry McHugh (f) 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: Evan Comerford; Eric Lowndes, Michael Fitzsimons, Liam Flatman; Eoin Murchan, Jonny Cooper, John Small; James McCarthy, Brian Fenton; Sean Bugler, Cormac Costello, Niall Scully; Paul Mannion, Dean Rock, Ryan Basquel.

Subs: Brian Howard for R Basquel (48), Paul Flynn for Bugler (55), Jack McCaffrey for Small (61), Darren Gavin for McCarthy (61), Conor McHugh for Mannion (66).

GALWAY: Maghnus Breathnach; Eoghan Kerin, Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh, Sean Kelly; Gary O’Donnell, Gareth Bradshaw, Johnny Heaney; Ciarán Duggan, Tom Flynn; Peter Cooke, Johnny Duane, Cillian McDaid; Padraic Cunningham, Shane Walsh, Cein D’Arcy.

Subs: Barry McHugh for McDaid (HT), Fintan Cooney for D’arcy (61), Danny Cummins for Cunningham (61), Gearoid Armstrong for Cooke (62), David Cunnane for O’Ceallaigh (66).

REFEREE: Ciaran Branagan (Down).