All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final, Group 2, Phase 3

DUBLIN 4-24 ROSCOMMON 2-16

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Bernard Brogan made a welcome return to Championship action as Dublin signed off on the All-Ireland quarter-final group stage in style with an impressive 14-point win.

Brogan was only on the field for four minutes late on as he appeared as a blood substitute for the injured Mark Schutte but it was a remarkable cameo all the same.

It's only six months since the ex-Footballer of the Year and five-time All-Ireland winner suffered cruciate knee ligament damage in training.

He underwent surgery shortly after and immediately vowed to return to play for Dublin in this season's Championship, a promise he has now delivered on.

With Dublin already through to next Saturday's All-Ireland semi-final against Galway back at Croke Park, boss Jim Gavin chose to assess his options and dug deep into his panel.

Eoghan O'Gara started in attack and took his big chance with a 2-2 haul while Cormac Costello fired nine points, both players making pressing cases for inclusion in six days.

Paul Flynn, who scored 1-6 against Roscommon here in the league last year, tormented Kevin McStay's side again with 1-3 while Conor McHugh, Paddy Small and Schutte all got on the score-sheet.

The big downside for the three-in-a-row All-Ireland winners was the 2-16 they conceded.

Dublin, typically, jumped onto the front foot and were in a strong position at the break when they led by 2-12 to 0-7.

Boss Gavin made three changes from the official team sheet with late call ups for Jack McCaffrey, Colm Basquel and John Small.

McCaffrey replaced James McCarthy in the half-back line and Basquel came into the half-forwards for Niall Scully.

Small's inclusion came at midfield and freed Flynn, wearing number eight, to play in the half-forward line from where he impressed.

Flynn kicked a couple of wides before blasting in a goal in the 21st minute that surged Dublin 1-7 to 0-4 ahead after a bright start.

Flynn turned creator in the 32nd minute when he fed Michael Darragh Macauley for a second goal that put the Leinster champions 2-11 to 0-5 ahead.

Costello added a point before the break and two more immediately after it before O'Gara slammed in a third goal for Dublin.

There was a fourth goal for Dublin, and O'Gara's second, in the 51st minute when he fetched expertly and blasted in from close range.

Gavin ran in all six of his substitutes by the 60th minute and handed chances to fringe players including Conor Mulally.

Brogan's introduction rose a huge cheer from the crowd though Gavin was more concerned on the sideline with the late Roscommon surge which resulted in a flurry of scores.

The Connacht finalists hit six of the game's last eight points and fired second-half goals through Gary Patterson and sub Donie Smith to give their supporters some cheer.

Scorers for Dublin: Cormac Costello 0-9 (0-1 45, 0-1f), Eoghan O'Gara 2-2, Paul Flynn 1-3, Michael Darragh Macauley 1-0, Kevin McManamon 0-3 (0-2f), Conor McHugh 0-2, John Small 0-1, Paddy Andrews 0-1, Paddy Small 0-1, Mark Schutte 0-1, Philly McMahon 0-1.

*Scorers for Roscommon: *Donie Smith 1-3 (0-1 45), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-6, 0-2f, Gary Patterson 1-0, Padraig Kelly 0-2, Ciaran Lennon 0-2, Ciarain Murtagh 0-1 (0-1f), Conor Devaney 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1.

DUBLIN: Stephen Cluxton; Philly McMahon, Cian O'Sullivan, Michael Fitzsimons; Eric Lowndes, Darren Daly, Jack McCaffrey; John Small, Michael Darragh Macauley; Paul Flynn, Kevin McManamon, Colm Basquel; Cormac Costello, Eoghan O'Gara, Paddy Andrews. Subs: Conor Mulally for O'Sullivan (h/t), James McCarthy for McCaffrey (h/t), Paddy Small for Costello (47), Mark Schutte for John Small (47), Conor McHugh for O'Gara (53), Andrew McGowan for Daly (60), Bernard Brogan for Schutte (62-66).

ROSCOMMON: James Fetherston; David Murray, Peter Domican, Niall McInerney; John McManus, Darra Pettit, Ross Timothy; Tadhg O'Rourke, Enda Smith; Niall Kilroy, Ciarain Murtagh, Conor Devaney; Diarmuid Murtagh, Brian Stack, Ciaran Lennon. Subs: Padraig Kelly for Kilroy (h/t), Gary Patterson for Timothy (h/t), Ian Kilbride for Domican (49), Donie Smith for Stack (49), Cathal Cregg for C Murtagh (56), Sean McDermott for McManus (66).

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).