DESSIE FARRELL insists Dublin want NFL glory after halting Galway’s unbeaten run in style last night.
The Sky Blues went level on eight points with the Tribes and Donegal at the top of the Division 1 table, in the league final race apparently nobody wants to win.
The Dubs finished with NINE different scores as Sean Bugler bagged goals in each half and Luke Breathnach and Con O’Callaghan fired 0-4 each from play.
And Farrell would love a league final berth as they chase a Division 1 crown for the first time since their shared covid title with Kerry in 2021.
He said: “Yes, we’d definitely take a League Final if we were fortunate enough to get there. We haven’t spoken about that with the group. It’s all about just trying to focus on the next game.
“Who can we further develop? Who can we get more game time into? Who can we get minutes into that might be returning to the squad?
“I’m trying to give as many players as exposure as possible at this stage so we can hit the ground running and come Championship time.”
Farrell has waved goodbye to SIX of his starting team from their All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Galway last June.
James McCarthy, Jack McCaffrey, Paul Mannion, Michael Fitzsimons, John Small and Brian Fenton have all left the fold.
But Stephen Cluxton’s comeback was a big plus as their stalwart stopper, 43, made his first appearance since that defeat last year.
Both he and Conor Gleeson stayed put for the night though, as the new rule tweak means teams must have four players in their own half at all times.
Galway fell 10 behind after Bugler’s second goal, but clawed themselves right back into it when Damien Comer and John Maher raised green flags.
But their wayward shooting cost them badly as they racked up 12 wides to Dublin’s four, and lost scoreless Shane Walsh at the break to a niggle.
Before the game, the Tribes formed a figure eight around Killererin and Galway jerseys in an emotional tribute to their former star and manager Billy Joyce – uncle of boss Padraic – who passed away on Tuesday.
Cluxton was nearly left red-faced from two kick-outs early doors, but got off the hook.
A short one beyond the arc aimed at Davy Byrne was intercepted by Walsh, who squared it for Rob Finnerty who somehow missed his palmed effort into an empty net.
Cluxton malfunctioned again when Mattew Thompson intercepted, but the kick was chalked off by hawkeye.
But Dublin commanded the game overall, as Galway kicked seven first half wides alone.
MISFIRING
Finnerty scored two points early on, but the hosts powered in front with 1-6 without reply, as their workrate and quality in possession were second to none.
Breathnach fired two beauties from play either side of an absolutely cracking two-pointer.
He then created their first goal when he left Sean Fitzgerald for dead and Bugler fired home into the Hill.
Con O’Callaghan was the driving force behind each attack and set up McGarry’s first point before Breathnach got his second from play.
Sean McMahon did brilliantly to keep the ball in Dublin’s next attack as McGarry played in Niall Scully, and suddenly it was 1-8 to 0-2.
Galway woke from their slumber because they had no choice, as Céin D’Arcy ended a 16-minute wait for a score before Dylan McHugh followed suit.
But the struggling Finnerty was taken off, and Walsh followed at the break as his simple free floated straight into Cluxton’s chest as he limped into the changing room.
By that stage Con had a goal effort blocked by Liam Silke, and then blazed another goal chance over the bar when Costello beautifully dinked it off the surface and lofted into him.
Leading 1-10 to 0-6 at half time, Dublin turned the screw when Bugler played a slick exchange with Tom Lahiff to fire into the bottom corner and pull them 10 clear.
But Galway rallied brilliantly, and Comer’s introduction gave them a massive lift. The Annaghdown man caused chaos as Daniel O’Flaherty’s two-pointer sparked the revival.
Maher’s shot was deflected into the net by Theo Clancy before Cillian Ó Curraoin fed Comer, and he left David Byrne for dead to rifle home.
Back within two, their comeback halted here as Dublin powered home. Costello, Killian McGinnis, McGarry and Cian Murphy all pelted over before Murphy had a gilt-edged goal chance saved by Gleeson.
Comer flashed another goal chance over before Lorcan O’Dell and King Con put the tin hat on Dublin’s best performance since their round 3 win in Kerry.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Byrne, T Clancy, C Tyrrell; C Murphy 0-1, S McMahon, B Howard; T Lahiff, P Ó Cofaigh-Byrne; S Bugler 2-0, C O’Callaghan 0-4, N Scully 0-1; R McGarry 0-2, C Costello 0-5, 2f, 1 45, L Breathnach 0-4, 1 tp. Subs: K McGinnis 0-1 for Ó Cofaigh-Byrne 43mins; L O’Dell 0-1 for Scully 53, J Madden for Breathnach 53, K Lahiff for McGarry 63, D Keogh for Costello 68
GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, D O’Flaherty 0-1tp; D McHugh 0-1, L Silke, S Kelly; P Conroy, J Maher 1-0; M Thompson 0-1, C McDaid 0-1, C Darcy 0-1; R Finnerty 0-2, 1f, M Tierney 0-2, 1m, S Walsh. Subs: L Ó Conghaile 0-1 for Finnerty 32mins; C Ó Curraoin for Walsh HT, J Glynn for McHugh 40, D Comer 1-2, 1m for Conroy 46, S O’Neill for Fitzgerald 58
REFEREE: M McNally (Monaghan)
