The toughest to win. The toughest to take

“It was the toughest game I’ve ever played,” remarked James McCarthy. As it was the toughest test of Dublin’s champions credentials since they captured the 2015 crown. As it was the toughest defeat this Mayo team will have to process.

All-Ireland SFC final

DUBLIN............... 1-17

MAYO.................. 1-16

Dean Rock’s free seven minutes into injury-time means it will be more of the same adulation for Dublin and more of the same sympathy for Mayo. For the third year running, only a point divided them but it may as well have been a dozen for all either team care, given the stark contrast of their moods.

The facts of Dublin’s dominance only amplify. Brian Fenton remains undefeated in championship football. Their unbeaten SFC run under Jim Gavin now extends to 20 matches and Stephen Cluxton is now the most successful Gaelic football captain in championship history.

For Mayo, as good as that two-point lead looked, with six minutes of normal time left, old habits returned to haunt them. Their forward line only mustered three points from play in the second half – two from Cillian O’Connor and one from Kevin McLoughlin. Their wastefulness – particularly in the first half – meant Dublin trailed by just one, 0-9 to 1-5, at the break when their superiority in general play should have translated into more of an advantage.

Mayo’s concession of an early goal seemed almost obligatory. Like he did against Tyrone, Con O’Callaghan showed superb balance to slalom his way through the Mayo cover, although Colm Boyle and Keith Higgins could have done better. Only that setback two minutes in didn’t as much as rock Mayo as push them into gear. The next three scores were all Mayo’s, Andy Moran and Donie Vaughan finishing some neat exchanges of passes and Tom Parsons intercepting James McCarthy before Kevin McLoughlin slotted the ball between the sticks.

Lee Keegan, akin to 2015, did leave a shot short in the 14th minute but Mayo had settled. They had been helped somewhat by Dublin’s loss of Jack McCaffrey to a knee injury in the ninth minute, which Cluxton argued afterwards had an impact on how Dublin lined out. Then again, Eoghan O’Gara was only inches away from feeding Paddy Andrews for an almost certain second goal in the 15th minute.

Late addition O’Gara, who had a mixed half prior to being benched at the interval, did follow up that move with a point, but Dublin weren’t themselves, or rather weren’t allowed to be, as Mayo hoarded ball in the middle third where Parsons and Aidan O’Shea were electric. If a period of play summed up Dublin’s shakiness in the first half it was Dean Rock kicking a ball short and then putting the subsequent 45’ wide.

Rock did make up for it with a 22nd-minute free but not before Mayo added another couple of scores. Moran fouled Jonny Cooper in helping to set up O’Connor but there was nothing wrong with how Mayo seized on Cluxton’s following kick-out which ended with Moran angling the ball over for a point.

After that Rock free, Mayo again performed the one-two as Moran pointed a third time and Parsons once more made his presence felt at the restart and Jason Doherty obliged. Dublin manufactured their own two points on the bounce when John Small struck true from distance and Rock contributed his first from play, although Donie Vaughan looked to be fouled prior to it. But again Mayo made the most of their time in the Dublin half when Doherty pointed and kicked one over with the outside of his right boot after O’Connor had missed a relatively easy free.

Dublin cut that two-point difference in half when Joe McQuillan gave Kilkenny a soft free when he was surrounded by Mayo defenders after he and Paddy Andrews collided and Rock did the rest. And Dublin found themselves in the lead once more five minutes into the second half, Kevin McManamon availing of a Diarmuid Connolly pass to jink his way in for a point.

The contributions of half-time introductions McManamon and Connolly were telling but then Cluxton had to be so good in the 43rd minute to stop Doherty after he had been put through by Moran. At least O’Connor made sure there was something from the attack when he sent over Mayo’s first free, following a foul on Doherty, but in the next minute Clarke was just as impressive in denying Paul Mannion, although the latter kept his composure to send over a point.

Two minutes later and John Small had just committed a second yellow card offence, this time on Boyle, when Vaughan elected to take out his own justice on the Dublin defender. Both men left the field and Dublin initially reacted best as Brian Fenton kicked them two points ahead.

O’Connor (free) and James McCarthy exchanged points before Mayo completed one of the moves of the summer in the 54th minute, O’Connor finding Moran whose quick hands were greatly appreciated by the on-running Keegan whose shot was too hot for Cluxton to stop. Connolly squared matters three minutes later and then Kevin McLoughlin and Rock offered points.

O’Connor landed a monster point and a free after a foul on Keegan and Mayo seemed to be entering dreamland. Except four of the remaining five scores were Dublin’s – Mannion, McCarthy to level and a fisted Rock point giving them the lead. O’Connor demonstrated steel again to level the game for an 11th time. The chance was his to give Mayo an edge again after he was fouled by Michael Fitzsimons but the outside of the post denied him.

Connolly then hit a poor wide but he did well to draw a free from the otherwise terrific Chris Barrett, which Rock punished in the severest way, despite distractions from some close-by Mayo players. Dublin returned fire with some cynicism themselves as David Clarke restarted before indulging in keep-ball to see out a win borne of composure more so than class.

Afterwards, Gavin was asked if he could offer Mayo any advice. As he contemplated, Cluxton interjected to say they “don’t need advice – they’re doing well enough as they are”. Not well enough, though. Not enough for Dublin. Nothing is right now – and that’s tough.

Scorers for Dublin: D. Rock (0-7, 3 frees); C. O’Callaghan (1-0); P. Mannion (0-3); J. McCarthy (0-2); E. O’Gara, J. Small, K. McManamon, B. Fenton, D. Connolly (0-1 each).

Scorers for Mayo: C. O’Connor (0-7, 4 frees); A. Moran (0-3); L. Keegan (1-0); J. Doherty, K. McLoughlin (0-2 each); D. Vaughan, C. Boyle (0-1 each).

DUBLIN: S. Cluxton (c); P. McMahon, M. Fitzsimons; J. Cooper; J. Small, C. O’Sullivan, J. McCaffrey; B. Fenton, J. McCarthy; D. Rock, C. O’Callaghan, C. Kilkenny; P. Mannion, E. O’Gara, P. Andrews.

Subs for Dublin: P. Flynn for J. McCaffrey (inj 9); D. Connolly for P. Andrews, K. McManamon for E. O’Gara (h-t); B. Brogan for P. Flynn (65); N. Scully for C. O’Callaghan (68); C. Costello for P. Mannion (70+4); C. Kilkenny (black, 70+7 not replaced).

Sent off: J. Small (48, second yellow).

MAYO: D. Clarke; C. Barrett, B. Harrison, P. Durcan; L. Keegan, C. Boyle, K. Higgins; S. O’Shea, T. Parsons; K. McLoughlin, A. O’Shea, D. Vaughan; J. Doherty; C. O’Connor (c), A. Moran.

Subs for Mayo: D. O’Connor for S. O’Shea (51); C. Boyle for S. Coen (56); C. Loftus for A. Moran (63); D. Drake for J. Doherty (70); D. Kirby for K. McLoughlin, G. Cafferkey for K. Higgins (inj) (both 70+5).

Sent off: D. Vaughan (48, straight).

Referee: J. McQuillan (Cavan).