Dublin v Mayo: Five things we learned from replay

The Sub Factory

In the modern game, the benchwarmers are as important as those who actually start. Dublin's deployment of their substitutes was critical with the team that finished up arguably stronger than the one that initially went about the business of succumbing Mayo. Three substitutes in particular had massive impacts: Michael Darragh Macauley, Alan Brogan and Kevin McManamon.

When released from the bench, the trio brought with them energy and guile and the code to unlock the Mayo defensive structure. Where Macauley had played as if the ball was like a hot potato in the drawn game, this time he was assured and strong in possession and this was especially evident in the buildup to Dublin's first goal. Mayo's goalkeeper Robert Hennelly had dillied and dallied with a kickout: in fact, as he tied his bootlaces and put back on his gloves, he wasted a full 51 seconds on the clock at a time when Mayo were 1-12 to 0-12 ahead.

From the resultant kickout, Ciaran Kilkenny won possession, fed Macauley who in turn passed to Paddy Andrews who then found Alan Brogan who moved the ball on to Brian Fenton. His dragged shot across the goal was finished to the net by Bernard Brogan with the clock at 54 minutes and 54 seconds. The whole gamechanging move took exactly 14 seconds from Hennelly’s kickout to the ball crashing into the net.

McManamon didn’t play any part in that goal but contributed 1-1 in his time on the field, brilliantly finishing his side’s third goal with his left boot, whilst also making a lung-bursting run down the sideline at one juncture which gave Dublin important possession.

Mayo’s Missed Opportunity

When Cillian O'Connor cleverly contrived to score the game's first goal, improvising to fall over Stephen Cluxton and move the ball to his right foot, Mayo took a grip on their own destiny. Mayo were four points ahead going into the final quarter but contributed to their own downfall with a series of missed chances - most notably Lee Keegan tamely shooting poorly into Cluxton's hands when a point would have put his side five points up - and, thereafter, there were also a number of turnovers which gave Dublin fresh belief.

Having assumed the dominant position, Mayo then lost their way. Seamie O'Shea's black card - for grabbing Jonny Cooper by the throat and swinging him to the ground - had deprived Mayo of a strong and imposing presence in centrefield which was later highlighted by the impact made by Michael Darragh Macauley's introduction there.

It was also apparent that Mayo had learned nothing from Dublin’s experience in the drawn match. This time, it was Mayo who failed to take advantage of establishing a lead and, at a time when retaining possession was important, there were numerous occasions where wrong options were taken and the ball was lost through indecision and poor control in contact.

Four points up, it was also a time for Mayo to shut down any goal-scoring routes for Dublin. Instead, Mayo leaked two goals inside a minute and, once Dublin assumed the lead, their retention of the ball - if not pretty at times - was hugely effective and showed that the mistakes of the previous week would not be repeated.

The Unsung Hero

Deemed surplus to requirements under Pat Gilroy’s tenure when Dublin ended their drought back in 2011, Paddy Andrews has emerged from the shadows under Jim Gavin’s reign. This was his finest hour - well, 70 minutes actually - as Andrews produced the sort of performance that is more typically expected from Bernard Brogan or Diarmuid Connolly.

It didn’t matter which foot he was shooting with or whatever the angle, Andrews gave a man-of-the-match display that yielded five points from play. But Andrews also showed there was more to his game than assured finishing, as he worked tirelessly and also linked up with other players in a number of moves, including the build-up to Dublin’s opening goal.

Andrews may claim that Eric Cantona as his sporting hero when growing up but his performance on Saturday evening was as sublime as anything the Frenchman ever conjured up. A new hero for the Hill?

The Pantomime Villain

Whatever the rights or wrongs of his availability to play, with the GAA’s DRA rescinding his red card, Diarmuid Connolly was the most identifiable player on the pitch: he was loudly cheered by Dublin supporters whenever he was on the ball, and loudly and routinely booed by Mayo supporters.

In the circumstances, it was probably understandable that Connolly’s on-field impact fell way short of the week’s off-field shenanigans.

Although one of the most gifted footballers of his generation, Connolly struggled to get into the game and his touch was untypically out of sorts. He failed to score at all in the match and was eventually summoned ashore - with the game won - late on, when he was given a standing ovation from Dublin supporters and a chorus of boos from Mayo’s.

Less cynicism, more flair

You have to remember these are amateur players who perform at a professional level, and the six-day turnaround from the drawn game - even for the fittest of players - is a huge ask. Yet Dublin and Mayo contrived to produce a match high-energy and, most thankfully, free of much of the cynical behaviour that mired the drawn game.

The number of scoring opportunities was impressive: Dublin created 27 scoring chances from play, of which 16 were converted; Mayo created 15 scoring chances from play, of which nine were converted.

Apart from late on in the game when Dublin played keep ball, much of it in their own half of the field as Mayo failed to press in on them, the tempo was intense with the onus on the ball rather than the man. The result was that referee Eddie Kinsella - who was on top of his game - kept a firm hand on matters. The handshakes and exchanging of jerseys at the final whistle told more for the mutual respect that both teams hold for each other than the cynicism of six days previously.