Tyrone 0-11 Dublin 0-10:Suspicions that the occasion would get the better of the match were confirmed on Saturday night at Croke Park. That's not to say that the opening fixture of the Allianz NFL didn't have its own significance, but, with the stadium lit for the first time conferring the special atmosphere of night games, the full house created an event as exciting as it was historic.
The capacity crowd mightn't have been quite as engaged as it would be in high summer, but it's hard to be critical when we've no reference points for how over 81,678 people should behave at a first-round league match.
On the field, the stakes and commitment were high even if the performance levels have a bit to go. But, even on this night of celebration and departure, some things stayed the same as they ever were.
This is where the match comes into it, and this is the checklist of modern truths that remained resolutely undisturbed: Tyrone's panel of endlessly adaptable talent still shines; Mickey Harte's instincts for changing a match on the line are as fine as ever; Dublin's ability to impress for periods is undimmed, but, equally so, is the capacity to self-destruct and the worrying tendency to crumble when quality opponents go up the gears.
Similar to their exits from the last two championships, Dublin built a solid lead of five by half-time (the same as when the counties met in the drawn 2005 All-Ireland quarter-final and two fewer than established 10 minutes into the second half of last August's semi-final against Mayo).
Saturday's first-half ascendancy owed a fair deal to Tyrone's poor display - Harte afterwards pointed out that his team had created a greater number of scoring chances than their opponents, but trailed by 0-2 to 0-7 - but there were still problems for Dublin.
The tactic of playing wing forward Derek Murray as an auxiliary defender gave Tyrone a series of uncontested kick-outs, which they happily executed. Similarly, the deep-lying forwards conceded a lot of ground notwithstanding the Ulster side's poor use of the ball.
One significant factor that was quite visible even before half-time was Tyrone's superiority on breaking ball, both in the ability to sweep it up and the knack of getting a hand in to deny Dublin possession, particularly in the full-forward line. On more than one occasion, ball that should have been in the secure custody of a forward was knocked free.
Nonetheless, the home side were making an impression on the scoreboard, even if the impetus was coming from the half forwards - where Alan Brogan and Diarmuid Connolly were much in evidence. The former's pace and penetration was a constant danger, whereas the latter confirmed the promise of his O'Byrne Cup performances.
Anointing teenagers is generally a sign of desperation, but Connolly's skill on the ball gives him time and space that is the mark of an elite forward.
No less than his colleagues, he went on the blink when the pressure came on, but greater experience can show him a way to rise above this all-too-familiar malaise, and Dublin fingers will be crossed because he is a considerable talent.
His club-mate and fellow debutant, Gerard Brennan, was also impressive before the roof fell in. Importantly for a defender, his instinct is for the correct option when under pressure, and when the screw was turned in the second half he looked if anything less panicky than his more experienced colleagues in what was by then a disintegrating half-back line.
At half-time, Harte called the changes. Michael Murphy was replaced by Kevin Hughes and Dublin's superiority in the area ebbed.
Admittedly, Darren Magee, after a forceful first half, was fading and Shane Ryan hadn't been part of the O'Byrne Cup campaign, so looked off the pace, but Tyrone raised the game.
Seán Cavanagh, the evening's top centrefielder, hit his stride and Hughes broke Dublin's. Owen Mulligan also improved and Raymond Mulgrew, whose credentials as a prodigy had been overshadowed by Connolly, came into the game - also dummying and pointing to push his side in front for the first time after 63 minutes, having shot Tyrone's first point from play in the 38th minute.
Farther back, the arrival of Conor Gormley strengthened the defence and curbed Brogan's influence. By the final quarter, Dublin were only getting scraps and not showing great composure with this limited supply.
The tight first-half marking was a distant memory and the giving away of possession will ensure some deeply uncomfortable video analysis for the defenders. Yet, it still took the visitors until the last 10 minutes to draw level, though the momentum of the game had been so with them that there was an air of inevitability about the closing stages.
Lively newcomer Colm Cavanagh was fouled for the Mulligan free that settled the issue at 0-11 to 0-9, despite Kevin Bonner's immediate response and some good chances to level.
Referee Pat McEnaney had a busy evening, but stayed in control - issuing 12 yellow cards and also a red, to Tyrone captain Ryan McMenamin for a petulant kick at Bonner well into injury-time - and kept the match going for a couple of minutes longer than expected. But Dublin showed an unhappy jitteriness when it came to striking for the score that would have salvaged an unlikely draw.
TYRONE: P McConnell; R McMenamin, C McGinley, M McGee; D Harte, D Carlin (0-1), M Penrose; M Murphy, S Cavanagh (0-2, one free); O Mulligan (0-4, three frees), R Mulgrew (0-2), C Cavanagh (0-1); R Mellon, C Donnelly, E McGinley. Subs: K Hughes for Murphy (half-time), C McCullagh (0-1) for Donnelly (half-time), C Gormley for Penrose (47 mins), T McGuigan for E McGinley (66 mins).
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Henry (0-1), N O'Shea, P Griffin; P Casey, C Moran, G Brennan; D Magee (0-1), D O'Mahony; D Murray, A Brogan (0-1), D Connolly (0-3, two frees); D O'Callaghan (0-2, one free), K Bonner (0-1), C Keaney (0-1). Subs: S Ryan for Magee (49 mins), B Cullen for O'Mahony (54 mins), B Brogan for O'Callaghan (61 mins), C Goggins for Murray (66 mins).
Referee: P McEnaney (Monaghan).
