Roscommon; 2-12 Dublin; 0-16: The dangerous appeal of entering the lion's den and escaping with the spoils is one that Roscommon's footballers find increasingly enticing.
Yesterday, in front of mainly blue-clad supporters at Parnell Park who harboured expectations of a gladiatorial bloodletting, the visitors - including one dragged off his sickbed - used stealth and considerable footballing acumen to put a place in the league semi-finals just one match from their grasp.
"It must be the new league format, with games so close to the championship, but these last few matches have been played with unbelievable intensity," remarked Roscommon manager John Tobin, whose work mantra has obviously perforated through to his charges. Indeed, after dominating the first-half, and holding a six-point lead at one early stage of the second, Roscommon were twice required to produce killer goals in the final minutes to acquire both points.
For Dublin, the result was hard to swallow. Having played second fiddle for virtually the entire first-half, during which time Roscommon virtually owned the ball around centrefield, Dublin - demonstrating some character of their own - dragged themselves back into the game and appeared to have gained the upper hand only to fall for two late sucker punches from their rivals.
Stephen Lohan, who had been laid low with 'flu all week, was the man who miraculously swapped pyjamas for football attire and even more miraculously provided the inspiration for the win. A decision to play Lohan was only taken yesterday morning but, in that first-half, Lohan outplayed Jonny Magee so comprehensively that Dublin were left with an uphill battle.
"He has lost a stone and a half and needs to lose another stone," was Tommy Lyons' icy assessment of his centre-half back, who was hauled ashore after 25 minutes to make way for his younger brother. By then, much of the damage had been done. Roscommon had kicked seven unanswered points to lead 0-9 to 0-3, and Dublin were forced into a game of catch-up that was physically and mentally exhausting.
It made for a more entertaining game, nonetheless. Lohan was the linchpin for much of Roscommon's first-half dominance. David Casey and Seamus O'Neill won plenty of possession around the middle of the field, Lohan - who included one marvellous sideline kick in his points haul - ran Magee ragged and Nigel Dineen, involved in a good old style tussle with his marker Coman Goggins, further cemented the cohesion between Roscommon's ballwinners and scoretakers.
And when Dublin did break out of their lethargy, Roscommon goalkeeper Derek Thompson produced two excellent saves, one from Shane Ryan, the other from Eoin Bennis, to keep them comfortably ahead. At the break, Roscommon led by double scores - 0-10 to 0-5 - but whatever unsavoury words were used in the Dublin dressing room at half-time had some effect because the home side re-emerged with new intent.
In fact, centrefield, with Ciaran Whelan and Darren Homan winning clean ball, was reclaimed by Dublin and Shay Keogh, playing his first game in three years, added bite to the attack. Ray Cosgrove, who had wasted some chances in the opening period, became more frugal - he eventually finished with nine points - and Alan Brogan became creator as much as taker. By the 55th minute, Dublin's fightback had brought them level.
Much of the good work was unravelled in an instance, however. In the 56thminute, a high ball into the Dublin goalmouth was greeted with hesitancy by 'keeper Stephen Cluxton and Dineen nipped in to score Roscommon's first goal. Even then, Dublin held their composure and two Cosgrove points and then a magnificent long range effort from Darren Magee brought them level again.
One minute into injury time, though, and Lohan - who had been pushed closer to the goal as his legs increasingly felt the effects of the 'flu - was in the right place to fire home the decisive goal. Paul Noone's initial shot rebounded off the upright back to him and he passed to Lohan. "Neither goal should have happened, but the teams were out on their feet at that stage," admitted Lyons.
Dublin did have a chance to steal the game in the dying seconds when Keogh (who had snatched back a point moments earlier), lucky to have stayed on the pitch after a reckless tackle on Fergal O'Donnell - resulting in the Roscommon player sustaining a broken nose - was put through on goal with a chance to grab victory.
However, Thompson again showed his considerable stop-shotting talents to divert the ball wide of the goal and guarantee Roscommon, and not Dublin, moved within touching distance of a semi-final place. "This match was as close to championship as you could get," observed Lyons, clearly frustrated that his side - guilty of 14 wides during the game - had not managed to finish off the fightback.
For Tobin, though, the win was especially satisfying: "There's a never-say-die attitude about this side. They have a workmanlike ethos and it is a good sign when a team lives on scraps, as we did in the second half, and still stays in the game."
ROSCOMMON: D Thompson; D Gavin, J Whyte, I Daly; M Raftery, F Grehan, P Noone; S O'Neill, D Casey (0-1); J Tiernan, S Lohan (1-5, two frees), G Cox (0-2); N Dineen (1-3), J Dunning (0-1), J Hanley. Subs: F O'Donnell for Tiernan (50 mins), D Connellan for Cox (60 mins), M Duignan for O'Donnell (66 mins).
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Henry, P Christie, C Goggins; P Andrews, J Magee, P Curran; D Homan, C Whelan; E Crennan (0-1), D Darcy, E Bennis; A Brogan (0-2), S Ryan, R Cosgrove (0-9, six frees). Subs: D Magee (0-1) for J Magee (25 mins), S Keogh (0-2) for Darcy (30 mins), S Connell (0-1) for Bennis (57 mins), J Sherlock for Crennan (65 mins).
Referee: B Gorman (Armagh).
